SUNDAY will be crunch time for three of the islands top lacrosse teams as they jockey for position in the 2007 Tri Nations Lacrosse Tournament at the Bailey's Bay Cricket Club field beginning at 10 a.m.

Team Bermuda didn't take their loss to Team Canada and Team USA lying down, taking both teams to the limit before suffering a squeaker of a loss. Perhaps the third time is a charm for the local lads as they have unsuccessfully been the bridesmaids and never the brides.

Following the success of the spring tournament, the upcoming match will feature some of the brightest talent the island has seen, bar none. Bermuda Lacrosse was started as a club by a handful of Bermudians and American/Canadian expatriates, with not much more than a couple of sticks, a few balls, and a love of the game. Today, lacrosse has grown substantially on the island, with players competing all year round, holding a "mini" world tournament on the island twice a year (Bermuda, USA, and Canada). The team also participates in various US club tournaments throughout the year.

The Bermuda Lacrosse Club continues to strive to establish awareness, promote and educate all of Bermuda on the sport of Lacrosse. The sport is a combination of basketball, soccer and hockey. Anyone can play lacrosse the big or the small. The game requires and rewards coordination and agility, not brown. Quickness and speed are two highly sought after attributes in lacrosse. An exhilarating sport, lacrosse is fast-paced and full of action. Long springs up and down the field with abrupt starts and stops, precision passes and dodges are routine in men's and women's lacrosse. Lacrosse is played with a stick, the crosse, which must be mastered by the player to throw, catch and scoop the ball.

While lacrosse has been deemed as a fledgeling sport locally, there has been an explosion in membership since March and team Bermuda will pull out the stops and have some of their stars from the 2006 World Championship team to push to bring home some silver for the trophy cabinet. The US and Canadian squads have split the four recent championships, but this looks to be Bermuda's year as they will field their strongest team yet. Come cheer on Bermuda as they make a name in international lacrosse!

Lacrosse is fast becoming a popular sport in Bermuda with the club becoming an affiliate member of the International Lacrosse Federation.

The club participated in the 2006 ILF World Championships where team Canada defeated the USA for the first time in 20 years and also saw the legendary Gary Gait retire from play. The first face-off will be at 10 a.m. and games are scheduled through the afternoon. After the dust has settled, the club will host a fan appreciation BBQ after the tournament, where the fans can meet the players. Admission to the annual dustup and the BBQ is free and the Cricket Club will operate a cash bar. Anyone interested in playing or partnering with Bermuda Lacrossse, can contact Mr. Mike Totman at BermudaLacrosse Yahoo.com