Attending Quinnipiac University seems to be a bittersweet experience for former high school lacrosse players.

This is a great school and I love being here, but something is lacking. Quinnipiac does not have any lacrosse teams other than the Division 1 program, and the cold hard fact is that most players are not talented enough to play at the Division 1 level. It is unfair that Quinnipiac is among the small number of schools without a club lacrosse team or intramural league. It forces players out of the game.

“It was disappointing. I always loved the sport of lacrosse, but was never outstanding. The game was so much fun, it’s tough to just never play again,” says freshman Peter Lind.

There is no club or even an intramural team for students still craving that adrenaline shot from a lacrosse game. Many students have expressed their disappointment

“I was frustrated because I love the sport of lacrosse and I should at least be able to play once a week or so,” said freshman Christopher Stanton.

So why are there still no intramural teams even with the obvious desire for one?

I’ve heard the reasons: lacrosse is too dangerous of a sport to have any extra teams; it would be too much of a liability for the school. This I can understand, but I know that any one of these former players would sign a waiver in a second if it meant they could play the game competitively again. It’s just sad that an athletic career has to come to an end because of the lack of opportunities. And the worst part of the matter is that just about every other sport has its own intramural team: football, softball, soccer, basketball. This just seems unfair to lacrosse players in general.

There is some hope on the horizon though, coming in the form of the one day lacrosse tournament. It basically consists of a tournament with games throughout the day.

Stanton added, “I’m glad we at least have this because I miss the game a lot and this will give me the ability to experience the game at least one day of the year”.

That’s great. At least we get something, but it still leaves much to be desired. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very excited for the tournament and it will be great just to get back on the field again, but it’s a very small taste of how great an intramurals program could be. If anything, it is a step in the right direction and should be applauded. However, the need for a lacrosse team in addition to the Division 1 program is more apparent than ever.

Lind agreed. “I just think it’s the best sport around and I want to play it more often.”

Next time you’re walking around campus, just take a minute to look at what many of the guys on campus are wearing: high school lacrosse jackets, shorts or old practice jerseys. It is obvious to me that there is a desire for an intramurals or club team, so perhaps the Athletics Department will realize this and work to appease the growing need. In the meantime I’m just going to have to build a team for the tournament and be happy with what has been provided. Either way it’ll be fun, but it could easily be so much more.