Lacrosse in Southern Alabama? (Birmingham, Montgomery: transplants, home, suburban)

[muskrat]

My family loves youth lacrosse. I know there are lacrosse leagues in Birmingham and Mississppi, but is there any interest in youth lacrosse in the Eastern Shore? My kids play both boys and girls lacrosse, and it seems that girls stick to cheerleading mostly in Alabama. Is this true or do the girls down there embrace sports? Thanks for any input.

[Southlander]

Girls stick to cheerleading?? Absolutely not. There are plenty of girls' softball, soccer, and basketball teams. Also lots of girls into martial arts. Seek and you shall find! Good luck!

[southernnaturelover]

Sorry, but lacrosse is not very popular in the deep south, to girls or boys. Like Southlander said, girls do play sports, and it seems that softball and basketball is the most popular. Football is certainly the favorite among the boys.

[Frankie117]

I agree with southernnaturelover, Lacrosse is just not nearly as popular in the South. Some schools in larger cities or suburbs have it, but other than that there is really no interest in it. Even schools with it, the sport is often dwarfed by football.

[alabamavalerie]

Sorry Frankie and SouthernNatureLover, I'm gonna have to totally disagree w/ you both on this one!
Lacrosse is positively BOOMING in the state of Alabama!
Just 3 short years ago Mt. Brook and Vestavia were the only 2 high school club teams. Hoover has added a JV and Varsity squad, a Varsity girls team, a U15 team, a U13 team and a U9 squad. John Carroll, Spain Park, and Homewood have all added teams as well. Hayes High School, an "inner-city" school, started a Varsity team this year also.
Huntsville is the first team to be located outside of the Birmingham city limits.
A couple of players the Hoover team drive several hours from Montgomery each week to play the sport. If that's not dedication and love of the sport, I don't know what is!
Also, 2 players on the Hoover team will be attending the Naval Academy this fall to play lax and another player is being courted by several division 1 schools.
For the first time ever, lacrosse is being recognized as a sport in the Alabama Games this June.
Many of these boys are former football and baseball players who are totally and completely burned-out. The girls love it because it's different and challenging.
Lacrosse has definately arrived in the land of Bear Bryant (and I think it's here to stay!).

[Southlander]

Maybe in Birmingham, but not in the rest of the state. That's why they're driving from Montgomery.
It may become popular one day, just as soccer has, but isn't now.

[Frankie117]

Originally Posted by alabamavalerie

Sorry Frankie and SouthernNatureLover, I'm gonna have to totally disagree w/ you both on this one!
Lacrosse is positively BOOMING in the state of Alabama!
Just 3 short years ago Mt. Brook and Vestavia were the only 2 high school club teams. Hoover has added a JV and Varsity squad, a Varsity girls team, a U15 team, a U13 team and a U9 squad. John Carroll, Spain Park, and Homewood have all added teams as well. Hayes High School, an "inner-city" school, started a Varsity team this year also.
Huntsville is the first team to be located outside of the Birmingham city limits.
A couple of players the Hoover team drive several hours from Montgomery each week to play the sport. If that's not dedication and love of the sport, I don't know what is!
Also, 2 players on the Hoover team will be attending the Naval Academy this fall to play lax and another player is being courted by several division 1 schools.
For the first time ever, lacrosse is being recognized as a sport in the Alabama Games this June.
Many of these boys are former football and baseball players who are totally and completely burned-out. The girls love it because it's different and challenging.
Lacrosse has definately arrived in the land of Bear Bryant (and I think it's here to stay!).

Birmingham is hardly Southern Alabama. Plus, Montgomery is a larger city of typical suburban design which generally means it doesn't quite share the culture/trends of the surrounding areas (suburbs = transplants).

I hate to say it, but if you look at the states where Lacrosse is most popular (Maryland, New Jersey, New York, etc.) its rather easy to see where the trend comes from.

[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by Southlander

Maybe in Birmingham, but not in the rest of the state. That's why they're driving from Montgomery.
It may become popular one day, just as soccer has, but isn't now.

Yeah, if you were to mention lacrosse to the kids around here they'd say "huh?". LOL

[muskrat]

Open your minds - lacrosse is a sport that can be enjoyed by kids who cannot play football bc they are not 6 feet tall and weigh 200 lbs. It's a sport for the agile and swift, regardless of size. Boys wear protective gear like football, which they love, and it is a full contact sport, so a much more physical game than baseball. I think we can all agree that kids could use more exercise anyway.

It is NOT a yankee sport - it was created by the Native Americans, therefore more apple pie american than football. Plus, it is everywhere in the south, and growing. If kids in southern Alabama are asked if they know of lacrosse and then answer with "huh," I would question first their manners (Huh is not an appropriate answer), then I would tell them about it. I assure you, they would be intrigued.

Besides, isn't it time to grow a little? The states you mentioned which have large lacrosse teams are only three out of the 50, and lacrosse is played in all 50 states. Why would you purposely keep Alabama behind the times?

[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by muskrat

If kids in southern Alabama are asked if they know of lacrosse and then answer with "huh," I would question first their manners (Huh is not an appropriate answer), then I would tell them about it. I assure you, they would be intrigued.

Well how about they'd say "what is that?", is that better?

Why do you seem so defensive? You asked if lacrosse is popular in south Alabama and we gave you an answer, I can't help it if you don't like the answer.