BALTIMORE COUNTY — Some of the best lacrosse players in the country are training in Sparks, Maryland, preparing to bring a newer version of the sport — and women's lacrosse — somewhere it has never been before.
Lacrosse Sixes is a variation of the sport that features six players on each team, a smaller field, shorter games, and often more scoring. World Lacrosse sanctioned the format in the early 2020s, in part to help get women's lacrosse into the Olympics — something set to happen for the first time in 2028.
U.S. women's lacrosse sixes team prepares to make Olympic history in 2028
The US Women's Sixes National Team is made up of the country's top players, but even they are adjusting to the pace of the game.
"In the sixes it's a lot faster than the regular game. So everything is just like go, go, go. You only have 30 seconds once the ball goes into the net or goes out of bounds. So you only have a 30-second shot clock which is really different," Lacey Downey said.
Downey, a midfielder who plays for Johns Hopkins, is among the players competing for one of only 11 spots on the Olympic roster. For many of them, the opportunity carries a weight that goes beyond competition.
"It's surreal. I don't think I ever dreamed of as a little kid being able to have the opportunity to try out for an Olympic team. So being able to be part of this process is an honor within itself and it's the first time that women's lacrosse has been in the Olympics. Women's lacrosse is on the up and it's so fun to watch," Kori Edmondson said.
Edmondson, a former Maryland midfielder, is also vying for a roster spot. The players who earn their way onto the team will be making history.
USA Women's Lacrosse Sixes head coach Lindsey Munday said the gravity of the moment is not lost on anyone involved.
"The stakes are high. It's sort of why we do this, to put ourselves in challenging positions as a coach to choose this roster, as players to have the pressure to compete for making history. It's a privilege that you don't take lightly," Munday said.
The USA Women's Lacrosse Sixes team will compete in the Pan-American Men’s and Women’s Sixes Championship in Oshawa, Ontario from Sept. 29-Oct. 4 and The Atlas Cup at USA Lacrosse headquarters from Oct. 23-25.
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