What are the key rules for middle school boys’ lacrosse. How do equipment regulations ensure player safety. What are the scheduling and practice requirements for lacrosse teams. How are game procedures and field specifications defined for middle school lacrosse.
General Rules and Team Management in Middle School Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a dynamic sport that requires careful regulation, especially at the middle school level. The USA Lacrosse organization has outlined specific rules to ensure fair play and player safety. Let’s explore the key aspects of managing a middle school lacrosse team:
Team Roster and Reporting Requirements
Coaches must submit team rosters electronically before the season’s first match. This practice ensures that only eligible players participate in official games. Is there a specific deadline for roster submission? The rules state that rosters must be posted on the designated website prior to any league or non-league matches.
After each game, coaches are responsible for submitting box scores within 24 hours. This requirement helps maintain accurate records and statistics throughout the season.
Player Eligibility and Documentation
Student-athletes must meet certain criteria to participate in lacrosse activities:
- Present at school on the day of any team event (practice, game, or tryout)
- Have a signed parental consent form on file for each sport
- Possess a current medical certificate (valid for one calendar year)
These requirements ensure that players are academically engaged and medically fit to participate in the sport.
Scheduling and Season Structure for Middle School Lacrosse
The lacrosse season has a defined structure to maintain consistency across teams and regions:
Season Dates and Game Limits
The official lacrosse season runs from March 1 through May 22. How many games can a team play during this period? Interscholastic lacrosse is limited to 18 games, with teams not allowed to play more than three games in a week. This restriction helps prevent player burnout and ensures adequate recovery time between matches.
Schedule Changes and Emergency Requests
While schedules are set before the season, there is a process for making adjustments:
- Preseason window for requesting changes to date, time, or location
- Emergency requests after the closing date require agreement from both coaches
- All changes must be approved and reflected on the official website
This system allows for flexibility while maintaining the integrity of the schedule.
Equipment Regulations in Middle School Boys’ Lacrosse
Proper equipment is crucial for player safety and fair play in lacrosse. The rules outline specific requirements for various pieces of equipment:
Stick Specifications
Lacrosse sticks are subject to size regulations:
- Short sticks: 40-42 inches in length
- Long sticks: 52-72 inches in length
- No more than four long sticks allowed on the field at any time
These specifications ensure that players use appropriate equipment for their positions and playing style.
Protective Gear Requirements
Safety is paramount in lacrosse, and the rules mandate specific protective equipment:
- Lacrosse-specific helmets (no football helmets allowed)
- Lacrosse shoulder pads (mandatory)
- Gloves with palms (mandatory)
- Goalkeeper throat protector (must be lacrosse-specific)
Are there any restrictions on helmet modifications? The rules state that no foreign material may extend beyond the base of the helmet, ensuring standardization and safety.
Field Specifications and Game Setup for Middle School Lacrosse
The playing environment is carefully regulated to provide a consistent experience across different venues:
Field Dimensions and Approval
Lacrosse fields must meet specific criteria:
- Width between 53 1/3 and 60 yards
- All fields must be approved by the PSAL Lacrosse Commissioner
- Recommended roping off of sidelines
These specifications ensure that games are played on appropriate surfaces that meet safety and competition standards.
Game Day Setup and Equipment
Home teams are responsible for providing essential game day equipment:
- Scorer’s table with 4 chairs
- Game and penalty clocks
- Air horn
- Sufficient game balls
- Properly lined field with secure goals
This setup ensures that all necessary tools are available for official scoring and timekeeping during matches.
Practice and Competition Requirements for Middle School Lacrosse
Proper preparation is essential for a successful and safe lacrosse season. The rules outline specific requirements for practices and competitions:
Team Practice Minimums
Teams must meet certain practice thresholds before engaging in competition:
- 8 practices before the first scrimmage
- 10 practices before the first game
These requirements ensure that teams have adequate time to prepare and develop teamwork before facing opponents.
Individual Player Practice Requirements
Each player must participate in a minimum number of practices to be eligible for competition:
- 6 practices before participating in a scrimmage
- 8 practices before playing in an official game
These individual requirements help ensure that players are physically prepared and familiar with team strategies before entering competitive play.
Game Procedures and Official Responsibilities in Middle School Lacrosse
Proper management of lacrosse games requires coordination between coaches, officials, and support staff:
Officiating and Game Confirmation
The home coach has specific responsibilities regarding game officials:
- Contact both officials at least 24 hours before the game
- Confirm the scheduled location and starting time
This communication ensures that officials are prepared and present for each match.
