Israel Lacrosse Gear: High School Apparel, College Fan Gear, and Sports Jerseys

How is lacrosse growing in popularity in Alabama. What impact will The World Games have on lacrosse in Birmingham. How is the UAB Men’s Lacrosse club contributing to the sport’s growth.

The Rise of Lacrosse in Alabama: A Sport Gaining Momentum

Lacrosse, a sport with roots in Native American culture, is experiencing a surge in popularity across Alabama. This growing interest is particularly evident in Birmingham, where the upcoming World Games are set to showcase the sport on an international stage. But what’s driving this lacrosse boom in the Heart of Dixie?

Zach Eagen, president of the UAB Men’s Lacrosse club team, offers valuable insights into the sport’s appeal. Having played since the age of 8, Eagen has witnessed firsthand the explosion of lacrosse in the Atlanta area and believes Alabama could follow a similar trajectory.

Why is lacrosse attracting new players?

• Fast-paced, action-packed gameplay
• Utilizes skills from other popular sports
• Lower risk of concussions compared to football
• Rapid skill progression for new players

The sport’s growing popularity is reflected in the presence of Birmingham’s brick-and-mortar lacrosse store, the only one of its kind for hundreds of miles. This retail presence underscores the increasing demand for lacrosse equipment and supplies in the region.

The World Games: A Catalyst for Lacrosse Growth in Birmingham

The World Games 2022, hosted in Birmingham, Alabama, presents a unique opportunity to elevate lacrosse’s profile in the state. With high-level international competition on display, the event has the potential to inspire a new generation of lacrosse players and fans.

How will The World Games impact lacrosse in Alabama?

The exposure to elite-level lacrosse is expected to generate increased interest in the sport, much like how a match between Duke and Johns Hopkins universities in Atlanta sparked enthusiasm years ago. The World Games could serve as a similar catalyst for Birmingham and the surrounding areas.

Adding to the excitement, lacrosse has recently been officially included in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. This Olympic recognition further legitimizes the sport and may contribute to its growing appeal.

Sixes: The Dynamic Olympic Lacrosse Variant

The World Games will introduce many spectators to “Sixes,” the fast-paced variant of lacrosse that will be featured in the 2028 Olympics. This modified version of the game promises to deliver an even more thrilling experience for players and viewers alike.

What makes Sixes different from traditional lacrosse?

• Faster pace of play
• Smaller teams (6 players per side)
• Shorter game duration
• Emphasis on quick transitions and scoring

The introduction of Sixes at The World Games provides a unique preview of the Olympic format, generating additional excitement among lacrosse enthusiasts and newcomers to the sport.

UAB Men’s Lacrosse Club: Ambassadors for the Sport

The UAB Men’s Lacrosse club is playing a crucial role in promoting and supporting lacrosse during The World Games. Club members will be actively involved in various aspects of the lacrosse events, gaining valuable experience and contributing to the success of the games.

How are UAB Lacrosse club members contributing to The World Games?

• Serving as official scorekeepers
• Assisting with field setup
• Ball retrieval during matches
• Liaising between organizers and national teams

Zach Eagen, in particular, has been selected as an official liaison for the Israeli lacrosse teams. This role holds special significance for Eagen, who has Israeli grandparents and recently participated in Israeli lacrosse development programs.

The Cultural Significance of Lacrosse at The World Games

The World Games lacrosse tournament features eight nations, including the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. This indigenous sports organization, representing athletes from the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora nations, brings a unique cultural dimension to the competition.

Why is the inclusion of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy significant?

The participation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy honors the Native American origins of lacrosse, bridging ancient traditions with the modern global sport. Their presence adds depth and historical context to the tournament, reminding spectators of lacrosse’s rich cultural heritage.

Professional Lacrosse: The Pinnacle of the Sport

The World Games will showcase some of the best lacrosse talent globally, including professional players from various leagues. The United States men’s team, for example, features 10 professionals from the American Professional Lacrosse League alongside two collegiate players.

How does professional lacrosse contribute to the sport’s growth?

Professional leagues provide aspiring players with a clear path to pursue lacrosse at the highest level. The presence of professional athletes at The World Games demonstrates the sport’s viability as a career and inspires young players to strive for excellence.

Community Service: A Core Value of UAB Lacrosse

Beyond their involvement in The World Games, the UAB Men’s Lacrosse club is deeply committed to community service. Their dedication to volunteering has not only benefited the local lacrosse community but has also earned them recognition from the university.

What kind of volunteer work does the UAB Lacrosse club undertake?

• Organizing youth lacrosse camps
• Conducting clinics across Alabama
• Promoting the sport in local schools
• Supporting community lacrosse initiatives

The club’s efforts have been substantial, with members averaging 31 service hours per person in the past year. This commitment to service earned them the annual service award from UAB’s Student Government Association, highlighting the positive impact they’re making both on and off the field.

