It is no secret that Summit County offers a wide range of sports to kids in the area. From skiing and snowboarding to soccer, football, hockey and running, there is no shortage of sports that kids can try out and explore beginning from an early age.

The Summit Lacrosse Club is attempting to become another option for youth in Summit County, providing leagues and programming for those interested in the sport of lacrosse.

“We are not necessarily new, but it is under new direction and it used to be a rec program,” Summit Lacrosse Club coach Kate Hood said. “It was great, I wish we could have more rec programs. We are just growing and trying to get our name out there more.”

With the typical lacrosse season occurring in the spring, Summit Lacrosse Club offers a fall ball season which allows the club to recruit new players while also fostering a love for the sport in any newcomers.

“It is pretty flexible,” Hood said. “We want to recruit new players this way. You can try once a week or we have twice a week and we have two tournaments. It is not a huge commitment and is a good way for people who love playing to get a little bit more and for people who are new to try it out.”

With close to 50 girls and boys participating, the Summit Lacrosse Club recently wrapped up a successful fall season. The team attended two tournaments throughout the season, allowing athletes to flex newly learned skills.

“We just had our last practice (last week),” Hood said. “We asked people to come in costumes, so that was kind of fun. The fall weather is so much better. We did have a snow day, but that was the only time we had to change anything. The spring season is not as nice.”

The spring season with Summit Lacrosse Club runs from April through the first part of June and will get athletes to four tournaments throughout the Western Slope. Summit Lacrosse Club had approximately 125 kids participate in the spring program last year.

Although lacrosse is often a tricky sport to master, the coaches at Summit Lacrosse Club tailor their instruction to the skill level of each kid while also prioritizing that the sport is meant to be fun.

“The coaches are trying to find a balance between pushing the kids to learn the skills and also running around while having fun with each other,” Hood said. “We really want to offer another a place where Summit County kids can try something new and be part of a team.”

One of the ways Summit Lacrosse Clubs makes practices exciting is through the use of lacrosse kits that are made from foam material.

“It is kind of like Nerf lacrosse,” Hood said. “They are like mini sticks covered in foam and the ball is a smaller foam ball. You can play that anywhere. You can play that in the gyms in schools and you don’t have to wear all the protective equipment.”

In an effort to attract more kids to the sport, Summit Lacrosse Club offers several programs that make the sport affordable, accessible and flexible. Recently, Summit Lacrosse Club has been working with after-school programs in order to offer an athletic outlet for kids once school gets out. 

Summit Lacrosse Club also offers a “try three for free” program which allows kids to come to three practices free of charge. Additionally, the clubs has scholarship opportunities for families who cannot afford the full-season price.

Summit Lacrosse Club is open to kids from kindergarten through eighth grade. For more information, visit SummitCountyLax.com.