According to Yahoo Sports, lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the United States. This upcoming year is the 5th season of Bob Jones Lacrosse. Although the sport of lacrosse is not yet recognized or sanctioned by the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) and is therefore only considered a club sport, participation is at an all time high.
This spring, Bob Jones will have a varsity squad of 24 men along with a junior varsity team. James Clemens has also begun a lacrosse program and will introduce their first junior varsity (JV) team this year.
Bob Jones Head Coach Paul Burke, who helped found the Huntsville Lacrosse Association in 2007 and is a lacrosse player himself, has seen incredible growth throughout the years. He told The Madison Record writer Aldo Amato in his April article, Patriots Lacrosse gaining popularity each year, that “It started as 84 kids total with various teams in the area. Today we have just under 400 kids and growing.”
Hoping to add to the list of state championships for Bob Jones, this year’s team is returning with quite a few starters, including 11 seniors. Because the Patriots are a part of Huntsville Lacrosse Association, the team has players not only from Bob Jones but from James Clemens, Sparkman, Athens, and a home-school.
When asked about the team’s goals and expectations for the season, Bob Jones junior defender Will Jackson simply replied, “Our goal is to win state. This is the Year of the Bob.”
Many of the varsity players have already began conditioning for the season that is scheduled to begin in February by participating in other sports as well as training together during the off-season.
“What off-season?” joked Bob Jones senior midfielder and defender Joe Paschall.
The Patriots look to improve on their 5-7 record from last year, which included a huge win in front of the Patriots home crowd on senior night against a rival Huntsville team.