The Future of Lacrosse in Alabama: Building on Momentum

As The World Games approach, the future of lacrosse in Alabama looks bright. The combination of international exposure, growing local interest, and dedicated ambassadors like the UAB Men’s Lacrosse club creates a fertile ground for the sport’s continued expansion.

What factors will contribute to lacrosse’s growth in Alabama?

• Increased visibility from The World Games
• Olympic recognition driving interest
• Continued youth development programs
• Support from local universities and clubs
• Expansion of lacrosse facilities and resources

With these elements in place, Alabama could see a significant increase in lacrosse participation at all levels, from youth leagues to collegiate programs. The sport’s blend of athleticism, strategy, and teamwork is likely to resonate with many athletes and spectators across the state.

As lacrosse continues to grow in Alabama, it may also bring economic benefits to the region. The development of lacrosse programs, tournaments, and facilities could create new opportunities for sports-related businesses and tourism.

How might the growth of lacrosse impact Alabama’s economy?

• Increased demand for sporting goods and equipment
• Job creation in coaching and sports administration
• Tourism boost from lacrosse tournaments and events
• Potential for professional lacrosse franchises in the future

The economic potential of lacrosse adds another layer of excitement to its growing popularity in the state. As more people discover and embrace the sport, its positive impact is likely to extend far beyond the playing field.

Lacrosse Equipment and Apparel: Meeting Growing Demand

As lacrosse gains traction in Alabama, the demand for high-quality equipment and apparel is on the rise. From youth leagues to college teams, players are seeking gear that enhances their performance and showcases their team spirit.

What types of lacrosse gear are in high demand?

• Lacrosse sticks and heads
• Protective equipment (helmets, pads, gloves)
• Team jerseys and uniforms
• Training aids and practice equipment
• Footwear designed for lacrosse

The presence of a dedicated lacrosse store in Birmingham indicates the growing market for these products. As the sport continues to expand, we may see an increase in specialized retailers and online stores catering to lacrosse players in Alabama and the surrounding region.

How are lacrosse brands adapting to the growing market in Alabama?

Major lacrosse equipment manufacturers are likely to take notice of the sport’s growth in Alabama. This could lead to increased marketing efforts, partnerships with local teams and organizations, and potentially even Alabama-specific product lines.

Local businesses may also seize the opportunity to create custom apparel and merchandise for high school and college lacrosse teams. This could include everything from team jerseys to fan gear, helping to foster a sense of community and identity around the sport.

Challenges and Opportunities for Lacrosse in Alabama

While the future of lacrosse in Alabama looks promising, there are both challenges and opportunities to consider as the sport continues to grow.

What obstacles might lacrosse face in Alabama?

• Competition with established sports for resources and players
• Limited number of experienced coaches and officials
• Need for more dedicated lacrosse facilities
• Raising awareness in areas where the sport is less known

Addressing these challenges will be crucial for the sustained growth of lacrosse in Alabama. However, each challenge also presents an opportunity for innovation and community engagement.

How can these challenges be turned into opportunities?

• Developing coaching clinics and certification programs
• Partnering with schools to introduce lacrosse as a physical education option
• Organizing exhibition matches and demonstrations in new areas
• Collaborating with other sports organizations to share facilities and resources

By proactively addressing these issues, lacrosse enthusiasts and organizations can help ensure the sport’s continued growth and success in Alabama.

The Role of College Lacrosse in Alabama’s Sporting Landscape

As lacrosse gains popularity at the youth and high school levels, college programs play a crucial role in the sport’s development. The presence of strong collegiate lacrosse teams can inspire younger players and provide a pathway for continued participation in the sport.

How are Alabama’s colleges contributing to lacrosse growth?

• Offering varsity and club lacrosse programs
• Hosting tournaments and showcases
• Providing facilities for community lacrosse events
• Developing talent that can compete at higher levels

The UAB Men’s Lacrosse club is just one example of how college programs are fostering the sport’s growth. As more universities in Alabama embrace lacrosse, we may see an increase in competitive opportunities and scholarships for talented players.

What impact could college lacrosse have on Alabama’s sporting culture?

Strong college lacrosse programs could help elevate the sport’s profile in Alabama, potentially leading to increased media coverage, fan support, and overall interest in lacrosse. This, in turn, could create a positive feedback loop, encouraging more young athletes to take up the sport and pursue it at higher levels.

Moreover, successful college lacrosse programs could attract out-of-state talent to Alabama universities, further enriching the local lacrosse community and raising the level of play across the state.

Lacrosse and Community Building in Alabama

Beyond its athletic aspects, lacrosse has the potential to become a powerful tool for community building in Alabama. The sport’s emphasis on teamwork, sportsmanship, and respect aligns well with community values and can foster positive relationships among players, families, and supporters.

