Q. Why are lacrosse camp so important to my childs growth as a lacrosse player?

A: The spring lacrosse season is only 11 weeks long.  For players to maximize their potential they need to spend time outside their season working on their lacrosse game.   Lacrosse camp is 24 hours of lacrosse and a lot of things can get covered that may have been overlooked during the short spring season.  It is also important for players to learn from different coaches / instructors / elite players that may offer a different perspective then their own coaches.  Lastly lacrosse camp is fun and a great way meet players from different associations / communities.

Q: Why are Ryan Ward's lacrosse camps the best in the Twin Cities?

A: Ward's philosophy is to offer a proffesional level camp at an affordable price and feels he offers the best value lacrosse camps anywhere in the Mid-West.  Ward makes every camper feel important regardless of their skill / experience and as a teacher knows how to best communicate with players.  In addition Ward is a currnent professional player and has playeed at every level / league  imaginable.  Therefore he knows first hand what it takes to sucseed at the next level.

 Q: What should I bring to camp?

A: Protective equipment, stick, LUNCH, water bottle, hat, sunscreen, shoes & cleats, money for camp store to purchase equipment  / Buckeye gear (Top 200 only), positive attitude.

Q: How can I get my child to Top 200 lacrosse camp in Eden Prairie if I have to work?

A: Ward will be offering a FREE roundtrip bus service from 3 locations so players from all over the Metro will be able to take advantage of this camp opportunity.  Pick up / drop off locations are below.  Parents must make sure their child is at one of these 3 places BEFORE the bus is scheduled to depart. Space is limited.
1. Maplewood Mall (in front of Sears)                        8am pick up / 405pm drop off
2. Woodbury Jr. High School (parking lot)                815am pick up / 345pm drop off
3. Mall of America (in front of Sears)                          830am pick up / 330pm drop off

Q: My child is a beginner will he feel out of place?

A: No they will not feel out of place. Every camp will have a wide range of skill / experience.  Our staff does an excellent job of splitting players into groups that are seperated by age / skill /experience to offer appropraite drills / instruction.  We want everyone to learn and be challenged by drills that are developmentally approriate for their current level.

 Q: My child is playing lacrosse for the first time & we don't have equipment.  What should I do?

A: Purchasing lacrosse equipment is a definate investment.  You want to make sure your son really likes lacrosse & wants to continue playing before you make a large purchase.  We do have a limited supply (3-4 sets) of equipment that can be rented for $25/week.  Please email wardlaxcamp@yahoo.com before camp to arrange rental & discuss sizes.

Q: How Safe Is Lacrosse Compared With Other Sports?

A:  While no sport is absolutely safe, lacrosse is a very safe sport considering the physical nature of the sport and the speed with which the hard rubber ball can be thrown. Based on a 2003-2004 NCAA Injury Surveillance System Men's Lacrosse Summary, you can see in the following graph that the overall injury rate for Men's Lacrosse is much lower than Men's Soccer and under half of the rate for Men's Wrestling and Football. Women's Lacrosse injury rates are much lower than Men's and nearly equivalent to Women's Basketball rates.

The injury rates are expressed as injuries per 1,000 athlete-exposures.

When factoring in the severity of the injury, the following graph shows the injury rate for the various sports that resulted in the loss of 7 or more days of participation in the sport.

Q: My Son/Daughter Is Small In Stature, Will That Be A Problem?

A:  Lacrosse skills require speed and agility, a lot more than bulk or height. Intelligence and stamina also play a big part in excelling at lacrosse. Smaller players with superior skills will absolutely be competitive against larger players, more so than other sports such as football and hockey. On average, professional lacrosse players are much smaller than many other professional sports, even professional baseball players. Most of the MN Swarm roster would be considered small on most any big city high school football team. With hard work and determination, almost any child can excel at lacrosse.

Q: Lacrosse Is Such A New Sport, How Did It Come About?

A: Actually lacrosse is a very old sport and is considered to be America's first sport. It is rooted in Native American religion and is still referred to as "The Creator's Game" by Native Americans. Legends exist that tell of games that were used to prepare for war, with as many as 1,000 players per side and fields from 1 to 15 miles in length. The balls were made out of wood, deerskin, baked clay, or stone, and the contests could last for days.

The beginning of the modern game of lacrosse began in 1636 when a Jesuit Missionary documented a contest in what is now southeast Ontario, Canada. French pioneers began playing the game avidly in the 1800s and the game was standardized in 1867 with the setting of field dimensions, number of players per team, and other basic rules.

Q: Why Isn't Lacrosse An Olympic Sport?

A: That's a very good question! The 2006 World Lacrosse Championships, held in Canada, feature over 20 teams from nearly every continent and from the northernmost (Canada & Finland) and southernmost (Australia) reaches of Planet Earth. As lacrosse grows beyond its traditional stronghold of North America, the likelihood of it becoming an Olympic sport again will go up. Lacrosse was a full medal sport in the 1904 and 1908 Olympics and a demonstration sport at the Olympics in 1928, 1932, and 1948.