Scoring and Timekeeping
Each team must provide essential personnel and equipment for game management:
- A scorer to keep official game statistics
- A timer to manage master time and penalty time
- Timekeepers cannot be active players
These roles are crucial for maintaining accurate records and ensuring proper game flow.
Handling Forfeits and Penalties in Middle School Lacrosse
Forfeits can significantly impact a team’s season and require specific procedures:
Reporting Forfeits
Coaches must follow a precise protocol when dealing with forfeits:
- Report directly to the Commissioner within 24 hours of the scheduled match
- No box scores are required for forfeited games
This prompt reporting allows for proper record-keeping and potential rescheduling of games.
Consequences of Forfeits
There are financial implications for teams that forfeit games:
- Four hours of pay deducted from teachers/coaches for each forfeit
This penalty serves as a deterrent to forfeits and encourages teams to fulfill their scheduled commitments.
Understanding and adhering to these comprehensive rules and regulations is essential for coaches, players, and officials involved in middle school boys’ lacrosse. By following these guidelines, teams can ensure fair play, maintain safety standards, and provide a positive competitive experience for young athletes. As the sport continues to grow in popularity at the middle school level, these rules serve as a foundation for developing skilled players and fostering a love for the game of lacrosse.
Rules and Regulations: Boys Lacrosse
Rules And Regulations: Boys Lacrosse
Updated for the 2011
Season
Lacrosse Season- March 1 – May 22, 2011
1 – General Rules:
1.1 All coaches must electronically submit a Team Roster to www.psal.org prior to the first scheduled
match of the season (league or non-league). No PSAL team is permitted to compete
unless an approved team roster is posted on the web site.
1.2 Following each PSAL league game, coaches are required to complete and
submit box scores within 24 hours to www.psal.org.
1.3 On days of normal school attendance, a student-athlete must be present in
school in order to participate in any team practice, scrimmage, league or
non-league game, meet, match, contest or tryouts on that day.
1.4 Each student-athlete must have a signed parental consent form on file for
each sport before the first day of participation in that sport (tryouts,
practice).
1.5 Each student-athlete must have a current (within one calendar year)
medical certificate on file before the first day of participation (tryouts,
practices).
2 – Schedules
2.1 The Lacrosse season is from March 1 through May 222, 2011.
2.2 All games must be played on the scheduled date.
3 – Schedule changes
3.1 In preseason, after the schedules are posted on the web, coaches will
have a window of opportunity to request adjustments or corrections to date, time
and/or home location. These requests are made to the PSAL scheduler, Yolanda
Alford, at [email protected] and will
be honored whenever possible. The closing date will be Friday February
25, 2011.
3.2 After the closing date, only emergency request will be
considered. To make emergency request after the closing date, both home and
visiting head coaches must select a new date, and the request must be emailed by
the home school to the assignor and commissioner.
3.3 NO change is official until it appears on the PSAL
website.
3.4 All short sticks will be limited in size, not shorter
than 40 inches or longer than 42 inches.
4 – Rules
4.1 Interscholastic Lacrosse is limited to eighteen games, with one night’s
rest in between contests.
4.2 Teams are not allowed to play more than three games in a week.
4.3 Any team conducting home games at their school site must submit
information regarding the site to the commissioner no later than February 7,
2011. This should include where the competition will be held (field), and
dimension of location. This information must be in letter form and signed by the
Principal.
4.4 In the event that the home school site is not used for competition and an
off school site is used, the home team is responsible to ensure that all
required equipment is available, field is properly lined, and goals are secure.
This would include game and penalty clocks and a table for scorers and timers (4
chairs)
4.5 The home coach is responsible to call both officials, at least twenty
-four hours in advance, to confirm the scheduled location and starting time of
each game.
4.6 No more than four long sticks (52 to 72) inches can be
on the field at any time.
4.8 Each team must provide a scorer, timer
who will keep master and penalty time, air horn, sufficient game balls, and a
table for both teams’ scorers. Time keepers may not be
players.
4.9 The 2011 National Federation Lacrosse Rule Book will be in effect for all
PSAL contest.
5 – Forfeits
5.1 Coaches are required to report forfeits directly to the
Commissioner with in twenty-four hours of the scheduled match. No box
scores are required to be entered for forfeits.