How can lacrosse contribute to community development in Alabama?

• Creating new social networks through teams and leagues
• Providing positive activities for youth
• Encouraging family involvement in sports
• Promoting cultural exchange through interactions with diverse teams
• Fostering a sense of local pride through team representation

The UAB Men’s Lacrosse club’s commitment to community service demonstrates how the sport can be a vehicle for positive change. As lacrosse grows in Alabama, we may see more initiatives that use the sport as a means to address social issues and build stronger communities.

What long-term benefits could lacrosse bring to Alabama communities?

The growth of lacrosse could lead to improved physical fitness, increased social cohesion, and new opportunities for personal development among participants. Additionally, the sport could become a source of community pride, bringing people together to support local teams and celebrate shared achievements.

As lacrosse continues to establish itself in Alabama’s sporting landscape, its positive impact is likely to extend far beyond the playing field, contributing to the overall well-being and vitality of communities across the state.

Lacrosse club president sees major opportunity in The World Games – The Reporter

Zach Eagen (left) and Wingate University’s Brendan Grove representing Israel at the Heritage Cup tournament in Springfield, Massachusetts, this summer. During The World Games, Eagen will assist the Israeli men’s and women’s teams and serve as a liaison between the teams and the organizers. Image courtesy Zach EagenZach Eagen, a rising senior majoring in health care management and president of the UAB Men’s Lacrosse club team, has been in love with the game since he was 8 years old. So he is pretty pumped that the giant banner outside the UAB Rec Center advertising The World Games features a bedsheet-sized photo of a U.S.-Canada lacrosse match. He is even more excited about how the arrival of lacrosse’s elite in Birmingham could jump-start an already growing sport in Alabama.

Eagen, who is from Marietta, Georgia, saw the sport explode in the Atlanta area as he grew up. “I think we could see that same thing happen here,” he said. Lacrosse’s speed and action draw in young people, Eagen says, and they can progress rapidly because it uses skills they have already developed in baseball, basketball and soccer, and has the contact of football and rugby. Parents, like his own, love the fact that concussions and injuries are much less common in lacrosse. “We are already seeing a lot of kids drop other sports and pick up lacrosse sticks,” Eagen said. And it is telling that Birmingham is able to support the only brick-and-mortar lacrosse store for hundreds of miles around, he adds. (In 2021, Alabama had its first five-star high school recruit, a goalie from Briarwood Christian School.)

When Eagen was a kid, the powerhouse teams from Duke and Johns Hopkins universities came to Atlanta for a match that inspired many spectators. He thinks The World Games could do the same for Birmingham and beyond. “It’s going to be good for the sport in Alabama to bring in really high-level lacrosse,” he said. And there is more good news: This spring, the International Olympic Committee officially added lacrosse to the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. The World Games will be one of the first opportunities for fans to watch the dynamic variant of the game that will be played at the Olympics, known as Sixes. See the World Games video below for an explainer.

Story continues below video.

Giving back for the game

5 things to know about TWG lacrosse

1. Looks familiar…: Lacrosse requires moves and skills similar to baseball, basketball, football, soccer and hockey.

2. Lacrosse, accelerated: The version of lacrosse played at The World Games is known as Sixes — a faster-paced game than the standard field lacrosse.

3. Back, after 120 years: Lacrosse will return to the Olympics for the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

4. Founding people: One of the eight nations playing in The World Games lacrosse tournament is the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, an indigenous sports organization of athletes from the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca and Tuscarora nations, which originated the game of lacrosse.

5. World’s best: The United States and several other countries have professional lacrosse leagues. The U.S. men’s team at The World Games, for example, has 10 pros in the American Professional Lacrosse League and two college players.

Eagen and several other UAB Men’s Lacrosse club members will have a front-row seat to the lacrosse matches at The World Games, which are being played at UAB’s PNC Field. (See the schedule and buy tickets here.) Some are serving as official scorekeepers; others are helping set up the fields and retrieving balls during game play.

Eagen has been selected to be an official liaison between The World Games organizers and the Israel lacrosse teams (men’s and women’s). “I will be with them from the moment their airplane lands until they leave,” Eagen said. That includes helping the athletes and coaches get checked in at the Athletes’ Village at UAB, and find the dining facilities and practice areas, as well as passing along official communiques from The World Games officials. The role is particularly meaningful for Eagen, who is Jewish and has Israeli grandparents. Earlier this summer, he traveled to Connecticut to play with the Israeli lacrosse development teams and attended the NCAA lacrosse championships. “There are not a lot of Jewish lacrosse players in the South,” Eagen said. “To be practicing on a field with 60 Jewish guys — that was pretty cool.”

