WESTFIELD – The Westfield Youth Lacrosse Board requested that the Park & Recreation Commission provide fields for the program.
The lacrosse league currently uses a number of fields across the city, including four at Stanley Park, as well as practice areas at schools and municipal fields, but has no permanent area dedicated to the program in which more than 200 boys participate.
Ariel Reyes, of the lacrosse board of directors, said the organization has both fall and spring programs, but compete with baseball in the spring and with football, soccer, field hockey and high school lacrosse teams for fields.
“The lacrosse league has been in Westfield for the past 15 to 20 years, but in the past six years has blown up so we now have over 200 kids playing, but we don’t have set fields,” Reyes said. “Lacrosse is developing so fast, there is also a separate program for girls’ lacrosse.”
Reyes said the boys’ programs span ages from early elementary to middle school, with a developmental program for the youngest boys, as well as nine competitive traveling teams programs for Mites (grades 3-4) Juniors (grades 5-6) and Seniors (grades 7-8).
“I’m not looking for a quick resolution. I’m just looking for some consideration of a permanent place so we can schedule home games.”
Reyes said the league is looking for two fields and requested that if the city develops another athletic area, they be included in the planning process.
“The Lacrosse Board is willing to get donations to do whatever we can, irrigation, seed, to help so we can benefit from that,” Reyes said. “We came tonight to see if we could get the ball rolling.”
The commission discussed options for immediate access, but every field in the city is currently used by another youth sport organization.
“We’re so tight on fields in the city,” Parks & Recreation Interim Director Jim Blascak said.
The commission urged the Lacrosse Board of Directors to be a “squeaky wheel” to push their need for additional fields forward.
According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, lacrosse was the fastest-growing sport over the last decade, and is popular among men and women alike.
