In recent week the government has given the go ahead for the restarting of outdoor sports, within the social distancing guidelines, but indoor facilities such as club houses remain shut. This has meant that clubs may begin small group training typically just helmet and gloves. With no one knowing what will happen to the 2020/21 season keeping the younger generations engaged and active in the sport is key, once schools return there may be a way to increase interest and participation in the sport.
For most players that start at clubs or schools pop lacrosse, was the introduction. Since the LDO program was shut down interest in the sport from most schools had died down, a large group of school children have not had exposure to our sport. While there is less guidance for school sports available currently the current consensus is that school sports need to be continued but must be modified in order to meet the social distance guidelines whatever they may be when schools reopen completely.
Obviously getting lacrosse back into schools may be a difficult task without the LDO program and is down to the individual club to promote the sport in their local schools. Without coaches going into schools it will be difficult task but in the current situation there may be an opportunity to promote the sport in schools by promoting pop lacrosse as a COVID safe game that can be played by all. Even in non-lacrosse hotbed areas.
With little to no modification of the rules, except to conform with social distancing guidelines, the game is ready to go. Compared with other invasion games where balls are passed between the players, lacrosse had a distinct advantage over other sports in that the ball is not in direct contact with the player but their stick. If the equipment is not shared or is cleaned between swapping, pop lacrosse could be used as a more mainstream curriculum sport.
The game can be played in almost any size space both indoor and outdoor, meaning that most primary schools will be able to play. Using five players per team it may not meet the current lock down guidelines but I'm sure that by the time schools reopen properly the social distancing guidelines will have been relaxed enough for this to happen.