Sisters hosts thousands for lacrosse

They came from as far away as British Columbia, in helmets and pads and wielding netted sticks, to play a game created by the native peoples of North America. Sixty-nine teams from Idaho, Washington, California, Oregon and that squad from BC - ranging from youngsters in the third grade to high school athletes - participated last weekend in SALI, the Sisters Annual Lacrosse Invitational.

Families tagged along, filling Sisters with diners and shoppers in between games.

"We've got to be pulling about 5,000 people to town, I'd guess," said Liam Hughes, executive director of Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD), the sponsor and organizer of the tournament.

The tourney serves up approximately 150 games on eight fields during the weekend, with championship games played at Reed Stadium, which is currently undergoing renovation

Hughes noted that more than 50 volunteers worked many hours to pull together the complex event - handling everything from scheduling to traffic control and trash pick-up. He also noted the presence of Sisters Fire District ambulance crews, who provided medical assistance for players in a sport that is subject to bangs and bruises, and twisted knees and ankles.

"It's a massive volunteer effort to pull this thing off," Hughes said.

The Sisters athletes themselves help with setting up the event.

While SALI is a prestige athletic event and an economic shot in the arm for Sisters, perhaps its most important role is in supporting the SPRD-run lacrosse program.

"This is, realistically, a $20,000 fundraiser for the lacrosse program, that makes lacrosse affordable for (Sisters) families," Hughes said. "Lacrosse is a really expensive sport, with all the gear. We'll provide (players) with everything they need from the ground up for them to play."

This year, at the last minute, the league in which Sisters plays imposed a new rule requiring helmets for female players as well as for the boys. SPRD was able to cover the expense of the helmets with a $7,000 grant from the Oregon Community Foundation.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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