Girls Youth Lacrosse League Opens Season Sunday

– Allison Goldsberry

After several years of playing with the boys, middle school age girls now have a lacrosse league of their own.

Created by the same forces behind Medford Youth Lacrosse, Carol and Kevin Whooley and Steve McGlynn, the league is all about the girls having fun while they learn the fundamentals of the game.  According to McGlynn, who has three lacrosse-playing kids of his own, there will technically be no scoring and the intent is to create a strong feeder system for the high school.

Lacrosse has been building in popularity over the years, especially among girls.  Though it has only been in existence for a little over a decade at Medford High School, the girls lacrosse team has about seventy girls playing on its varsity, junior varsity, and freshman teams.  The high school team is coached by physical education teacher Matt Galusi, himself a former lacrosse standout.

The inaugural season of the girls youth league so far has about eighteen seventh and eighth grade girls playing, and the league will be looking to expand to fifth and sixth graders next year, according to McGlynn.  The girls league was created in response to tremendous enthusiasm and interest and McGlynn thinks the numbers will continue to increase.

“I think it will grow in interest…I think it’s huge,” said McGlynn.

The girls will be playing in the north division of the Mass Bay Girls Lacrosse League.  They will play four home games and four away games, all on Sunday afternoons.   They open up the season at home on Sunday, April 19, at 1PM on the field behind Medford High School.  The girls will take on the Haverhill Hillies.  They then head to Pine Banks to challenge Melrose on April 26, and are back at home on May 3.

The team will be coached by Lindsay Whooley, Carla Manganaro, and Brittany Gunn.