STICKING POWER WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER | PHOTOS PROVIDED
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redominately played on the East Coast, lacrosse is now the fastest growing sport in schools and colleges across the country.
Lacrosse is a relatively low-cost, high-energy, full-contact sport where the ball is always moving. Shots are clocked going faster than 100 mph, and lots of goals are scored in every game. THE HIDDEN EXPENSES As interest in lacrosse has grown, some veterans of the sport see this popularity bringing with it hidden expenses. “The focus is growing the number of participants, not growing the game. They modified and messed with the traditional aspects of the game,” said Brent Coye, a 1991 graduate of Saratoga Springs High School, who played lacrosse on the Nazareth College 1992 National Championship Team. Coye has also coached lacrosse at Union, Skidmore, and Hudson Valley Community College.
“A soccer mom mentality has taken over in the last few years that’s limited the smash and grab pace of the game. It’s supposed to be fast, up and down. That’s what gets people saying, ‘Holy Cow! Lacrosse is cool!’” he continued. 92 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | SUMMER 2021
Now working as a security contractor, Coye continues to coach lacrosse privately, preparing his players for highimpact collisions like he experienced.
“It was a very tough game in the ‘90s and early 2000s when I played. Your metal was going to get tested. If you weren’t ready to get hit, you weren’t ready to play. The lacrosse player was an anomaly; unique, and part of a certain clique. You had to have a certain coordination between the upper and lower body and not everyone had it. You’re running with the ball and the stick. You have to pass, shoot and catch on the run. It’s not just something you can pick up and do if you’re used to playing another sport.” ANCESTOR APPROVED Invented by the Iroquois nation, lacrosse is a game that reflects the value of coming together as a team to achieve a goal.
The Iroquois believed that if they played well, it would please the Creator and He’d look favorably upon them. Handmade wooden sticks were presented to a young boy as a symbol that he was entering into manhood. Upon their death, some players were even buried with their sticks.
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