COOKEVILLE – “Infectious” and “just plain fun to play.”
That’s how Kurt Snider describes the game of lacrosse, and it’s the reason he will be instructing a youth clinic Feb. 26 from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Cane Creek Recreation Center multipurpose field. The purpose the clinic, a partnership between Cookeville Leisure Services and Cookeville Youth Lacrosse, is to introduce the game to boys in grades 2-4. Registration is $10.
“If we can get the lacrosse stick in the hands of new players with some field time, most get hooked,” he said.
Snider has seen it happen plenty of times over the past two decades since starting a boys lacrosse program in Cookeville in 2002 through an equipment grant from USA Lacrosse.
“We started at the middle school level at the YMCA with 26 players,” he recalled. “Those graduating middle schoolers wanted to play at Cookeville High School, so we presented our club program concept to the school in 2004 and our high school team was approved. Since then, we have had full high school and middle school programs at CHS, and around 2007 our girls program kicked off with siblings of our boys program. In any given year we have between 150 and 200 boys and girls playing lacrosse.”
Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and ball. Clinic participants will learn the four basic skills of the game — catching, throwing, scooping and cradling the lacrosse ball. They will also cover the rules as well as the Native American roots of the game. Equipment will be provided.
“Lacrosse is an incredible combination of many sports,” Snider said. “It has the speed and endurance of soccer, the offensive and defensive strategy of basketball, the hand-eye coordination of baseball and the physical toughness of football and hockey. The fitness benefits are endless along with the team concept and sense of community. I love how lacrosse is fast moving and a continuous flowing game.
There is not a lot of stop time.”
Registration is open through Feb. 25 at www.cookeville-tn.gov/ls/athletics. For more information, call 931-520-5224.
