POLL: Lacrosse season start

[njdirt]

Have seen many articles on recent lax sites and newspapers that cover the sport questioning these early/mid February games, for example the one linked from the Baltimore Sun brings up some good points. Some pretty cold and snowy games up here in the NE the past couple of weeks....
When played for Loyola in the early 70's practice started March 1st and played at most 12-14 games to the end of May when the NCAA championship started in 1971 on Memorial Day weekend.

Link

 

[Caliknight]

I think it is fine. The weather isn't always like this in the winter with the snow, so it is a bit unusual. If the NCAA is insistent on having the tourney over memorial day, I don't have a problem with it. The kids would be practicing anyway, and they would much rather have games than be beating up on each other for a month and a half.

Some of these schools have indoor facilities, like Syracuse and B1G schools, so it isn't that bad. The southern schools don't really have an issue with the snow outside of rare occasions. One big problem that has been solved is equipment. Sticks in the 70's, even 80's and 90's would break in colder weather. They don't have that problem now.

 

[78CollegeAve]

I love the night games, but thank God that Saturday is at 1. Like to see the season start in March with 2 games most weeks instead pretty much one game each weekend. This year's breakdown:

Tuesday 3
Friday 1
Saturday 7
Sunday 4

 

[herdof3]

Way too early

 

[RU62]

Way too early for Eastern and Midwestern schools. It often too cold and the risk of injury increases. Solution...play some games in the middle of the week with a later start of the season or opt for a limited non conference 5-6 game fall schedule znd a later starting s weekend conference schedule in the spring and still keep the Memorial Day Weekend championship schedule. Baseball does it and there are limited scrimmage games in the fall which could be part of a fall schedule.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Oh Lord people they play football(soccer) right through the winter in Europe. Do the kids complain? Do baseball and softball start at the same time? Yes. Maybe schedule a little better, by playing a team or two more "southern" to start the season, but unless the coaches and kids are complaining, honestly, who cares?

 

[e5fdny]

Originally posted by AreYouNUTS:
Oh Lord people they play football(soccer) right through the winter in Europe. Do the kids complain? Do baseball and softball start at the same time? Yes. Maybe schedule a little better, by playing a team or two more "southern" to start the season, but unless the coaches and kids are complaining, honestly, who cares?

And they do it on GRASS. If they can do it why can't the school with a great turf management program do it?

 

[rufamily]

AYN-- Yes the kids do actually complain, and as a matter of fact so do the coaches, but until they move the FF out of Memorial day weekend this will be the norm. Tomorrow high of 30 with 3-6 inches of snow,

 

[njdirt]

Originally posted by AreYouNUTS:
Oh Lord people they play football(soccer) right through the winter in Europe. Do the kids complain? Do baseball and softball start at the same time? Yes. Maybe schedule a little better, by playing a team or two more "southern" to start the season, but unless the coaches and kids are complaining, honestly, who cares?

For your comments,,,
Do they play in Europe feetball insub freezing temps and snow? I havent seen a game in those conditions but dont watch that much so really cant say,,,,
Baseball & Softball do schedule games in the south before coming north( check RU's Sched for both were their games are till March)....
As Far as schedule more southern teams check how many D1 teams play in places there that teams can schedule unles they start doing what BB/SB does.....

The coaches and kids are complaining look at some of the LAX sites besides ESPIN etc....

As to Cali's comment about indoor facilities yes some D1 teams have them in the NE and Midwest but most of those in the top 20 dont as are not football power 5 teams with budgets for them. Yes equipment has gotten better but wouldn't you play better on an even 20 degree day when its not snowing and wind chills in the 0-10 range?

Correct me if I am wrong but the game was never played in the winter by Haudenosaunee who started it. It was played after the spring planting, Summer and before the fall harvest and hunting season to prepare for winter.

And my hats off to Mr McCabe for being a walk on and contributing the way he does to the team

 

[RU62]

Nuts you are off base here. Have you played lacrosse or even been up to the Heights when the wind was blowing and temperatures were below freezing and have taken a body check? I doubt it! As noted ask any player as noted as it is no fun. Years ago the season began around March 1 and people seemed happy with yhst. It even makes no sense from the spectator viewpoint. And if one wants to view lacrosse a a sport that can potentially create dome income to offset costs it even becomes more obvious that playing thst esrly in very cold weather is nonsense. Again, ask any coach or players and the answer would be a resounding no.

 

[78CollegeAve]

Cold and wind affect the flow of lacrosse. Football you can run instead of pass. What's lax supposed to do -- walk instead of run, tiny passes? And, yeah kids don't enjoy playing in February. Football (and soccer) have traditionally been played in fall and winter. Lacrosse used to be a spring sport. No reason that the season can't start in early March with 2 games a week.

 

[e5fdny]

Originally posted by 78CollegeAve:
Cold and wind affect the flow of lacrosse. Football you can run instead of pass. What's lax supposed to do -- walk instead of run, tiny passes? And, yeah kids don't enjoy playing in February. Football (and soccer) have traditionally been played in fall and winter. Lacrosse used to be a spring sport. No reason that the season can't start in early March with 2 games a week.

+1

This is the part I don't get.

Couldn't you still do the Final Four thing over MMD weekend if you doubled (or even tripled) up the games during the week?

 

[rudad02]

Argued that season begins too early in a previous post. A grandson is playing collegiate lax in Ohio & it is beyond ridiculous out there. Luckily they have a very good indoor facility for practice.