5.2 Four hours of pay will be deducted from teachers/coach for each
forfeit.
6 – Fields
6.1 The width of the playing field may be between 53 1/3 and 60 yards.
6.2 All playing fields must be approved by the PSAL Lacrosse
Commissioner.
6.3 It is recommended that the sidelines be roped off.
7 – Equipment
7.1 Football helmets and football shoulder pads
shall not be permitted under any circumstances.
7.2 The throat protector of the goalkeeper must be a lacrosse throat
protector.
7.3 No foreign material may extend beyond the base of the helmet.
7.4 Lacrosse shoulder pads are mandatory
7.5 All gloves are to have palms (mandatory)
7.6 Each team must provide a scorer book, timing devices for master and
penalty time, air horn, sufficient game balls, and table for both the scorers.
(4 chairs)
8 – Practice/Competition
8.
1 Each team must conduct eight practice before their first scrimmage and
ten practices before their first game.
8.2 Each individual player must take part in six practices before his or her
first scrimmage, and eight practices before his or her first game.
8.3 The minimum penalty imposed upon a student-athlete ejected from a PSAL
league contest, by any official, will be a one game suspension. Further
disciplinary actions can be accessed at the Commissioner’s discretion.
9 – Teachers/Coaches
9.1 Each teacher/coach will be actively supervising student-athletes until
the match is completed and the team has left the facility.
9.2 Only the head teacher/coach may address the officials in case of a
dispute.
9.3 The National Federation rules governing bench conduct
are in effect
9.4 An authorized PSAL teacher-coach (with current First Aid, AED and CPR
certifications) must be present at every match, scrimmage and practice.
9.5 Each teacher-coach must have a copy of the current National Federation
Lacrosse Book present at every match and/or scrimmage.
10 – Officials
10.1 Officials will be assigned by the PSAL assignor
10.2 The officials will notify the Coordinator or
commissioner of all pertinent information after the contest.
10.3 The teacher/coach of student athletes may appeal an
official suspension to the PSAL within two school days of the suspension.
10.4 The PSAL will notify the teacher/coach of the decision
prior to the next scheduled league contest.
11 – Ejected teachers/coaches
11.1 Any teacher/coach who is ejected from a contest must leave the match
area. If a certified replacement teacher/coach (DOE licensed teacher with
current First Aid, AED and CPR certification) is not available, the ejected
teacher/coach’s team will forfeit the contest.
In addition, any coach who is
ejected will automatically be suspended from his or hers next contest.
12 – Protests
12.1 Protests may only be made if a rule is alleged to have been applied
incorrectly or not applied at all.
12.2 No protest of judgment calls may be entered.
12.3 The protesting coach must inform both the opposing coach and official of
his/her intent to protest the match at the time of the alleged rule
infraction.
12.4 All protest must be recorded in the official book,
with the time of the protest, and signed by the protesting coach and
official.
12.5 The protesting coach must ensure that a written statement of the protest
containing pertinent information, and citing the exact rule, as quoted from the
National Federation Lacrosse Rule book, including New York State and PSAL
Modifications, is filed and signed by both the schools’ Athletic Director and
Principle.
This letter must be postmarked of faxed and sent to the Lacrosse
Commissioner within forty-eight hours of the match. The Commissioner will render
a decision within two days of receipt.
12.6 The protesting coach may appeal the commissioner’s decision by ensuring
that the written statement of appeal, containing all the pertaining information,
is signed by both the school’s Athletic director and the Principal. This
statement must be posted marked or faxed to the PSAL within two days of the
Commissioner’s decision. The PSAL will render a formal decision within two days
of receipt.The decision of the PSAL is Final.
US Lacrosse Rule Changes
Boys Rule Changes
Lacrosse Balls
All levels of play should only use certified lacrosse balls for games and practices. Certified lacrosse balls meet the NOCSAE performance standard, ND049. Verification of certification for lacrosse balls can be checked online at the listing maintained by the independent Safety Equipment Institute (SEI).
Goalie Chest Protectors
Effective January 1, 2021, all goalie chest protectors must be designed for lacrosse and meet the NOCSAE performance standard, ND200. This requirement is mandatory in the US Lacrosse boys’ and girls’ youth rules, the NFHS boys’ and girls’ high school rules, and the NCAA men’s and women’s rules. All products that meet the NOCSAE standard, ND200, must be certified by the Safety Equipment Institute and include the NOCSAE Lacrosse label shown below.
