Neepawa Lacrosse is up and running New indoor league established to promote the sport to local youth

By Eoin Devereux Neepawa Banner & Press

Canada’s national sport has officially arrived in Neepawa. The newly established Neepawa Lacrosse Association (NLA) held a practice inside the Yellowhead Arena on Sunday. Apr. 23. In total, 54 players have registered for the youth (ages 4 to 15) program, which will teach and promote the national sport on a local level. In recent years, similar programs have also begun in Carberry and Brandon.

There are two styles of lacrosse most commonly played; Field (outdoor) and Box (indoor) Lacrosse. Neepawa Lacrosse will be focusing its program on the indoor style of play, which originated in Canada in the 1930s, and has become the most popular variation of the sport. It features two teams of five players and one goalie and is traditionally played on a hockey rink after the ice has been removed or covered.

Marla Boyd Steen is one of the facilitators for Neepawa Lacrosse. She said the idea of creating the program grew from her and other local family’s participation with Carberry’s Association.

“Last season, Whitney Gilbertson and I took our kids to Carberry to play. Our kids both loved it and we thought this would be a great addition to Neepawa. Last summer, we hosted three drop-in events, where people could try lacrosse, many for the first time. Fast forward a few months, [and] I contacted Manitoba Lacrosse in early January to see what would be involved with starting our own association in Neepawa.” said Steen.

Steen added that the provincial governing body was very receptive in helping Neepawa get its program up and running. She also thanked organizers in both Carberry and Brandon for help guiding them through the process of starting something up close to home. As for the local response,

Steen said many families have been intrigued by the sport and asking questions about things such as equip - ment requirements, rules of play and other basics of the sport.

Moving ahead, Steen said the next phrase of development would involve gradually working up to playing some exhibition games against teams from the Carberry and Brandon Associations.

A delegation from Neepawa has also been already been invited to a tournament in Winnipeg, set for May and a jamboree in Moosomin, SK that is scheduled for June.

Closer to home, Neepawa Lacrosse is looking into the purchase of additional required game equipment, such as a shot clock, for example.

Anyone interested in learning more about the sport or the local association can contact neepawalacrosse@outlook.com.