Forget the Toronto Blue Jays and Maple Leafs. If you want action and excitement, take in a game of Canada's national sport, lacrosse.
Ontario lacrosse season started May 17. You can see the full schedule here.
I went and saw my first lacrosse game last season between the Owen Sound North Stars and the Clearview Crushers in the Senior B Lacross League in the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre arena in Owen Sound.
Even though it was a sparse crowd that night, the excitement in the building was palatable. Lacrosse fans are diehard and passionate about the sport. They never miss a match and they follow the scores and standings religiously.
We took our seats, the lights dimmed, and the players came running out, as the announcer introduced the night's starting line up. After the singing of O Canada, it was game on.
The basic rules of lacrosse are similar to hockey, but the face off looks more like a rugby scrum. The players crouch down on their hands and knees with their sticks parallel. As soon as the referee blows their whistle, they joust for possession of the ball.
I was struck immediately by how fast and exciting the game was. Balls whizzed through the air, and when a player took a shot on net, it was like a lightening bolt. I didn't know how the goalie even saw it.
Of course, it wasn't a Saturday night lacrosse game until a fight broke out. You haven't seen a fight until you've seen a fight in lacrosse. There's no bulky pads to protect players from the blows.
The one attackman dropped his stick and just started whaling on the other guy to Pat Benatar's "Hit me with your best shot". The guy who started it got 2 minutes for being the aggressor, 5 minutes for fighting and a game misconduct.
The other thing I thought was really cool, was between periods, they allowed all the kids in the stands to come down onto the playing surface and try their hand at the game. Many of the players joined them, lobbing passes and teaching them how to stickhandle. It was a special moment, seeing these kids side by side, playing a game they loved with their heroes.
Even though Owen Sound lost that night, we scored a great night of sport and excitement.
This week's #HappyAct is to catch a local lacrosse game in a city near you and develop a passion for Canada's national sport.
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