University of California Riverside Athletics Director Stan Morrison will answer selected questions from our online readers throughout the school year. To submit a question to "Ask Stan Morrison", click here.

Question:

" I would like to see if we could start a club lacrosse team. I have been playing varsity lacrosse for four years in high school and I would love to see a team added at UCR. I don't know specifics about who we might play, but I do know that UC Irvine and UCLA both have teams so I assume we would be able to play at least them. As for equipment and other needed facilities, we require only a field the size of a soccer field, two goals, then a helmet, pads, and a stick for all the players. I'm not sure how college sports work, but I assume every player funds his own equipment. That's how it was in high school, with the exception of first year players. Next would be coaches, I haven't looked into finding a coach, but I know that we wouldn't require more than a head coach. That leaves the actual players themselves. I have been asking around to find people that would be interested in playing lacrosse at a club level and I have already found a few players interested as well as a student from Redwood (they do not have a team at all, however I don't know if a non-UCR player can play on a UCR club team...)
Submitted by Innie Jong Kim

Stan's Reply :

"Dear Jong,
In as much as Club Sports are not handled through Intercollegiate Athletics, I have asked Lindy Fenex, the Director of UCR's Recreation Department to respond to your query."

"Braveheart is Alive!"

Stan Morrison

--

"Dear Jong,
Congratulations on matriculating at UCR. And thank you for your note and your interest in club lacrosse. We have had a lacrosse club in the past but unfortunately the last year it was active was 1996-97. I hope that your arrival may signal the beginning of the next chapter in the lacrosse club's story here at UCR.

To answer your question specifically, the Recreation Department has a dedicated support structure and staff on hand to assist all interested students in establishing and growing recreational and sports activity clubs. We are happy to help in every way possible. By definition, sports clubs are organized, funded, and managed by students. We understand that it takes a great deal of work to accomplish this so we offer a variety of staff and material resources to help clubs get organized and to guide student club leaders in navigating the university landscape to ensure success.

Please make a point to visit the Student Recreation Center and speak to me upon your arrival. I will be glad to help you get your club off the ground.

I look forward to meeting you in the Fall.
Best Regards,
Lindy Fenex
Director, Recreation Department
University of California, Riverside"

Addendum: In May, 2006, we received this email from former UCR Lacrosse club player Richard Priebe.

I stumbled across a question from a student asking about starting a Lacrosse Clubs at UCR. I was a member of the the original club and served as an assistant coach the year we played in the California Club League(95-96). Unfortunately, we were unable to field a team the next year-- the core of the team graduated in June of 96 and not enough new players came out for the team in the fall. If students have questions about UCR Lacrosse or want advice on getting a team started...they may contact me at Richard.Priebe@sihs.bia.edu.