lacrosse invades the northshire STORY BY DAVID SANDS PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY EQUINOX LACROSSE ASSOCIATION Every year the first weekend after Memorial Day, thousands of boys and girls 8 to 16 can be seen playing lacrosse at Manchester’s Dana L. Thompson Memorial Park as part of The Equinox Lacrosse Shootout. Since its inception 10 years ago, the event has grown from a gathering of 5 teams to close to 100. In 2019, there were more than 4,000 players and supporters representing 92 teams from 5 different states. This is the largest single event that is held at the Rec Park each year. Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the United States. Why? Because it’s fun, fast, played by both boys and girls, and requires minimal equipment. Traditionally the sport was played in areas such as Baltimore, Long Island, and Syracuse (as well as in prep schools and the Ivy League), Today, it’s played coast to coast at most colleges, in small towns, and urban inner cities. Internationally, lacrosse is played in more than 60 countries worldwide. It is very popular in Japan and is the national sport of Canada (no, it’s not hockey!). 54 manchester life | manchesterlifemagazine.com