Tradition of service

Volunteering is a major focus of the Men’s Lacrosse club. Eagen and the group’s more than 20 members recorded an average of 31 service hours per person at youth lacrosse camps and clinics in Birmingham and across the state last year — an effort that earned them the annual service award from UAB’s Student Government Association.

“In the lacrosse community, being generous with your time always leads to new opportunities and making new friends,” said Dan Willson, the club’s coach and staff adviser, who is a system administrator for UAB IT. “I helped a fledgling lacrosse blog with its webserver issues in 2007, which led to playing lacrosse with Thailand’s national team in a 2011 expo in Bangkok, which led to playing in a tournament in Turkey in 2013 with the Moscow Lacrosse Club, which led to becoming an assistant coach with Russia Lacrosse in the 2014 and 2018 World Cup, plus the 2016 European Championships. If I had not volunteered as a coach 34 years ago, I’d have missed more priceless life experiences than I care to imagine.”

The UAB Men’s Lacrosse club team during a recent match, with adviser Dan Willson looking on in the background, center. Image courtesy Abigail Donovan.

In fall 2021, UAB Men’s Lacrosse hosted one of the largest college-level club tournaments in the country. “This year, we are aiming to triple in size, with 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams, playing at the Hoover Met with sponsors and vendors on-site,” Eagen said. “We use all the revenue to keep our dues low — we have the lowest club dues in the Southeast, at $200 compared with an average of $1,200, and we invest in loaner equipment to give people a chance to try it out.”

Lacrosse may have a reputation as a sport for private-school kids, but that is not reality, Eagen says. One of the eight nations playing in The World Games lacrosse tournament is the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, an indigenous sports organization of athletes from the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca and Tuscarora nations, which originated the game of lacrosse. “They just had a stick and a ball, and they played to get closer to each other,” Eagen said. “That’s what we’re after as well.”

Why lacrosse?

Zach Eagen found lacrosse by accident. He and his dad came across some toy lacrosse sticks at Target one day and started to toss a ball back and forth. “I said, “Is this a game you can play?” Eagen recalled. Soon after, he joined his first youth team. “My dad played everything when he was growing up in New Jersey — football, baseball, basketball, hockey,” Eagen said. “He said, ‘If I had known about lacrosse, that’s what I would have done.’ A lot of the parents of kids I coach say the same thing.” By high school, Eagen was working as a referee and coach, in addition to playing. (He is the youngest sanctioned referee working college-level matches in Alabama, he notes.) A knee injury kept a stick out of his hands for a while, but it never dimmed his love for the game.

“Passing or shooting in lacrosse uses the exact same mechanics as pitching a baseball, except your other hand is on the stick,” Eagen said. “Anyone who understands defensive principles from basketball will understand lacrosse defense. Just like in soccer and hockey, passing and being able to move without the ball are crucial. People who are used to those sports can pick lacrosse up quickly and learn to play at a high level. Several guys on our team hadn’t played before college, and now you won’t see them without sticks in their hands.”

Speed is important, he said, “but you can’t just give the ball to the fastest kid and have them run around everyone else. There are seven or eight moves that a smaller or slower person can do to stop you or get past you. You have to understand how to move to create openings, and the entire team has to work together to be successful.”

In Israel, Building a Lacrosse League From Scratch

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Entrepreneurship

Scott Neiss wanted to run a team of his own. He ended up starting the Israel Lacrosse Association, and the country will host a world championship starting July 12. Credit…An Rong Xu for The New York Times

By Aimee Berg

• June 30, 2018

In 2010, Scott Neiss decided to make lacrosse the No. 1 sport in Israel. The catch? The 25-year-old from Long Island had never played the game. Nor did he live in Israel.

But on a trip to the country after graduating from St. John’s University, where he had worked full time for a pro lacrosse league, he wondered if he could run a team of his own. “I’m always on, work-wise,” he said. While in Israel, he started asking about sports and facilities, and realized that he could rally enough Jewish-American talent to be competitive right away.

Eight years later, he has developed the nonprofit Israel Lacrosse Association, which has an eight-city league, has been a catalyst for youth engagement and, starting on July 12, will host the largest world championship in the sport’s history when 46 teams descend on Netanya for 11 days of competition. It will be the first time in the event’s five decades that it will be hosted outside the United States, Canada, England or Australia.

Back home after that post-college trip, Mr. Neiss cold-called the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame goalie Bill Beroza and asked him to coach an Israeli team. At that point, Mr. Neiss had only a website, a logo and a sketch of a plan. There was no equipment, no players and no infrastructure. And Israel was a country largely unfamiliar with lacrosse.

“You don’t need a coach; you need a shrink,” Mr. Beroza recalled telling Mr. Neiss.