Shoulder Pads
Beginning in 2022, all field players in the boys’/men’s game must have shoulder pads or protectors that also meet the NOCSAE performance standard, ND200.
Girls Rule Changes
Lacrosse Balls
All levels of play should only use certified lacrosse balls for games and practices. Certified lacrosse balls meet the NOCSAE performance standard, ND049. Verification of certification for lacrosse balls can be checked online at the listing maintained by the independent Safety Equipment Institute (SEI).
Women’s Eyewear
All girls’ and women’s eyewear must meet the current ASTM performance standard, F3077, and be certified to be legal for play. Look for the SEI mark on your product and check the SEI online listing for product certification.
Women’s Headgear
The use of headgear remains OPTIONAL in girls’ and women’s lacrosse, however, any headgear that is used must meet the ASTM performance standard, F3137. Additionally, all women’s headgear products that include integrated eyewear must meet the current ASTM eyewear standard, F3077, in addition to the ASTM headgear standard, F3137. Questions regarding the compliance of specific headgear models that include integrated eyewear should be directed to the manufacturers. The primary manufacturers of integrated headgear are Cascade (1-800-537-1702) and Hummingbird (1-888-501-1590). Certified headgear products are listed on the SEI website.
“Through the work of both our Sports Science and Safety Committee and our Rules Committee, US Lacrosse is committed to developing rules and strategies to minimize the injury risk for athletes,” said Caitlin Kelley, women’s game director at US Lacrosse.
“We want to make the most informed decisions we can and utilize data specific to the men’s and women’s games as we shape existing rules and equipment.”
US Lacrosse works cooperatively with both the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the NCAA to write the rules for lacrosse, and the organizations often work together on rule development and player safety issues. The rules of lacrosse govern games and the equipment used.
To assist all lacrosse consumers, US Lacrosse publishes an online Equipment Guide with suggested recommendations in purchasing equipment. The Guide is designed to help both the boys’ and girls’ youth player and explains how lacrosse equipment should feel when properly worn. Photographs and descriptions for the men’s field game, women’s field game, and box/indoor lacrosse are included.
“Equipment rules are an important part of both men’s and women’s lacrosse because they help to keep players safe,” said Rick Lake, men’s lacrosse director.
“As part of our mission at US Lacrosse, we want to ensure that players, coaches, parents and officials are up-to-date on the equipment rules and certifications required.”
Rules and Guidelines for the WVSLA updated 2019
City – Ventspils.lv
28.09.2022, 16:26
28.09.2022, 13:45
28.09.2022, 13:22
Municipal ŪDEKA Ltd. continues the implementation of the energy efficiency project, within the framework of which two solar power plants were built for own consumption, and several technological devices were replaced, including this week two sewage pumps at the largest sewage pumping station in the city on Muitas Street.
28.09.2022, 11:36
On Saturday, October 1st, the International Day of Seniors will be celebrated all over the world and in Latvia.
In honor of this day, the Ventspils Science Center “VIZIUM” invites parents, grandparents and families to take classes in creative workshops “Ah, youth is a wonderful time!” in a soulful atmosphere, and also offers family moments to capture in a beautiful photo.
28.09.2022, 10:18
Autumn is one of the most beautiful and colorful seasons. Ventspils Digital Center invites you to capture autumn moments and capture the yellow-and-scarlet season in practical classes, where you can learn about the settings of a SLR camera and useful tricks that will help you take high-quality and impressive photos.
28.09.2022, 09:48
On Friday, September 30, the Ventspils Digital Center in cooperation with the Ventspils Library invites everyone to free classes organized as part of the European Night of Scientists.
Visitors will be able to learn about the use of technology in the forest and in the kitchen to beautifully decorate blanks for the winter. In addition, residents will be able to view the premises of the new Digital Transformation Center.
28.09.2022, 09:46
Ventspils Digital Center offers a creative, adventurous and emotional photo course “A Click in the Distance”. Over the course of several days, under the guidance of an experienced photographer Renard Bolshevitz, the participants of the course could master the theoretical aspects of photography and apply the acquired knowledge in practice. The course participants could see the already familiar streets, natural objects and sights of Ventspils from a completely new point of view – through the camera lens.
27.09.2022, 15:39
Every year in September throughout Europe, the Night of Scientists is celebrated to popularize science and its achievements.
