By David Lazenby
Editor
TRUSSVILLE — A city lacrosse club is currently seeking to score more area students who are interested in giving the sport a shot.
Bill Wills, president of the board of directors of Trussville Lacrosse, said many are still unfamiliar with the sport that combines elements of more well-known sports such as soccer, hockey and football.
Lacross is a team sport in which players use a lacrosse stick to carry, pass and catch a lacrosse ball. Like hockey and soccer, points are scored by shooting the lacrosse ball into an opponents’ goals.
On Sunday, the club hosted its annual Lax Day (Lacrosse day) at the Hewitt Trussville High School Lacrosse Field, which is across from the Trussville Civic Center.
“What we did (Sunday) was put sticks in the hands of kids who never played before,” Wills said, adding that learning to throw and catch balls using a lacrosse stick is the sport’s most crucial skill.
Also, during the event, club members taught those in attendance about the different equipment lacrosse players wear for protection.
Wills said the equipment worn by players in important because of the hardness of the ball used in the sport and the risk of getting hit by the sticks used in the game.
“It’s hard-hitting,” Wills said. “Those sticks hurt.”
Wills said recently coaches went to Paine Elementary School to teach youngsters about the game with roots in the culture of native American tribes that inhabited parts on the northeastern United States.
Other area communities also have lacrosse teams, according to Wills, including Pinson, Moody, Pell City and others.
“It’s a really fun sport,” Wills said. “It combines some other sports. It’s a little bit like soccer, and a little bit like hockey.”
Wills said youngsters who’ve played much baseball tend to pick it up lacrosse ball handling skills quickly.. In fact, Wills said his involvement in the sport came via his grandson, a high school senior who plays the game.
For more information on Trussville Lacrosse, go to www.trussvillelacrosse.org.