Next, Mr. Neiss approached Tom Hayes, the director of development for the Federation of International Lacrosse, to inquire about membership. Instead, Mr. Hayes grilled him about his plans to expand the game in Israel.

Eager to prove himself, Mr. Neiss got Reebok to donate gear. Then, via social media, he found an American in Israel, David Lasday, who had run youth basketball clinics and knew the sports landscape there. The next thing he knew, Mr. Neiss was at Kennedy International Airport handing the 20 sticks to Mr. Lasday’s mother, who was en route to Israel.

Mr. Lasday collected the sticks and led a clinic for a half dozen boys in a Tel Aviv park.

“It was a hideous clinic,” Mr. Neiss said. But now, he added, he had photos that said, “‘Look! We’re doing stuff on the ground.’ After that, things started to get very real.” The international federation was pushing to get lacrosse back in the Olympics as a medal event for the first time since 1908, and it needed more affiliated nations. In 2011, the federation gave Israel an associate membership and an equipment grant.

While 20 boxes of helmets, gloves, and pads made their way to Mr. Neiss’ tiny Flatiron apartment, he connected with Howie Borkan, the former chairman of the United States Lacrosse men’s program. They arranged a teleconference to raise $20,000 for a pilot program to teach lacrosse to as many children as possible during a one-month blitz in Israel, culminating in an exhibition game.

In May 2011, Mr. Neiss flew to Israel and started hanging posters. He also brought college athletes to play and spread the word.

On Aug. 13, about 400 fans came to Kraft stadium and saw Jerusalem beat Tel Aviv by one goal, yielding more photos and significant coverage in lacrosse publications.

“If you were in the U.S. and saw this, you’re like: ‘This is the real deal,’” Mr. Neiss said.

The website’s traffic quadrupled. And in Israel, lacrosse was catching on.

“It has the same flow as basketball and soccer,” Mr. Neiss, now 33, said, which are already highly popular in Israel. “It’s also a contact sport, and Israelis like that.”

Israel’s Noah Miller chased a loose ball in a semifinal game against Australia in the 2014 Lacrosse World Championships, in Commerce City, Colo. Israel placed seventh in the event.Credit…Brennan Linsley/Associated Press

The most pivotal moment came in 2012. Hoping to qualify Israel for the 2014 world championships, Mr. Neiss assembled 20 Jewish-American players who paid a total of $120,000 to represent Israel in a lacrosse festival being held in conjunction with the 2012 European championships in Amsterdam.

But when Israel was granted a berth in the European championships itself — a more direct path toward world qualifying — the festival team couldn’t enter because its players didn’t have the Israeli passports needed to comply with Federation of International Lacrosse rules. So Mr. Neiss sent a second squad to Amsterdam: a group of Israeli novices.

Unexpectedly, the rookies made the championship quarterfinals. (The Jewish-Americans won the festival.) And all 40 players provided substantial manpower to spread the program in Israel by increasing its exposure and going on school visits.

Mr. Neiss had just discovered his business model: sports tourism.

Now, when Jewish-American athletes write to Mr. Neiss and say they played lacrosse in college, and may want to try out, he tries to deepen their interest and involvement beyond the field. He asks if they’ve considered signing up for Israel Lacrosse’s winter break trip (the annual trips draw 40 to 60 high schoolers who pay about $4,000 to tour Israel, play with and against Israeli youngsters, and represent Israel in an exhibition game).

Or, he’ll say: “You’re a college sophomore? How about doing a one-month summer internship and playing in our league?” (Internships cost about $3,000 and have lured more than 1,000 players to Israel in six years.)

Sometimes he suggests they spend a gap year with Israel Lacrosse after college graduation.

The pitch worked on Seth Mahler, a former Whittier College midfielder who moved to Israel in 2013. “I had no college debt, no girlfriend, so I was pretty free,” he said.

Mr. Mahler went from school to school, inviting 50 to 500 children a day to try lacrosse. Now he runs, recruits and plays in the Israel Premier Lacrosse League.

Over the past four years, Israel Lacrosse’s budget has grown to $4.86 million this year from $465,000 in 2014. Currently 45 percent of its revenue comes from donors, 45 percent comes from sports tourism and fees, and 10 percent from youth player dues, local sponsors and small grants in Israel. Recently, Israel Lacrosse also qualified for government funding.

Shortfalls in the annual budgets are offset by contributions from “dedicated and passionate donors,” said Mr. Lasday, who is now the association’s chief operating officer.

The 2018 world championships were awarded to Israel last year after the city of Manchester, England, pulled out for financial reasons.

Hosting the event this month is expected to cost $3.5 million. The national lottery, Mr. Neiss said, will fund up to 1 million shekels (roughly $275,000) and Mr. Neiss projects $800,000 in ticket revenue, of which the federation takes a cut. (The federation itself will not be paying any tournament costs.)