Ventspils Science Center “VIZIUM” has also prepared various, creative and interesting free events and activities for the whole family, which will be held on Friday, September 30, from 20:00 to 23:00 on the 2nd floor of the Science Center.
27.09.2022, 13:19
On Thursday, September 29, at 2:00 pm, the Feast of the rafters of the 248.6 m2 service building will be celebrated on the ski slope “Lembergs Hat”, according to the Ventspils Communal Administration.
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The grandson of the inventor of basketball told about the creation of the game
RT in Russian
. Instead of rings, there were fruit baskets, and the game itself ended a few minutes later with a massive brawl.
The new sport was invented by physical education teacher James Naismith. On the occasion of the anniversary of the creation of basketball, RT interviewed the grandson of the innovator, Jim Naismith. He talked about how his grandfather got the idea to throw the ball in the basket and what rule James considered the most important.
Corpus Christi is a small city in southern Texas on the Gulf Coast. The Naismith family lives here today, whose famous ancestor James Naismith invented basketball.
Video of the Day
James Naismith’s grandson Jim is an engineer. He is in his 80s. There are many indications in his house that the memory of the creator of basketball is reverent in the family: old photographs on the shelves, biographical books and literature about this sport. In one of the bedrooms, half the room is occupied by a massive antique dark wood bed – it belonged to James Naismith himself.
Jim Naismith and his wife have already been to Russia. Their daughter Margaret participated in the student exchange program and studied for one semester in Yaroslavl.
At the invitation of the Russian family in which she lived all this time, the Naismiths visited their daughter. The trip, according to them, made an indelible impression on them, and they maintain friendship with the family from Yaroslavl to this day.
This December, basketball celebrated its 126th anniversary. In 1891, the first game took place in Springfield, Massachusetts. RT spoke with spouses Jim and Beverly Naismith about how their famous ancestor came up with the idea of throwing the ball into the basket, what Naismith considered the most important rule, and whether basketball is loved in the family of the creator of this sport.
— Tell us about your grandfather: what was he like in his youth?
Jim: I was only three years old when he died. So I don’t remember him myself, but in recent years I have made a lot of efforts to find out everything about him and understand what kind of person he was. Stories of this kind always begin with origins.
His parents were Scottish, but at some point immigrated to Canada, where in 1861 James Naismith was born in the small town of Almont, Ontario.
His father and mother came from Christian families and undoubtedly passed on spiritual values to their children, of whom they had three. My grandfather also had an older sister and a younger brother.
Unfortunately, when my grandfather was nine years old, his parents contracted typhoid fever and died within two weeks. The fact that at such an early age he lost both parents could not but leave a very serious imprint on his life. The influence of this event can be traced in his further actions, in his attitude towards friendship and other values.
This was a turning point in his life. After the death of his parents, the boy was taken in by his maternal uncle and grandmother. But soon his grandmother died, and he was left only with his uncle, Pete Young, a bachelor who never married.
Naturally, it was very difficult for a young boy to grow up in a family of only two people – himself and a single uncle. On the example of his parents and uncle, he understood that a man should provide for his family.
And it made itself felt. As soon as he went to high school, he dropped out, explaining that he could not study and help his family at the same time.
He started to work. In the summer he helped his uncle on the farm, and in the winter he worked for a Canadian logging company. The forest was harvested in winter, since it was impossible to transport logs through mud, but ice and snow were perfect for this purpose. Thanks to such a significant physical exertion, grandfather was very strong. When he entered the institute, he was 173 cm tall and weighed 75 kg. That is, he was not a large and tall man, rather, very strong and stocky.
Photo courtesy of the Naismith family
When he dropped out of high school and went into logging, one can imagine that he found himself in a very rough environment and picked up the habits there. One story can be remembered here. Grandfather sat and drank at the bar. He must have been quite drunk. Most likely, it was on the day of the payday, while he still had money.
At the other end of the bar sat a man who asked his grandfather if he was Margaret Young’s son. “Yes,” replied the grandfather. – This is true”. To which the man said: “Seeing you now, she would roll over in her grave.” I don’t know if this story is true or not, but I heard about it from different people.
Then something broke in him and he decided to change his life. This required a very strong impulse, and, in my opinion, what happened in the bar became such. He decided to get back on the right track and continue his studies in high school.
