Lacrosse and rugby – two old sports with new enthusiasm and growing popularity – have become favorites of young and old alike. What makes these sports draw so many lifetime players and supporters? What makes them different?

Early French explorers to the North American continent noticed a sport played by natives using sticks and balls on fields sometimes several miles in length. These games, played with 100 to 1,000 players at a time, lasted as long as two to three days. They called this sport "lacrosse."

It is difficult to get an accurate history of this sport. It could have begun centuries before its discovery by early explorers and it could have been played with varying rules by native tribes all across the continent. What is known, however, is that lacrosse is a very old sport that has become one of the fastest-growing sports of this century.

Rugby, another old sport that has risen to popularity, was invented in Rugby, England, in 1823 by a schoolboy named William Webb Ellis who is said to have picked up a soccer ball and run with it. Some say the sport resembles the ancient Irish game of "Caid." Whatever its origins might be, rugby players around the world credit Ellis.

Making a Comeback
Lacrosse has 10 players per team: a goalie, three attackmen, three midfielders and three defensemen. Three players from a team must be on each end of the field at all times. Players use a netted racquet to pick up, throw and catch the 5-ounce rubber ball, and the object is to score a goal.

Similar in strategy to hockey, basketball and soccer, the sport of lacrosse takes speed and agility. American football great Jim Brown played lacrosse for Syracuse University. It has been said that lacrosse was actually his sport of preference, no doubt because of the fast pace and endurance required.

It is also becoming the sport of preference for many young athletes who enjoy the coordination and quickness it requires. Lacrosse is played as an official sport by more than 500 colleges and 1,400 high schools. The official status of the sport is sure to change in the next few years as more and more lacrosse programs attract larger numbers of athletes.

A Youthful Appeal
Minneapolis, Minn., high school defenseman Ben Rossow explains the lure of lacrosse.

"Baseball was getting boring, so I decided to try something new,” says Rossow. “I liked the fast pace and opportunities for lots of scoring.” He adds it's common for a team to score anywhere from 10 to 15 goals in a game. He has noticed a popularity surge in the sport since he began playing three years ago. About half of the new players, Rossow estimates, are hockey players who have discovered a sport similar to hockey that can be played without the ice during their off season.

When Breanna Torkelson was recruited to play rugby by a local coach, her father Tim was a little concerned. After all, he was also a former rugby player and knew it could be a rough sport. But play she did. One game, played on an artificial turf football field in the midst of a snow and hail storm, brought an ample cheering section despite the weather.

Torkelson's team scored five tries to win. Huddled beneath blankets and cheering along with his two young daughters, spectator Rich Froemstein demonstrated the powerful lifelong tie rugby players have for their sport. With an enormous grin on his face, the former college player patiently explained what was happening to his small daughters – sure to be the next generation of rugby players.

Understanding the Game
Each rugby team fields 11 players. The object is to score a goal, known as a "try," across the end lines. Extra points are also scored with the drop kick, penalty kick and conversion kick. The ball in rugby is an oversized American football look-alike that is carried or kicked down the field. The ball may be passed from player to player, but only backwards. That's right. There are no forward passes, and the ball, when kicked, has to hit the ground before it can be picked up.

The lingo of rugby is not like any other game. "Scrum," "Ruck" and "Maul" are all happening out on the field. "Fly-half," "Scrum half," "Hooker" and "Number 8" are all positions of the players on the field.

When the out-of-play ball is tossed back in, each team hoists a player up into the air to try to snatch the ball or bat it to a team member. It resembles two groups of acrobats lifting someone over their heads. Interesting!

Suddenly there is a scrum – groups of players from both teams huddled, arms linked together around the ball, trying to kick it backwards with their feet to the waiting players outside the circle. It’s unlike anything you've ever seen.

Spectators can easily ask an enthusiastic fan to explain some of the odd formations, and most will launch into an account of the rules and regulations.

Two old sports becoming popular with young athletes – with new rules and lingo to learn for the older generations. Learning what you can about lacrosse and rugby will surely pique your interest. You, too, may become a diehard fan of these new "old" sports.

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