In 2014, Israel placed seventh at the world championships. In 2016, it took silver at the European championships. Last year, it won the European indoor title. In July, it may be a medal contender with the first Israeli-born player to come through its system: 18-year-old Ori Bar David.

Jake Silberlicht, the team captain who is now the director of youth development in southern Israel, remembers the day he gave Mr. Bar David a stick and taught him to throw and catch. “Now we’re competing on the same field,” he said.

He added: “But at the end of the day — and I learned this from Scott — our goal isn’t to win the world championship and have people remember our names. What we really want people to see, 10 years down the road, is what we’ve built.”

History of the 50th Rocket Army. v.2. Improving combat readiness (1965-1969)

International environment

mid 60s – early 70s

The international situation in the mid-1960s and early 1970s was determined by the presence in the world of two opposing social systems: the world socialist system that emerged as a result of the decisive contribution of the Soviet Union to the victory over fascism in World War II, and the capitalist system of the leading imperialist states, led by the United States, which strengthened its position after the end of the war. To a certain extent, the development of the international situation was influenced by the countries of the third world, as well as national liberation movements, which were gaining strength with the support of the countries of socialism.

The Soviet Union pursued a policy of developing and strengthening the world socialist system, consolidating the situation that had developed after the Second World War. He led a policy of recognizing the inviolability of borders between states in Europe as a guarantee of the removal of international tension, and made considerable efforts to increase the international prestige of the socialist countries and the attractiveness of the ideas of socialism for developing countries.

The United States, which immediately after the end of World War II proclaimed the policy of “containment of communism”, together with other leading capitalist states, created a network of military-political blocs, the main goal of which was the policy of preventing the development of world socialism, diktat and violence against other countries. To this end, they are creating a powerful military machine, a network of military bases around the Soviet Union and its allies is being deployed all over the world, and an arms race is unleashed on an unprecedented scale. The United States, relying on its enormous economic potential, which did not experience the devastating consequences of the Second World War, occupies a leading position among other capitalist states and declares many regions of the world to be the sphere of its vital interests.

The military-political confrontation between the two opposing systems in the post-war years repeatedly came to the brink of a direct clash. The situation was most difficult in Europe, on the border of contact between the opposing sides. West Berlin was the sore point where the United States demonstrated its determination to resolve international problems with the help of force, and the Soviet Union sought to pursue its own independent policy.

The Cuban crisis of 1962, when the armed forces of both sides were ordered to be ready to conduct hostilities against each other with the possible use of nuclear weapons, brought the whole world to the brink of nuclear catastrophe. At that time, a clash was avoided, but the contradictions between the two systems not only remained, but also continued to escalate, and the armed forces remained the main tool for resolving them.

Political . During these years, the FRG remained a source of constant tension, on whose territory considerable armed forces continued to accumulate, the West German Bundeswehr was hastily revived, and plans were hatched to equip it with nuclear weapons.

Another hub of international tension was Southeast Asia, where the US was building up its military presence. A continuation of the US aggressive policy was the war in Vietnam, where US imperialism resorted to direct military intervention in the struggle of the Vietnamese people against the puppet pro-American Saigon regime. From August 19For 64 years, the United States has spread aggression against the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, subjecting its territory to aerial bombardments and shelling from ships of the US 7th Fleet. In April 1965, the command of the US ground forces in Vietnam was created, large contingents of American troops were introduced, which were directly involved in the hostilities. In 1968, the number of American troops in Vietnam reaches 540 thousand people. without taking into account the forces of the fleet and strategic aviation.

With the support of the socialist countries, the patriotic forces of South Vietnam put up stubborn resistance to the aggressors. In 1969, the Republic of South Vietnam was formed on the territory of South Vietnam. The successful actions of the People’s Armed Forces of South Vietnam, with the support of the entire world community, led to the defeat of the American troops and the Saigon regime and the signing of the Paris Agreements on Vietnam in January 1973, and in 1975 to complete victory of the people’s patriotic forces.

In the Middle East, the Soviet Union and other socialist states are taking decisive steps to frustrate the imperialist plans to overthrow the progressive regimes in the Arab countries.

Describing the foreign policy of the USA and other NATO countries, the report to the 24th Congress of the CPSU stated: “. .. in the post-war years militarism is growing on an unprecedented scale in the capitalist world. This trend has further intensified in recent years. In 1970 alone, the NATO countries invested $103 billion in preparing for the war. The most dangerous nature of militarization has acquired in the United States. Over the past five years, about $400 billion has been spent on military purposes in this country.”