But at school he was told that since he quit, he would have to start all over again. Some of his entries (in his diary. – RT ) indicate that he understood: he would have to devote the next four years of his life to this, but if necessary, then necessary. However, two years later, he not only finished school, but also began teaching there. The teacher was his maternal great-uncle, and one day he became so ill that he could not continue to work.
Then the grandfather was asked if he would like to teach in the class of his relative. That is, in two years, he went from a high school student to a high school teacher, which not only speaks of his determination, but also indicates the recognition of his abilities and strength of character by others.
After finishing school, Naismith discussed the possibility of continuing his studies with Uncle Pete. And, apparently, Uncle Pete agreed to help him prepare for admission to the theological seminary, which was run by the Church of Scotland in Canada. Grandfather continued his education in Montreal, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree. After that, he entered the Presbyterian Theological School, adjacent to McGill University, where he received his first higher education. He completed a three-year program at the school, which allowed him to receive holy orders in the Presbyterian Church. It seems to me that this is what his older sister and Uncle Pete wanted for his grandfather.
But at that moment, the grandfather probably realized that this might not be the best way to use his abilities.
In addition, Naismith loved competitive sports, especially, let’s say, “tough” ones: rugby, Canadian football (close to American football in essence and equipment, but different in terms of rules and is considered a separate sport. – RT ), hockey, Native American game – lacrosse. And in Montreal, he was advised to pay attention to the program that the Youth Christian Association (YMCA. – RT ) was conducting in Canada and the USA at that time.
He followed the advice and visited the program affiliate at Springfield College in Massachusetts (USA). In Springfield, he met the head of this program, and they instantly hit it off: they had similar views on life. Then Naismith applied to study at Springfield College, and eventually became a teacher there. A copy of his application has been preserved, from which it follows that his full name is James Naismith.
In the application, he wrote that he aims to use competitive sports for the benefit of youth.
— How did he come to create basketball?
Jim: The backstory is documented in some detail by Naismith himself. He had a class of young people – 18, I think – who, in bad weather, during the cold Massachusetts winter, had nothing to do with themselves, so they often misbehaved at school. And the head of the program gave my grandfather a task: to come up with some kind of game for these guys that you can play in the cold season, indoors, so that they are interested and have a good time instead of hooligans. As my grandfather writes (we still have copies of his records), at first he tried to modify the games he already knew – football, American football and others. But, in his own words, he eventually realized that if you take a game that students already love and change something in it, then they will never accept these innovations. It became clear to him that he needed to invent the game from scratch.
And so he did.
Interestingly, the grandfather initially decided that the game should be with a ball, because most games use a ball. I just had to figure out what kind of ball it would be. He decided: let the ball be big enough that it could not be hidden, and elastic enough that it could be thrown to each other and caught. Today, such a ball would simply be called a football: it was round, made of leather.
So, the ball was there – now it was necessary to come up with an analogue of the gate, where you can throw the ball and get points for it. But first, Naismith thought about the trajectory along which the ball should fly to the goal. He understood that the principle used in hockey, where the effectiveness of a shot on goal depends on how hard a player hits the puck, is not applicable in an indoor gym with brick walls, columns and a hard surface.
Photo courtesy of the Naismith family
Then he remembered a game he played as a child in Canada called Duck on the Rock.
In it, a smaller cobblestone is placed on a large boulder, and the players must knock it down with a throw of a stone and pick it up from the ground so that they are not caught by the driver. In this game, the most successful throw is obtained when you throw a stone not in a straight line, with all your strength, but with a canopy so that it falls on the target from above. This allows you to knock down the top stone, but so that it does not fly too far from the bottom – then it is easier to catch it, thereby earning points.
Thus, the trajectory of the throw was already looming in the grandfather’s head. And he thought: the ball must hit something. Initially, he wanted to use a box as a gate: according to his plan, it had to stand on the floor, and the players would stand around and protect it from the opposing team. Then he began to mentally try it on the wall, lifting it higher and higher. And I must say that the gym in which he worked was located on the basement floor, and at a height of about three meters, the railing of the first floor gallery began, from which a view of the gym opened.
And Naismith thought: what if we take a box and attach it to the base of the railing – that will be the “gate”. And then it turned out like this: the grandfather turned to the man in charge of the household and asked him for a stepladder and a couple of boxes. And he, returning, said: “I can’t find boxes, but there are a couple of baskets for picking peaches. Will they fit?” The baskets were the right size, so they hung them up.
