History of Lacrosse

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

The most popular sports are the ones that get all the press coverage.

In the United States, the most popular sports are, of course, American football, basketball, and baseball. Worldwide, the most popular sport by far is soccer, or what the rest of the world knows simply as football. Then there are those strange sports that Americans just can't quite grasp, like cricket and rugby!

One sport that is gaining credibility is lacrosse. Lacrosse is a tough, centuries-old sport that is attracting new players and fans very rapidly — so rapidly in fact, that some estimates say the number of lacrosse players in the U.S. has doubled in the past five years alone (as of 2017)!

How do you play lacrosse? Take a look at a short primer just to get some of the basics. As you watch, write down the information you need to answer the following questions:

• How many people are on the field at a time?
• What is the field like?
• What are some of the basic rules?
• What equipment do you need to play lacrosse?

Now, watch the video, A Beginners' Guide to ... Lacrosse (The WorldGames), then answer the questions above:

Share your findings with your parent or teacher, then reflect on the following questions and discuss:

• How could lacrosse be compared or contrasted with other popular sports you know?
• What seems most exciting about lacrosse?
• What other information would be useful to know about this sport?

Some sports have ancient origins, and in fact start out with deep religious connections. It's true, believe it or not! In the Got It? section, discover the Native-American origins of this exciting sport, and find out how the religious and social worldview of the tribes of the eastern U.S. helped shape the game.