In the field of military. In the 1960s, the US military doctrine underwent another change related to the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles in the USSR and the development of an air defense system. The strategy of “massive retaliation”, which relied on the superiority of American strategic means, is being replaced by the strategy of “flexible response”, which since 1967 has become the official strategy of NATO. Implementing the principles laid down in it, NATO is creating in Europe, along with strategic means, powerful armed forces with conventional weapons, and the United States is rapidly building up “forward-based” forces and means in European countries. According to this strategy, the “dosed” use of nuclear weapons was allowed and the possibility of waging a limited war by conventional means was considered.

The “forward basing” principle provided for the expansion of the global system of American strongholds. These forces were to take an active part in delivering a surprise nuclear strike on the Soviet Union, and in a limited war on the periphery of the world socialist system. In Europe, it was envisaged to prepare 30 combat-ready divisions equipped with nuclear weapons as part of the NATO bloc by 1964. Already by 1963, NATO missile units in Europe included 2 Redstone missile battalions, 2 Sergeant battalions. 8 divisions “Kapral”, 3 divisions of tactical cruise missiles “Lacrosse”, 25 divisions of unguided missiles “Honest John”. The US Air Force in Germany had 6 squadrons of Mace cruise missiles. Atomic artillery of caliber 280mm and 203.2mm consisted of 26 divisions. Rocket weapons are being introduced into the troops of the Bundeswehr with particular rapidity. B1963-1964 3 divisions of Sergeant missiles are formed in it, in the future their number doubles. 14 divisions of missiles “Honest John” are being formed, which in 1966-1967. are being replaced by American nuclear-capable Lance missiles with a range of up to 75 kilometers.

German tactical aviation is equipped with F-104C fighter-bombers.

In addition, in 1963, 3 American submarines with Polaris missiles, part of the British strategic bombers Vulkan and Victor, armed with Bluesteel cruise missiles of the air-class Earth”.

In 1965, NATO’s mobile forces included detached contingents of the ground forces of Belgium, Canada, Germany, Italy, England, the USA, as well as parts of the air forces of these countries. The concept of “counterforce” put forward by R. McNamara was supposed to destroy the main part of the Soviet means of delivering nuclear weapons and deprive the USSR of the possibility of a retaliatory strike, and then by the threat of nuclear missile bombardment of Soviet cities and the destruction of the population, to end the war on favorable terms.

In the early 1970s, in connection with the growth of the defense might of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact countries, the strengthening of the nuclear missile potential of the Soviet Union, which in its significance approached the capabilities of NATO and the ability to deliver a devastating retaliatory nuclear missile strike, the United States adopted a strategy “realistic deterrence” (“realistic deterrence”).

Since the mid-1960s, the United States, in order to build up its strategic offensive forces, has begun a large-scale deployment of Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missiles, bringing their grouping to 1,000 units by the end of the 60s.

During this period, the Soviet Union yielded to the United States by more than 5 times in the number of intercontinental missiles. And the territory of the United States, unlike the Soviet Union, remains inaccessible to both Soviet medium-range strategic missiles and conventional weapons.

The logic of the development of international events confirmed the correctness of the assessments by the Soviet leadership of the general situation in the world, its inconsistency and tension.

On June 5, 1967, Israel launched a surprise attack on the United Arab Republic, Syria and Jordan. With the support of the United States, England, and the FRG, the aggressor seized a large territory in a few days. Violating all norms of international law, the Israeli troops established a bloody regime of terror, violence and robbery in the occupied territories.

Even before the start of the war, and later during the hostilities, the Soviet government warned the Western countries and Israel, pointed out the dangerous development of events in the Middle East, fraught with serious consequences for the cause of peace. Only the decisive position of the Soviet Union, moral and material assistance helped to stop hostilities.

The lessons of Israel’s war against the Arabs were taken into account by the Soviet military leadership and measures were taken to increase the vigilance and combat readiness of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union.

In the middle of 1968, international tension in Europe sharply escalated again. A difficult situation developed in Czechoslovakia in August-September. Defending the gains of socialism, the countries participating in the Warsaw Pact sent allied troops into the territory of Czechoslovakia.

On August 19, 1968, in connection with the events in Czechoslovakia, the troops of the 50th RA were put on high alert . The personnel were on combat duty in this readiness from 00.00 08.20.68 to 12.00 2.09..68 years. At the same time, the warheads were docked to the missiles.

The continuing tension in Soviet-Chinese relations led in March 1969 to an armed conflict on the Soviet-Chinese border near Damansky Island.

In October 1973, the contradictions between Israel and the Arab countries again led to a new Arab-Israeli war, which was stopped only by the decisive actions of the Soviet Union. In the message of L.I. Brezhnev to the White House on October 24 said: “… we would be faced with the need to urgently consider taking appropriate steps by us unilaterally”, some military units were put on alert.

During this period, the Pentagon begins to implement plans to equip strategic missiles with repeating warheads of the MIRV type and expand scientific research in creating an effective missile defense.

