ACROSSE is played by tens of thousands of people, but it rarely gets a look-in on TV sports programmes, sandwiched between crown green bowls and synchronized swimming. But this skilful team game is continuing to make its mark on the pitch.
'The game has a real buzz about it,' said Caroline Royle of the Lacrosse Association. 'In America it is the fastest growing college sport, and the introduction of 'pop lacrosse' in this country means that children of even primary age can take part.'
'There is a particularly strong interest in the north of England with some great work being done there to develop the sport.'
The games has a French Canadian name, but its origins actually lie in the culture of the North American Indians. On a pitch the size of a football field, players cradle the ball in the net of their stick and, with a skilful twisting action, hurl it to their team members, who they hope will then hurl it into the back of one of the two-metre nets. As if that wasn't hard enough, all this is done while running full tilt.
There is a strong tradition of playing lacrosse at Yorkshire's independent girls schools. Harrogate Ladies' College, which was founded in 1893, introduced the game before the First World War. Fran Irvine, a former Scottish Junior International is in charge of lacrosse at the college but still finds time to manage the Yorkshire U19 team. 'It is not that long ago that everyone was playing with wooden lacrosse sticks and there were no boundaries to the area of play,' said Fran, noting recent changes in the game. 'It is now mandatory to wear gum shields and it won't be long before it's like America with everyone wearing eye protection.
Lacrosse is an important part of the college's sports programme. This year it won the Northern Schools U13 Championship and last year's team captain, Natalie Woods, played for England.
Harrogate Ladies' College, Queen Margaret's and Polam Hall are arch rivals in the Northern Schools Championships, hosted by Queen Margaret's. Other fixtures and tournaments, such as the English schools battle with the Scottish schools in Edinburgh, involve a lot of travelling.
To develop the sport in Yorkshire, Fran Irvine, like many other lacrosse enthusiasts, feels it's important to catch them young. 'Pop lacrosse is an excellent way to bring youngsters into the main game,' she said. 'At Harrogate Ladies' College, we are running a Pop Lacrosse Festival in December for Yorkshire prep schools so they can get a taste of the sport and, hopefully, go on to the senior game.'
Although the tradition is entrenched in independent girls schools and universities, it is beginning to reach a wider audience. Sheffield Steelers, for instance, have blazed a trail in opening up the sport, taking coaching programmes into inner city communities.
The club was started by former Sheffield University students who wanted to continue playing after graduation.
Now the Steelers have a development programme run by a lacrosse development officer from America. Mike Evans from the club explained: 'The brilliant thing about pop lacrosse is it can be played in a playground or even indoors in a gym. You don't need expensive equipment - we provide everything children attending our taster sessions need - and there is no sports stereotyping in terms of gender.'
Lacrosse has been described as 'the fastest sport on two legs in the world'. If these examples are anything to go by, it's plain to see that, in Yorkshire, this fast-paced game is continuing to gather momentum.