Happy 4th of July everyone! In honor of the holiday today we thought we’d take a look at the state of box lacrosse in America, which is most certainly on the rise. Not only do we have a handful of American stars, but new leagues giving players a shot at developing their box lacrosse skills.
Of course when you talk about lacrosse in America one of the first names that comes up is Paul Rabil. Rabil has become the face of the MLL and USA lacrosse and has really taken the mantle from Casey Powell. However Rabil didn’t play half the season because he held out from the Edmonton Rush. Edmonton still retains his rights, so Rabil’s future in box lacrosse is in question at this point.
We’ve seen other players, like Brendan Mundorf, Ned Crotty, and Max Seibald make an impact on the NLL. However, there was never a huge place for American players who were just adjusting to the box style of play. If you jumped back a year ago, that would have been the case. However we now have multiple ways for Americans to learn indoor.
The North American Lacrosse League is now entering its second season as a developmental league for Americans. Many players, some of MLL caliber, got to play indoor for the first time at a competitive level. As the years go along more players will get the shot to show their skills, and some hopefully will make the jump to the NLL. Add the Professional Lacrosse League this fall and that gives even more chances for American players to play.
At a lower level is the MILA, which is bringing box lacrosse to a relatively untested area in the Midwest. Of course the MILA isn’t competing on a professional level, but it is helping to expose the sport to an area that is unfamiliar for the most part. The league has grown to twelve teams, meaning twelve more teams for Americans to play on.
Overall the state of box lacrosse in America is greater than it has ever been before, with so many more opportunities. Three new leagues, so many new spots, so very patriotic. Have a great Independence Day everyone, celebrate box lacrosse in America with some fireworks and bonfires. Remember to be responsible, we don’t want anyone to end up in the penalty box. And finally, God bless America.
