Fenton High has partnered with Linden to bring rivals together and form two new competitive teams for the spring season. Bringing a lacrosse team into the fold, the school is now the only Genesee County high school to offer every Michigan High School Athletic Association tournament sport.

“I think it’s a cool idea to partner with Linden,” sophomore Tommy Kemp said. “We already partner with them in many other sports. I hoped that we could build a team using only Fenton students.”

Combining Fenton and Linden will bring in more players and reduce the costs individual players are required to pay. The lacrosse program will be added to the list of non-school funded programs; students must cover the entire cost of the team. Players must pay for equipment including goals for the game, portable goals for practice, uniforms, balls and sticks. They will have a maximum pay-to-play fee of $700. Once the payment requirements were addressed at the meeting, several athletes backed out.

“I was considering playing lacrosse, but it is too expensive,” sophomore Lauren Gruber said. “I do not play a spring season sport and it looked fun so I thought I would try something new. If the fees go down next year, I may play then.”

This sport is rising in popularity across the country as the number of high school lacrosse teams have steadily increased over the past 10 years.
“Lacrosse is unique because it is the fastest growing sport in the United States and it is just now starting to get added to a lot of school programs,” junior Maddy Withers said. Withers began playing lacrosse in middle school. She plays attacker and midfielder on her Grand Blanc team, meaning she is an offensive player whose job is to make the goal.

Withers is one out of a few students who have had experience with this sport. Like many students, junior Hannah Farley is not familiar with the game. Before the new season starts, she asked for help from a fellow lacrosse player.

“I have never played lacrosse, but it seemed fun to learn,” Farley said. “My boyfriend’s younger brother Derek DeLong is teaching me the basics of the game and how to play. We went to the Genesee Fieldhouse and we worked on catching and throwing.”

Farley is not alone. In addition to the high playing costs, another concern is that most interested athletes do not know much about how to play the sport and will need significant coaching. They will need help in learning the rules, procedures, and techniques. But above all, the players who join the lacrosse team will need a strong work ethic and commitment to the team.

“It is going to be tough with kids who have never played before and have never picked up a lacrosse stick,” Athletic Director Michael Bakker said. “But with work from the kids, this year will be the foundation for the future of the team.”

The Fenton/Linden lacrosse teams will be scheduling games with opponents in the Metro League such as Swartz Creek and Flushing. Games will also feature Hartland, Grand Blanc, Goodrich, Powers Catholic, Lapeer, Milford, Howell, Lakeland and Waterford. Home games will be on the football field or the football field at Linden
Tryouts will be held March 8.