Lacrosse as a Canadian Favourite Sport

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Type: article
Parent page: Favourite Sports in Canada
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It is difficult to choose one particular sport for Canada that would be classed as the favourite as there are many that fall into this category. One of these happens to be lacrosse. Some may think that this is reserved as a summer sport, but because of its popularity, it is played all year around.

History

The playing of this game in Canada dates all the way back to 1637, although it has gone through several changes since then. The first actual game that took place between the First Nations and the Anglophones was halfway through the 1800s.

The First Club

The first actual club for lacrosse was formed in 1856 and became known as the Montreal Lacrosse Club. Its popularity grew, and more clubs were formed across Eastern Ontario. It wasn’t until 1875 that the first association was formed which was to become known as the National Amateur Lacrosse Association. Then by 1880, this sport became recognized as an organized sport.

–Box Lacrosse==

For the most part, lacrosse was considered a summer sport because it was played outdoors. However, it became so popular that both fans and players wanted to extend the gameplay. To meet this need in 1931, box lacrosse was introduced. This is where the game could be played in indoor arenas which were smaller than the outdoor setting. The big problem that arose was that the sport was known for being violent. Hence, it was difficult to get cities throughout Canada to support the teams.

The National Debate

For a while lacrosse was being declared as Canada’s national game, however, a debate arose over this because there were several that believed that hockey should hold this title. There were no formal records to support in Parliament that the game had been passed as being the national game. A bill was introduced in 1964 to have hockey declared as this. It never passed at that time.