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We're not talking about cheerleaders here...meet the lacrosse gals By
Adrienne Bergs Twelve young women, about half with bobbing ponytails and all with navy blue neatly pleated kilts, stand on the sidelines waiting for the pre-game pep talk. The team members circle up and stretch out. It's game day. The spectators set up their lawn chairs and blankets to watch the action. This is a big game, Utah State University vs. Boise State University, and the girls are anxious to do their part to lead the team to a victory. We're not talking about cheerleaders here; this is the Utah State Women's lacrosse team. "Stick check!" yells the referee. The girls hustle over to the center of the field where the two referees are waiting to make sure all the lacrosse sticks are legal. The lacrosse stick looks like a yardstick made into a cylinder with a net pocket on the top. In order for a stick to be legal, the lacrosse ball must be able to be seen over the side of the netted wall in the pocket. Along with checking sticks, the referees make sure all jewelry is off and mouthpieces are in. Team captains stay at mid-field for the stick toss, which is basically the same as a coin toss, but with a stick, to choose which goal each team will be defending. The rest of the team members hustle over to coach Greg Bellessa for a last minute pep talk and instructions. The whistles echo over the field as the signal for the players to take the field. Utah State huddles up for a team chant, "Tata-ki-katzio, U-S-U!" The cheer originated from teammate Chisato Lee. The translation of the cheer is, "Go-fight-win, U-S-U!" The cheer, along with the team, was put together by Kate Claflin. Claflin, a senior studying family consumer science, originally got involved with lacrosse during her sophomore year at Highland High School in Salt Lake City, Sugarhouse area. Jennifer Hadley, a native of Maryland (a lacrosse Mecca in the United States), moved to Utah and realized there was no organized lacrosse in the state. The first team Hadley organized was at Judge High School, followed by the organization of Highland's team. Along with these two high schools, there was a group called Salt Lake Club, which consisted of women in the Salt Lake area that would get together and play. These three teams would scrimmage during the spring. Any girl who had an interest in learning lacrosse was encouraged to play. That is how Claflin first got involved. Claflin brought her lacrosse skills up with her to Utah State and founded the first women's lacrosse club team at USU in the fall of that year. There was already an established men's lacrosse team. Matt Stone, of Connecticut, initially gave Claflin all the assistance she needed to begin the team. "I knew there wouldnít be many girls with lacrosse experience here at USU, but I wanted to teach people so lacrosse would continue to grow in Utah," Claflin said. The first season in the spring of 1999 was a great learning experience for the girls. Conditioning was held at the Field House from 6 to 7:30 a.m., on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and practices were on Monday's and Wednesday's from 5 to 7 p.m. to learn the fundamentals. The budget was tight. In order to have uniforms, each player paid $100 to play. That cost included Utah Lacrosse team dues, a gray T-shirt jersey, and a navy blue kilt. Claflin's mom purchased all the material, found a kilt pattern, and hand-made all the kilts for the team. The tradition of wearing kilts in lacrosse was born when the sport caught on in Scotland with the traditional kilts. According to the Utah Lacrosse website, www.utahlax.org, "the sport of lacrosse (which today is similar to hockey and soccer) had its roots in the Native American culture practices and is a game of skill, endurance, and teamwork. Originally, the game was played as preparation for war and training for young braves who would challenge each other with their war sticks over many miles of rugged terrain. The games often lasted several days and were played by as few as 100 to as many as 1000 men on fields which ranged in size from 500 yards to several miles." Modern womens lacrosse began in 1890 at the St. Leonard's School in Scotland. In 1926, Rosabelle Sinclair established the first women's lacrosse team in the United States at the Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore. Modern women and mens lacrosse are basically the same game, but are played under rules that have been modified from the original game. The women's game requires little protective equipment since it is non-contact and is only played with a stick. That doesn't mean in women's lacrosse accidents don't happen. "Last year when we played BYU, I got checked with a stick in the face and had to sit out the second half because my nose wouldn't stop bleeding," Claflin said. Here in Utah, Women's Wasatch Lacrosse was founded in August of 1996. This non-profit organization is committed to inspire women of all ages, beginners through experienced to participate in the fastest game on two feet. Women's lacrosse is a game of finesse, grace and creativity. The sport is non-contact and is dependent on skill, endurance and most importantly, teamwork. Teamwork is exactly what coach Bellessa tries to focus on during practice. "I want to make the season a fun, learning experience for the girls. About 90 percent of the girls are new to the sport, but they are all picking up the game very quickly. Our main goal for this year is to have a .500 season or better, preferably,"said Bellessa. The womens lacrosse team already had one win against Boise State (10-8) earlier this fall. Brigham Young University and the University of Utah are Utah State's biggest rivals. The Aggies will play BYU and the U in the regular spring season after the snow melts off the fields. Bellessa is optimistic and excited for this season. "If any new girls are interested in learning to play, come to the field house on Wednesday nights from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m.," Bellessa said. Learning the technique of "cradling" means carrying the ball in the pocket in a back-and-forth motion across the front of your body while sprinting up the field. Cradling takes lots of practice, but can be taught within a few weeks. Jodi Petersen, graduating in broadcasting, has been playing with the team since 1999. "I loved our first practices when we all were coming together to practice and everyone was learning the sport together,"said Petersen. Petersen, along with Claflin, were two of the few girls on the team who had lacrosse experience. "It's a great feeling when you finally connect at a fast-pace and see the ball move up the field with everyone working together,"said Petersen. Claflin, USU's center, steps to the center of the field for the draw with her wooden stick in hand. The defender lines up across the center hash mark and the referee places the ball between the back of their nets for the draw. The draw is a technique to start a play by which the ball is placed in between the stick of two standing players and drawn up and away. The whistle sounds, setting the ball into motion. It spins up and away from the center with six other pairs of players circled around the center ready to gain possession. The crack of sticks checking carries across the field as the Aggie player sprints up the field cradling the ball away from the defender towards the goal. She passes it behind the cage while another Aggie makes a sharp cut, leaving a defender in the dust, on her way towards the goal. The pass connects from behind the cage and the ball carrier whips it in for a ground shot. It's good! Whistles sound and the fans jump to their feet cheering. The referee brings the ball back to the center for another draw. Coach Bellessa swings his arm in front of his chest with his hands clenched in a fist to show his excitement. The teammates sprint to the player to give her a high-five with a grin filling her face as she takes out her mouthpiece. Following the game, the girls circle up and Bellessa goes over some important points from their performance. The teammates giggle and excitedly analyze their best plays while stretching out and eating orange slices, brought by Petersen's mother. "It's exciting and rewarding when everyone works together and plays their hardest on the field,"says Claflin.
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