The Player’s Box League and Box Lacrosse:
With the Player’s Box League less than a month away and winter looming in the background, it is time to look at the annual tradition of box lacrosse.
Box lacrosse is the indoor form of the game and is played with five players and a goalie on a turf rink the size of a hockey rink. The goalies are dressed like hockey goalies and the nets are four feet by four feet. Unlike field lacrosse, there are no long poles.
Box lacrosse is played in a much tighter space than a field, which brings a much more physical style of defense and requires players to play more creatively. The vast majority of box lacrosse players only play the game using their strong hand. This is because players usually do not have the time and room to change hands like they do on the field. Single-handed play also results in more creative passing, such as behind the back, shovel, or bankhanded passing.
Because box lacrosse forces players to play lacrosse so differently, many players credit box for allowing them to grow so much as field players. Many top PLL players, such as Jeff Teat, owe their talents to playing box lacrosse while growing up.
As we count down the days to the start of the third PBL season, the league’s players and coaches will look to build on the indoor skills and field awareness they have established. Coach P-Mac Jokers LC will attempt to be the first repeat title winner in the league’s history. Following an exciting OT victory in the 2020 PBL championship, Jokers will certainly hope to not regress in year three.
Head coach Austin “P-Mac” Polson-McCannon and the Jokers LC will no doubt be looking to repeat as PBL champions this year; however, Coach P-Mac and his players will have to contend with a number of adjustments when they transition from the field to the box.
Spiders LC, led by rookie head coach Parker Hill, will look to redeem themselves after last year’s OT loss to Jokers LC. Spiders LC were one win away from becoming repeat champions last year.
Meanwhile, Venom LC, led by former head coach of the year Jeremy Goltz and new assistant coach, Nick Benz, will want redemption after last season’s result. Venom LC started their tenure in the PBL with a strong second place finish in year one; however, they followed that performance up with a disappointing third place finish in 2020.
Finally Sundogs LC has nowhere to go but up this season. Second year head coach JP Fischer, and first year assistant Luke Bloedow will look to take the Sundogs off the bottom of the standings for the first time in their history.
Box lacrosse season is an exciting time in the lacrosse universe. That excitement will be put on display in the PBL as players and coaches gear up for a highly anticipated year three.
If you are a High School Boys player and are interested in joining the PBL, head on over to 36lacrosse.com/box to register. Space is limited!