The description of the very first match is preserved in an interview that my grandfather gave while in New York at the end of 1939 years old, the year of his death. He had nine people on each team. They played with a leather ball, and peach baskets hung on the walls. He explained to the players the meaning of the game: the task is to throw the ball into the opponents’ basket, points are awarded for this. “Then,” he recalled, “I threw the ball to them, blew the whistle, and the first ever basketball game began.”
And all this interview was recorded on tape.
I had never heard my grandfather’s voice before, but about a year ago, a researcher at the University of Kansas found an audio recording of this interview in the archives and made copies. For a long time, she was not known. And there sounds the voice of James Naismith – a rather high, one might say tenor, and very lively.
My grandfather told me that the very first basketball game had just started when a small pile soon formed in the center of the court. The guys broke up so much that several people ended up with bruises on their faces, one shoulder was dislocated, and one player lost consciousness altogether. Here the reporter who interviewed asks his grandfather: “Did you have any rules there?” And he answers him: “Apparently, they were not enough.”
Then, continued the grandfather, I added a little to the rules. The most important of these was rule number three, which said you can’t run with the ball. I burst out laughing when I heard this. That is, the rigidity of the game did not bother him.
It seems to me that he had nothing against hard play – he only disliked boring games.
This game was the first in his understanding. I always say that I know two things for sure: that my grandfather invented basketball and that he never lied. So this game was really the first, and he obviously played it even before writing those very thirteen rules (the first set of rules published by Naismith in 1892. – RT ). He made them after the first game. And this is normal, it always happens in life: we go through trial and error, in the process we identify shortcomings, make corrections and try again. And so over and over again, until we are satisfied with the result, in this case, the game. On the recording, I heard him say that after the amendments to the rules, it still turned out to be a good sports game.
I’m so glad my friend from the University of Kansas found the tape where I first heard my grandfather’s voice – strong and energetic, even though he was 79 years old at the time. I’m older now (which I’m happy about) and that’s very important to me.
This is a long story, but I hope it gives a clearer idea of what my grandfather did and why and how it fits in with his life in general. He had the right to preach, but often helped those who could not afford to pay for his services. I know that for a couple of years he worked with a group of parishioners near Lewis, Kansas. I think, simply because he had the time and desire.
By the way, my grandfather took my father to Sunday meetings where he ate so much chicken that he was allergic. Once in the hospital, the doctor asked him: “What are you allergic to?” And the father replied: “For penicillin … (Laugh.) Jewish …” (Jewish penicillin is called chicken broth, because the Jews believe that it has healing properties. – RT ). It seems that a good sense of humor in our family is inherited. I know that both grandfather and father loved to joke. Like my mom and Aunt Peggy, that’s what I call my older cousin.
They all had a wonderful sense of humor. It seems to be our common family trait. I think my grandfather also had a great sense of humor. Sometimes, of course, because of the jokes, you can get into trouble, but usually people like it.
– What about you – do you like basketball?
Beverly: Yes, we love him. We watch it infrequently, maybe a couple of times a week on TV. But sometimes we go to matches with great pleasure.
Jim: We love to see teams that understand that it’s not the individual players that matter, but the teamwork. The main thing is the team spirit and well-coordinated game. Sometimes hostility may arise between the players, but during the game it fades into the background, and the question becomes a priority: how to defeat the opponent together?
Of course, we have favorite clubs, but I won’t say which ones. The games of individual teams, which have a stronger team spirit, we watch with particular interest. I am already retired and do not go to work, but I always knew that a strong team spirit is the main condition for the success of any enterprise.
If he is, everything is on the shoulder, and if not, nothing will work.
Beverly: James Naismith once said, “If your opponent is down, help him up, otherwise you won’t have anyone to play with.”
Jim: No competition, no game. (Laugh.) He perfectly understood what he was talking about.
— Do the representatives of the younger Naismith generation honor traditions and play basketball?
Beverly: Our daughter Margaret’s children also played basketball. In the US, there is a program called Upward Basketball, which is implemented in sports sections at churches, from the first grade of school to the seventh. This is a wonderful program! Children are taught the principles of mutual respect and sports behavior. And of course, how to throw the ball into the basket. I remember once I attended five games in one week.
All of our grandchildren played basketball. Our granddaughter Natalie played in high school, and eldest daughter Ann didn’t give up basketball until her second year of college.