Taking into account these plans, the continuous build-up of the US strategic nuclear forces, the strengthening of their military presence in Europe and other regions of the world, the USSR continues to increase its defense capability, significantly increasing its nuclear missile power.

Objective conditions are being created for holding equal negotiations on the limitation of strategic arms (SALT). Preliminary negotiations on SALT began in mid-November-December 1969 in Helsinki, the first round – in April 1970 in Vienna. These negotiations were conducted with varying success. The United States continued to put on combat duty launchers of intercontinental ballistic missiles “Minuteman-3” with multiple reentry vehicles.

The Soviet Union, simultaneously with the development of its MKR grouping, put forward more and more new initiatives in the field of reducing the danger of a nuclear war. Proposals on this issue were submitted to the American side on March 1971 years old. The first strategic arms limitation treaty (SALT-1) was signed in May 1972 during the visit of US President R. Nixon to Moscow.

However, the nuclear arms race continued…

Krav Maga in Kyiv. Catalogs, information and tools • SportGuide

Krav Maga is not a combat sport or martial art, it is an Israeli system of self-defense and hand-to-hand combat. It was born as the hand-to-hand combat system of the Israeli army. Its creator, Imi Lichtenfeld, combined boxing, karate and jiu-jitsu techniques in it, simplifying all the techniques as much as possible and subordinating them to general tactical principles.
The system is based on scientific research. It is based on the study of the reflexes of the human body (both the aggressor and the victim). As practice shows, these natural movements, brought to automatism, can reduce the course of study to five to six months.
A special place in Krav Maga training is occupied by resistance to an armed opponent. Knife, stick, gun – you will learn to defend yourself against all this at every training session.
Krav Maga is the ideal self-defense system for men and women, young and old, a system that is accessible to people of all ages and physical abilities.
Proven on the battlefield and in street clashes, the standard weapon of many special forces around the world, Krav Maga can rightly be considered the best system of self-defense and hand-to-hand combat of our time.

If you are interested in Krav Maga training in Kyiv – select the “Trainings” tab at the top of the page. It provides complete information about classes in schools, sections and clubs of Krav Maga in Kyiv.
In the same place, on other tabs, you will find: stores equipment, repair shops workshops , rental shops etc.; premises, venues and halls , leased for practicing Krav Maga; competitions and announcements of thematic events in Kyiv; organizational tools ; thematic information and links .

Krav Maga in Kyiv. Schools and sections

Looking for Krav Maga training in Kyiv? At your service is a complete list of metropolitan trainers, sections and clubs where they teach this type of hand-to-hand combat. In it you will find classes for both children and adults; both in groups and individually; both on the Right Bank and on the Left. For convenience, use the catalog search or the appropriate filters.

Krav Maga in Kyiv.

Goods and services

Looking for where to buy outfit or equipment for Krav Maga in Kyiv? Where can I repair or rent equipment for this sport? Perhaps you need organizers or producers? At your service is a list of capital companies providing goods and services in the field of Krav Maga. For convenience, use the catalog search or the appropriate filters.

Krav Maga in Kyiv. Hall rental

Are you looking for a hall for Krav Maga classes in Kyiv? Or do you want to find a seminar room? At your service is a list of properties that can be rented for various Krav Maga events. For convenience, use the catalog search or the appropriate filters.

Announcements on Krav Maga in Kyiv

Would you like to spend your free time interesting by attending a Krav Maga master class? Or learn about useful promotions in Kyiv shops and clubs? Here are published announcements of events and events taking place in Kyiv in the field of Krav Maga: master classes, seminars, promotions, presentations, etc.

10-11.11 Seminar on Krav Maga from Itay Gil
November 10 and 11, 2018 in Kiev will be a seminar on Krav Maga from Itay Gil

27. 05 Seminar on self-defense and applied hand-to-hand combat Lee Morrison
May 27 2017 in Kiev will be held a unique seminar by a well-known expert in self-defense and applied hand-to-hand combat Lee Morrison – “Combatives”

15-16/03 Seminar “Using a knife and a stick as a means of self-defense”
The seminar will present the basic techniques and basic knowledge for using a knife and a stick for self-defense, in situations where the risk to life and health exceeds the possible consequences.

Krav Maga competition in Kyiv

There are no Krav Maga competitions by definition.

Krav Maga Federation of Ukraine seminar calendar 2014

Ukrainian Krav Maga Federation seminar calendar 2013

Calendar of the Krav Maga Federation of Ukraine

Articles about Krav Maga

Krav Maga – combat system or self-defense skills?
Over the past few months, many people have asked me the same question: “Do you teach real military Krav Maga, or just civilian Krav Maga?”

Technique and realism of Krav Maga
Punches are directed only at vulnerable parts of the body, the most preferred targets are the groin, throat and eyes, then the solar plexus, chin, knees, temples, etc.