LAYLAX News:

Los Alamos Youth Lacrosse (LAYLAX) is looking for players and volunteers for the Spring, 2013 season. Lacrosse is currently the fastest growing sport in the country, and LAYLAX is working on growing the lacrosse community in Los Alamos and Northern New Mexico. 

LAYLAX was started by a small group of volunteers who worked to bring lacrosse to Los Alamos for the first time. The group met over the summer and fall of 2011, applied for and received an equipment grant from US Lacrosse, and was able to get the program up and running for its first season last spring.  

The hope was to recruit enough players for a youth team and a high school team. The interest in the sport, though, was astounding. Almost 70 kids registered with the program and LAYLAX was able to form teams at the U13, U15, and high school levels.

Though many of the kids had never played the game before, they progressed rapidly. For example, LAYLAX’s high school team lost their first game by 10-0.

At the end of the season, they were invited to the state championships where they played that same team again and lost by only one point in triple overtime.

The U15 team was able to play in Santa Fe, Durango, and at a tournament in Grand Junction, Colo., while the youngest players scrimmaged against Durango and Santa Fe.

With the additional help of a grant from URS, LAYLAX will be back for a second year. Walk-in registration sessions for Spring, 2013, for players ages 9 through high school will be held next week:

• Monday, Feb. 4, 6-8 p.m., Time Out Pizza, White Rock
• Thursday, Feb. 7, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Los Alamos County Ice Rink

LAYLAX is looking for volunteers, both on and off the field, to make its second year an even greater success. They could use help with coaching, fundraising, advertising, managing teams, scheduling fields and games, ordering equipment and uniforms, and more. 

In addition, New Mexico greatly needs lacrosse referees. There are very few lacrosse officials in New Mexico and none in Los Alamos.

A rules and officials clinic will be held in March in Los Alamos for anyone interested in becoming an official, volunteering as a coach, or learning more about the game.  Details about the clinic will be announced within the next few weeks.

More information about registering with LAYLAX or volunteering to help can be found online at www.laylax.org. Or contact LAYLAX by email at info@laylax.org.