Harvard Practice Fields

 

The Holy Trinity of any good amateur sporting event began gathering in and around Boston on Friday. Teams, parents and friends from as far as CA and as close as Harvard, the unsuspecting host campus.

At the US Team level of Women’s Lacrosse, “Fall-ball” keeps the dust at bay for most, but there is always the BUZZ! Who will travel with the U-19s to Germany this summer? Which elite player will call it quits? Which coach will blowup? Which parent clustered in the stands will have the best story? You get the idea. It’s a relatively small close knit group only separated by miles but not ideals.

Many in the stands are watching that second generation player on the field. A very small contingent are the proud third generation observer, but women’s lacrosse is just now truly writing it’s history. Dedicated young women taking the sport to the next level one sacrifice at a time.

The world stage brings a new set of nuances, opponents and venues, but this weekend BC, BU and Harvard offer a “friendly confine” for the women to hone their skills, bond and catch up on the latest of Lady Lax.

A long tough “two-a-day” Saturday closed in on a great crowd of Harvard Homeys vs. The US Women’s Elite Team in a newly completed “stadium” for just lacrosse and soccer. The cool crisp Cambridge night reminded everyone that fall is upon us!

The Harvard women clearly wanted to show well against America’s Best, but it was not to be. The US Team slowly piled on the score board until it was clearly a USA Victory!

Sunday brought a field full of future hopefuls. The US Women shared all they had with youth and high school girls all morning. An informative and healthfully good time was had by all!

Then the US Women took the field with segregated squads of 15 each against BC & BU. The games were full of energy and emotion, but once again, the US women demonstrated why they are the best in the world, and will have no true challengers until 2013 at the next World Cup.

On the flight home, the reality set in. These young women can’t go pro. It is strictly for the love of the game. Focused for years, achieving team and individual greatness through high school and then with their respective university teams their last gasp in the game is an amateur status on a World Cup Team. The purity of it is so refreshing. Their only glory is the love of the game!