Ever seen a game of lax, bro? ‘Cause the fastest game on two feet is growing faster than any other sport in the nation. And it’s about time.

Even Governor Rick Perry has caught on. Last summer he issued an official ‘greeting’ to Texans who recognized the last week of July as ‘Lacrosse Week.’

While baseball might be known as America’s pastime, lacrosse was perhaps America’s first pastime. Originally, lacrosse was a war game played by American Indians as early as the 1600s. Though not always violent in nature, men from rival tribes in the northeast, Great Lakes region and southeast sparred with netted sticks to settle aggressive and territorial disputes.

Four hundred years later, the sport is growing increasingly more popular among all genders—both at St. Edward’s and in Texas, not to mention nationwide. The game is expanding from the northeast westward, fulfilling its own Manifest Destiny of sorts. In addition, the sport continues to expand despite the dismal economy.

According to US Lacrosse, the governing body for men’s and women’s lacrosse at the youth, collegiate and adult levels, there were more than 520,000 registered lacrosse players in 2009. That’s more than twice the number of players in 2001. With over 300,000 youth lacrosse players, the sport’s popularity will continue to grow every year as the sport gains more exposure.

Men’s and women’s lacrosse  are two distinct games. Physical contact is the main difference between the two; men’s lacrosse is a contact sport, whereas women’s lacrosse is non-contact and more closely resembles the original game.

St. Edward’s Men’s Lacrosse Club was established in 1999, and the women’s team was founded in 2007.

Lacrosse is fast-paced and —OK—somewhat violent. For both men and women lacrosse players, a player’s stick is comparable to an extra appendage. It’s a weapon as much as it is an extra body part.

But what is predominantly responsible for the game’s recent surge in popularity? The game is fairly simple and easy to learn, as it includes elements of more mainstream sports. While player size and body type are certainly an advantage, people of all shapes and sizes can compete successfully.

In addition, lacrosse promotes gender equality and encourages female participation, unlike football and baseball. Women’s lacrosse leagues at the youth and collegiate level are expanding just as quickly as the men’s sport—even faster in some cases. A sports finance course at Syracuse found that there are 300 women’s college lacrosse teams, as compared to 240 men’s college lacrosse teams.

Yet while the sport enjoys growing popularity at the youth and collegiate level, professional lacrosse lags behind. But the pros aren’t everything, and the little attention professional lacrosse receives certainly does not reflect the lacrosse community’s dedication and enthusiasm both on and off the field.

From it’s humble origins here in America to it’s promising future centuries later, lacrosse has managed to withstand the test of time, and will continue to draw in a ever-growing number of devotees–moreso than any other recreational sport.

-Kristina Schenck plays lacrosse for St. Edward’ s University