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BRINGING IT BACK – Players in the first adult lacrosse tournament gather for a team photo after a day of competing in Canada’s national sport at the Copper Ridge rink on Sunday. Photo submitted by NEIL MCGRATH

Players gather for lacrosse tourney

On Sunday, at the Copper Ridge rink a group of lacrosse players gathered for the first ever adult lacrosse tournament.

By John Tonin on August 14, 2019

On Sunday, at the Copper Ridge rink a group of lacrosse players gathered for the first ever adult lacrosse tournament.

One of the organizers, Neil McGrath, grew up near Ottawa and had played lacrosse for most of his life. That was until he moved to Whitehorse and had to stop playing because there was nowhere to play.

Sunday there was enough to play three-on-three with goalies and nets, sticks, balls and referees were all provided. McGrath said the ones that played said they had friends who couldn’t make it.

“It was pretty recreational and we had varying ages,” said McGrath. “It was like a pickup hockey game.”

McGrath said there has always been a demand for Canada’s national sport in the Yukon.

“We are trying to grow the sport through youth development,” said McGrath. “And we have been focusing on adults now. “So many people have played in other provinces and there has always been a demand. This was just a way of harnessing that.”

There has been no formal plan for another tournament yet but McGrath said everyone who was there had a good time and are keep to keep playing.

“We talked about making a formalized group to do another one next month,” said McGrath. “And then hopefully one every month.”

In the future drop-ins McGrath hopes to get as many new people trying the sport as possible. On Sunday, there was one player who hadn’t played lacrosse before.

“(They) picked it up fast,” said McGrath. “The rules are very similar to hockey and there is no contact so you don’t have to worry about that. Everyone is open to giving tips so come and give it a try.”

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