And it is not just at the high school fields, lacrosse equipment and nets are starting to dot the Westshore landscape. Above Rocky River attempts to break past Bay’s Chris Osborne during the two schools’ game at Rocky River High School on April 12. (Photo by Larry Bennet)

Westlake and Bay join Rocky River
in playing America’s oldest sport
By Zachary Dzurick
Sports
Published April 19, 2006

Click here for an archive of West Life Sports Editor Zachary Dzurick's "Red Right 88" weekly columns.

Last year, West Life boldly proclaimed Rocky River the Lacrosse capital of the Westshore. And for good reason, since 2000, the city’s recreation department has offered a lacrosse program and last year, the high school became the first public school on this side of Cleveland to have a boys team.

However, the neighboring cities of Westlake and Bay Village, natural rivals to Rocky River, weren’t just going to let that title go unchallenged. This spring, both town’s high schools have added lacrosse as a club sport.

Known mostly as an East Coast sport, lacrosse is the oldest sport in North America and currently the fastest growing. The state of Ohio has seen a huge increase in the teams over the last few seasons. The Ohio High School Lacrosse Association website currently lists 75 teams. Westlake and Bay, as first year programs, are both a part of the Club North division. Rocky River is a member of the D-II Region III Division with Perrysburg, St. Francis, Sylvania and University School.

For the Demons, the path to a team came in the form of a native son returning to the area. After growing up in Westlake unaware of lacrosse, Bill Bongers was introduced to the sport in college.

“I grew up here in Westlake,” Bongers said. “I picked up the sport at Wittenberg. I loved the game. I am disappointed I didn't get the chance to play it growing up in Westlake. I have had the chance to coach in Baltimore where it is a popular sport and as well as coach overseas.”

Bongers returned to Westlake three years ago to teach history at Lee Burneson Middle School. In his classroom, he kept reminders of his passion of the sport, which of course led to questions from curious students.

“I didn't intend to coach lacrosse here in Westlake,” he said. “The kids would see my lacrosse sticks in my classroom. They would ask me about them and asked to see how a game was played. The kids got this together. I give them all the credit.”

The interest of the kids and the help of several lacrosse loving adults led to the formation of the Westlake Lacrosse Association which supports a U12 and U14 boys team. That feeder system made having a club team at the high school a real possibility.

“The parents did a great job putting everything together,” Bongers said. “They put together a great presentation for the athletic director, the administration and the board of education. The kids have been enthusiastic. It has been relatively easy. The youth program made things a lot easier. The kids are more skilled and have a lot more experience than I expected. So we are having more success because of it. Most of the team are sophomores. I would say out of 24 sophomores, at least 20 of them have experience playing from the seventh or eighth grade.”

After losing their first two games by a combined 18-5 score, the Demons have won six straight games.

“The first two games were a learning experience,” Bongers said. “We got beaten pretty handily the first two times out, but the kids kept getting better in practice. But now we have won the last six games. Each game we have gotten a little bit better. The only way you can learn this game is to play it. We scheduled a lot of games so kids can get the field experience of what to do at certain times and situations. It has helped us learn the game a lot quicker. We have good athletes and I told them if you are a good athlete you can pick this game up in about a month. We have the greatest group of kids. They hustle and they work hard. They want to learn and they want to get better. It is a great group of kids to coach. We have totally exceeded my expectations. I underestimated how quickly we would pick it up. “

While Westlake’s team is full of experienced lacrosse players, Bay has been forced to venture into the sport filled with passion rather than skill.

“Out of 22 players, four have played on a lacrosse team before,” Bay coach Brian Routhouska said. "Having no youth program puts us at the lower end of the pole. But I have had some news that we could start a rec program here. There is some interest, hopefully we can start that this summer, but at least by next summer. We just have to figure out the finances. Lacrosse is in Bay and it is going to stay.”

Routhouska has always been around the sport.

“I grew up in Central New York in the Syracuse area,” he said. “I started playing the sport around age seven. I moved out here to Bay where I helped coach the hockey team. Through that I saw there was a desire for the sport of lacrosse here. Thanks to a private donation from a Bay resident, we were able to get the team off the ground and in the right direction.”

All coaches teach, but Routhouska has had unique challenges of trying to teach the nuances of a sport that had become second nature to him.

“The challenge is trying to teach each of them everything that you normally don't consider teaching,” he said. “I had to take a step back and teach the little things that I take for granted to give them an all around view of the sport. Just because the ball is not by you doesn't mean you are not moving. Lacrosse is a sport where you are constantly moving. There is always something to be done. If you are standing still then you are not doing your job.”

As expected with a team with no experience, it has been a rough start for the Bay program. They lost their first five games 38-2. Routhouska has remained positive.

“I tell the kids every day that we are not playing Westlake or River, we are playing ourselves,” he said. “We have to go out every day looking to improve. You have to keep it positive. These guys are taking a big leap playing a sport that they have never played. These kids enjoy the sport and they are dedicated to getting better. Many are headed off to camps in the summer.”

Rocky River coach Chris LaVouge believes that Bay will one day have a strong program.

“It is hard for a start up team like Bay,” he said. “They are going to take some lumps the first year or two, but they will get it and that team will grow.”

LaVouge is pleased that the sport is growing on the west side of town.

“It is awesome,” he said. “It is really nice to see Bay and Westlake adopt the sport and to get it established on the west side. I think it will continue to grow into Avon and Avon Lake and other surrounding areas when they see the interest and growth of the game.”

Last season, Rocky River playing in the Club North division finished with a 7-4 (6-1) record. They started this season with wins in three of their first four games. LaVouge credits that success to the city’s youth program.

“We have almost 100 kids in our rec program,” He said. “It has been huge for us. My advice to any community is to start in the fourth and fifth grade because once they get to high school, if they have a base of experience in the game, it makes so much of a difference.”

For those passionate about lacrosse, the sight of lacrosse sticks and goals across the Westshore is a dream come true.

“I see kids with sticks everywhere,” LaVouge said. “I work at one of the lower schools and kids are bringing their sticks to school. You see more and more goals in the front of yards. It is everywhere. It is great to see. I don't think we could have imagined how it exploded. The rec program has always been strong, but in the last year or two, it has really blown up. Kids and parents love the game.”