Just thinking as I read this what an amazing job you guys have done over the past several years. Keep up the great work.

John Cleary MD
Foothill Lacrosse OC Asst.

++++++++++++++++++++

I want to start by saying that I have waited several years to send this message because I wanted to better understand the game of lacrosse and learn the rules of the game.  I am a former athlete that competed for state championships in high school and NCAA championships in college. I also have coached soccer in youth leagues, AAU basketball, and tournament softball around the country, so after watching lacrosse over the years here in Texas, Colorado, and the east coast, I feel fairly good about my perspective of sports, competition, the rules of a game, and the role an official plays in the game of any sport.

I LOVE THE CONCEPT OF THE LACROSSE GAME.

Lacrosse is one of, if not the fastest, growing sports in the state of Texas and Florida, but we are in grave danger of killing the enthusiasm of the game if we do not do a better job of finding officials that understand sport and the role of the official. I have found that officials in the east understand what is important in the flow of a game, they understand what affects a play, where our Texas officials, especially in Houston, have no understanding of flow and importance of their calls...they seem to blow the whistle at anything they perceive not to be perfect.  As anyone who has participated or coached any sport knows, an official could literally blow a whistle nonstop during a whole game because the likelyhood  of players on any level could be perceived to be in violation of something. The best officials call a game by the importance of the effect on a play and to maintain some order of play because they understand sport and the rules...as with the Houston high school girls LAX officials, they will blow endlessly and many times incorrectly. I have seen bad officials/refs in other sports, but not with the consistancy of the Houston contingent of girls Lax officials...especially the supposed "HEAD OFFICIAL"...NO CONCEPT WHAT SO EVER.

There are three rules that make no sense...1) if a girl is fouled in the act of shooting and makes a goal, she is penalized by erasing the goal and having to reset with a goalie in place...why not award a goal and give a free possession to the player at mid field...NO OTHER SPORT REWARDS FOULS LIKE GIRLS LACROSSE DOES... 2) this rule happened in the SPC championship game this past weekend...Sec 3 AR-1...with the SJS goalie outside of the goal circle, an EHS player was fouled by the goalie and scored...goal taken away and the goalie was positioned outside of the goal circle...they reset, she is again fouled intentionally and scored...the goal was again taken away and the officials allowed the goalie to reenter the goal circle...THE RESULT, NO GOAL AND EHS LOSES BY ONE GOAL...3) and maybe the worst of them all, it was a first round game that was a blowout, 22-3, with approximately 5 minutes remaining...the team was in a stall and a red card was awarded to a player...she was falling down and supposedly called for a "VICIOUS HIT"...THE ISSUE IS THIS, IF THE OFFICIAL WOULD HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE GAME, SHE WOULD HAVE SEEN THIS PLAYER WAS NOT AN AGRESSIVE PLAYER TO BEGIN WITH AND THE GIRL FROM THE OTHER TEAM WAS NOT TOUCHED AND LATER APOLOGIZED TO THE EJECTED PLAYER FOR THE RULING...she then had to miss the next two games because of the mis-called infraction(another Houston Official)...

In closing, I find the concept of the game/sport of girls lacrosse to be fascinating and inclusive of so many talents of hand eye coordination, speed, strength and life lessons we need for girls today...teamwork, mental fortitude, winning and losing...etc...only to have it spoiled by a basket of bad fruit. And I understand there can always be a bad apple in every bunch, but we in Houston we just happen to have a whole bunch of bad apples!!!

-FRUSTRATED SPORTS FAN

++++++++++++++++++++

You guys at West Side Lax have done a great job over the years. However, for the pre-season previews, I think everyone would like to see a league-by-league, team-by-team preview. You guys did it this way for a while, until the last year or two. Instead of just profiling 6-7 teams, give the fans of West Side Lax a preview of each of the western states, profiling each team, just like before. I'm sure everyone would apreciate that. Thank you for the time you put into this site and all that you have done for western lacrosse, and thank you for taking the time to read this.

Sam K

++++++++++++++++++++

WSL,

Thanks so much for the most-excellent write-up on our LBJ win last night. You've got the sports writing down pat and the facts were spot-on.

Oh What A Feeling.

Jim Rankin
LBJ/LASA LAX Club President

++++++++++++++++++++

West Side Lax,

I have been playing lacrosse in a state included in your region of coverage for the past four years, and as my final season is starting to come to a close, I just felt it appropriate to thank you for all that you guys at WSL do for us. Even just posting scores would be a huge convenience to lacrosse players west of the Mississippi, but you all go above and beyond with your game stories, in-state rankings, overall rankings, recruiting news etc. Furthermore, you deal with all the complaints and frustration that litter the comment sections and forums, which I don't think I could put up with haha. Though it may not show, as a result of parents who live vicariously through their kids tripping balls when their son's team is unjustly ranked, I think I speak for everyone when I say we truly do appreciate West Side Lax.
 

Sincerely,

Anonymous player

++++++++++++++++++++

WSL,

Your comments regarding Beau Pich in the WSL Top 25 rankings is bush league and a cheap shot. Stick to lacrosse news. There is no room for comments like that especially when we are trying to develop young men of good moral character. You should lead by example and retract the posting accompanied by a written apology to coach Pich.

Jim Regan
Brophy Parent