U of R should add another sport

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Author: brady lang | sports writer

lacrosse

Do you want welts? Because that’s how you get welts./ Bill Brine via Flickr

 

Why not lacrosse?

As big as the CIS is, nothing compares to the size of the NCAA.

As the CIS holds 12 sports in their program, the NCAA has 23. One of the most noticeable differences being lacrosse.

If you’ve been paying attention to any of the Saskatchewan sports scene, the Saskatchewan Rush have dominated the news lately, drawing crowds of over 15,000 people in Saskatoon to watch their Western Final victory in the National Lacrosse League.

So why not lacrosse in the CIS?

It’s a growing sport in Canada, regardless of it being our true national sport, and is extremely entertaining to watch. People love the violence, the excitement, and the closeness of the sport to hockey.

While growing up, I played field lacrosse for two years and it was my favourite sport to play. It is unique to many, and interesting to play. The biggest issue with the sport is the violence.

With slashing being legal and body checking and fighting being so important in the game, many people shy away from playing, but why doesn’t the U of R intramurals pick up a non-contact version of field lacrosse for students?

With softball, floor hockey, basketball, and volleyball being offered to students, just to name a few, I feel as if students would eat up a sport like lacrosse.

In the US, the NCAA has both men’s and women’s lacrosse, with the sport being extremely popular. When it comes to CIS, however, the sport needs to grow in high schools to get a definitive try in the CIS.

Growing the sport from the ground up and working toward sustainable leagues at the lower levels would ensure that the CIS is successful in getting this sport going.

With how popular the Rush have become in Saskatchewan just one year after moving over from Edmonton, who knows how quick this sport can catch on in this province.

Right now Saskatchewan has three lacrosse leagues and programs throughout the province – the Prairie Gold Lacrosse League, Swat Junior B Lacrosse Program, and the Scorpion Lacrosse Field Lacrosse Team.

Lacrosse is a sport that is overlooked by many, due to the fact that the NLL hasn’t become that big of a league when comparing it to the four major sports leagues in North America in the NFL, NHL, NBA and the MLB.

With all of the success that has been around the Saskatchewan Rush, who knows where this sport will go. In theory, how many years before Regina gets a team? With the NLL identifying Saskatchewan as a sustainable market, how sweet would that rivalry be between Regina and Saskatoon?

I know, personally, I’ll be going up to Saskatoon to catch a game in the final between the Rush and the Bandits. Who wouldn’t wanna have a couple cold ones and watch grown men beat the shit out of each other?

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