PORT ANGELES — The Olympic Mountaineers Lacrosse Club recently received a grant for equipment to outfit a team of seventh- and eighth-grade students.
Consisting of shoulder pads, elbow pads, gloves, and lacrosse sticks, the equipment is for 24 position players plus a full set for a goalie.
“The junior high team will be a feeder program for our high school team,” Julie Dostie, the North Olympic Lacrosse Club president, said.
“We also have an ambitious goal in the next couple of years to have a fifth-sixth grade team and even a third-fourth grade team.
“Listen, in five years, that’s what Sammamish Lacrosse Club did.”
The Olympic Mountaineers have built on the tradition of the Port Angeles High School lacrosse program, which ended after the 2009 season when the Port Angeles school district discontinued the sport due to funding cuts.
Last spring was the Mountaineers’ first year, finishing with a season record of 8-5 and qualifying for the playoffs.
To fill the ranks of graduating high school seniors, the club is recruiting younger players for the spring sport.
The Mountaineers Lacrosse Club is open to boys and girls grades seven through 12.
In mid-October, the Mountaineers will offer Come-Try-It-Out sessions.
These indoor sessions will be for one hour in the early evening and run for six weeks in both Port Angeles and Sequim.
At the end of the sessions, the players from Port Angeles will play the players from Sequim. Time and place are still to be determined.
“If you’ve never played lacrosse, now’s the time to come try it out,” Dostie said.
“We’ll provide the equipment. This is a great opportunity to expand the game of lacrosse on the Olympic Peninsula — not just in Port Angeles and Sequim, but we also foresee teams in Port Townsend, Joyce and Forks.
“Come and learn to play the fastest game on two feet.”
For more information, call 360-718-6806 or go to mountaineerslax@gmail.com.