About the Heroes

We just wanted you to know a little about our program and the great sport of lacrosse!

It maybe new to Pueblo and southern Colorado, but you will soon find it has a long and colorful history. However in Pueblo the game wasn't started until the summer of 2003. With a handful of young players, we started playing at Belmont Park. The next spring (2004), the middle school players joined a league and Pueblo Heroes Lacrosse club was born. It wasn't until the middle school players were reaching high school, that we approached D-70 about hosting a team. In the spring of 2006 the first prep teams in Pueblo history took to the field and both boys and girls played for Pueblo West High School.

As we get ready to start our fifth season of playing lacrosse in Pueblo, just a few things to keep in mind about our sport. The history of lacrosse spans centuries, lacrosse is the oldest team sport in North America. The sport is rooted in Native American religion dating back some 350-375 years. Once played by Indians along the east coast and northern US border with Canada, it was played as a means to settle "Wars" between tribes, heal the sick and develop strong young men.
To some Native American tribes, lacrosse is still referred to as "The Creators Game".
In Native language the sport was called "Bagataway" which meant "little brother of war" the theory was that this was the next best thing to war, since fewer would die.
Over the years the game has added many nicknames such as: "Indian Stickball", "The first American Ball Game" and more recently "The fastest game on two feet".
The name "Lacrosse" came from a french Jesuit missionary, who watched his first game in 1636. The teams or tribes marched on the playing field, which at times was 15 miles long and teams played with as many as 1,000 members per side. The games could last for days or weeks depending on how long it took before the games became violent and the death toll would rise. After watching the players march onto the field, it was then the term "La Crosse" was given. The players held their sticks like a bishop held his staff in mass. Which was "The Cross" in french became "La Crosse" and over time became "Lacrosse".
The rules were simple, score as many goals as you can. The goals were trees or large rocks, which you just had to hit with the ball and the balls were made of stone, wood or baked clay wrapped in deerskin. The sticks were painted and covered with feathers, the pride of the players were the sticks they used.
Rules were added to clean up the sport in 1867. The sport was so popular in the late 1800's that Canada's government was afraid to lose the sport as a national pastime to the US. So it quickly voted to make it the national sport of Canada. Many thought it was hockey.

As you can see Pueblo has a long way to go with the growth of Lacrosse in southern Colorado. But today with your support we make the Journey!

Pueblo Heroes Lacrosse Club Home of the
Joseph Arrieta Memorial Leadership Award


GO HEROES!


FUN FACTS:

Famous Former Lacrosse Players: NHL superstar The Great One Wayne Gretzky, pro Football hall of famer Jim Brown, who is also in the Lacrosse hall of fame and New England Patriots, head coach Bill Belichick, winner of three Super Bowls; Which all came after his playing and coaching days in Lacrosse came to an end.

DID YOU KNOW:
*In the state of Maryland, more kids play lacrosse then the sports of football, basketball & baseball combined.
*DU has the only lacrosse stadium in the US today.
*In the history of the NCAA all D-1 sports, only football (bowl games) & basketball have ever had larger crowds for a championship game over Lacrosse!
*The first college game was played in 1877 and NYU fielded the first full time team.
*The first high school game was played in 1882.
*The first womens game was played in 1890. Thought to be unacceptable at the time it wasn't until 1926 that the first all girls teams and leagues were allowed to play.
*There are currently over 600 college teams in the US and over 2500 high school programs and growing each year.
*Men's lacrosse didn't start wearing pads & helmets until the late 1930's
*Colorado was voted the hottest state for the sport of lacrosse today by Sports Illustrated.
*Colorado Mammoth (indoor) won a national title. (Pro NLL)
*Denver Outlaws (outdoor) lost in the national championship game last year. (Pro MLL)