New Lacrosse League Debuts in Anne Arundel
By Steve Adams
Nearly five months after they saw their spring seasons canceled by COVID, lacrosse players in Anne Arundel County have a chance to get in some safe, serious competition in 2020 thanks to a brand new league: the Fall Anne Arundel Lacrosse League (FAALL).
Hosted in partnership with Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks, Legendary Sports Group (LSG), HoganLax and QuickStix, FAALL will allow boys and girls youth, club, and high school teams to face off in a seven-game season that will begin on Sept. 20 and culminate with championship games Nov. 8.
“I felt bad for the high school athletes who missed their spring seasons and, being a former coach, I knew how tough it was for the coaches to go into the next season without seeing the kids play at all,” said David Cottle, LSG’s senior lacrosse advisor and FAALL event director. “I wanted FAALL to provide an opportunity for high school athletes, along with younger kids, to get to play, grow, and develop their skills to be better prepared for their spring season.”
As for why Rec and Parks’ Athletics Division immediately agreed to support the league, which was already in the works before the pandemic struck, and offer four of its fields for the league’s Sunday morning games, County Rec and Parks Public Information Officer Colleen Joseph offers a number of reasons.
“For starters, we’ve worked with these organizations for many years and know from experience that they know what they’re doing and are very easy to work with,” she said. “They’re the leaders in hosting well-run lacrosse tournaments in Anne Arundel County.”
Crucially, added Joseph, this includes hosting events with strict safety protocols during the pandemic, most recently the Naptown National Challenge, Summer Exposure, and Border Battles, all of which took place in Annapolis in August.
FAALL will be self-run, neither interfering with nor diverting resources or focus from the many rec leagues that the county is committed to running, Abbreviated football, soccer, cheerleading, lacrosse, and baseball/softball seasons start in late September at a time when nearby organizations, from Baltimore City Recreation and Parks to Maryland Athletics, have canceled or paused activities.
Like Cottle, Joseph cites the clear interest from kids, parents, and coaches as the overarching impetus for helping make the league happen. Cottle reports that 14 out of 16 slots for boys varsity and six out of eight slots for JV boys had already been filled within three days of the league’s launch, with strong demand for girls and youth divisions as well.
To learn more visit www.laxfaall.com.