As one would expect in a place like Casper, Wyoming, outdoor recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, hiking and skiing are quite popular. Lacrosse hopes to join that roster in the near future.
With support from USA Lacrosse, which provided sticks and other equipment, the Boys & Girls Club of Central Wyoming recently hosted a two-day event designed to introduce the game and empower youth. Providing hands-on skills training through clinics, and competition opportunities with a Flex6 tournament, the event drew over 200 youth participants.
“Casper is ready for lacrosse,” said Lyn Porterfield, USA Lacrosse’s regional director for the Pacific Region. “There's a tremendous amount of resources in the community dedicated to kids’ health that will assist with funding new programs.”
Flex6 is a modified version of lacrosse that utilizes smaller fields and can be played in varying numbers, from 3v3 up to 6v6. Governed by basic safety rules, Flex6 lacrosse prohibits stick-to-stick and body-to-body contact, allowing for games to be played as single gender or mixed gender. A soft ball or tennis ball is used in place of a standard lacrosse ball, and no protective equipment is needed.
Inspired by the Lacrosse Athlete Development Model, Flex6 Lacrosse is a fast-paced, non-contact version of the sport that also helps to meet the unique needs of communities across the country that want to provide accessible programs for players of any age and skill level.
Requiring only a stick in order to play (no long poles or goalie sticks are allowed), Flex6 eliminates one of the barriers to entry encountered in some places. Without needing the full gear of the traditional game, Flex6 is a low-cost option into the sport that allows beginners to quickly master the fundamentals.
All players in Flex6 are considered field players. There are no goalies, no faceoffs, and no draws. The restart after a goal is scored simply involves a player from the defending team pulling the ball out of the goal and either passing it or running it out of the goal circle to resume play.
The two-day event in Casper was well received, with Flex6 offering local organizations a different option to help the game grow.
“At the Boys & Girls Club, we believe in building resilient futures,” said Ashley Bright, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming, “and the clinic and games were designed to empower young people with the tools to strengthen both body and mind. Through teamwork, fun, movement, meaningful conversations and messages, we’re helping youth grow into confident leaders in life.”
Based on the enthusiasm and feedback from the event, Porterfield is hopefully that the local boys & girls’ club may now be able to launch a house league in Casper. It may be a scalable framework/blueprint that other local communities can also utilize to introduce lacrosse.
“Developing lacrosse in the Casper area, which is centrally located within the state, could significantly benefit some of the existing programs in other parts of Wyoming, as well as the neighboring regions of Montana and western South Dakota,” she said.
Get Started with Flex6 Lacrosse
Interested in creating lacrosse play and programming opportunities using the Flex6 Lacrosse guidelines? Contact your local USA Lacrosse Regional Manager to learn more and to obtain a complimentary copy of the official Flex6 Lacrosse Guidelines for Play.
