Traverse City starting up girls lacrosse varsity program next spring
Nov. 3—TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse City will field a girls varsity lacrosse team next spring for the first time, becoming the 93rd such program in Michigan.
Traverse City United will be much like the similarly-named boys lacrosse team and play its home games mostly at Thirlby Field.
United hired Rich Axtell this week to lead the team. Axtell has an extensive background coaching girls lacrosse, winning six state championships as head coach at East Grand Rapids and appearing in the state finals three other times, two as an assistant coach at Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern/Eastern.
"It's very exciting," said Axtell, 68. "I've been coaching lacrosse since 2002. I've been involved in the early parts of a program, but this is brand new. It's going to be a lot of fun to build it from the ground up."
Axtell said getting enough interested players to field a junior varsity team is important, as well as developing a middle school program.
United currently has close to 20 players signed up for the inaugural team, including one from Elk Rapids. The rest is almost evenly split between Central and West, Traverse City Central athletic director Justin Thorington said.
Axtell coached East Grand Rapids for 12 years before retiring from his practice as a pediatric oncologist in 2020 and moving to Bellaire with his wife.
His commute became significantly shorter, as he'd served as an assistant coach with Forest Hills Northern/Eastern the last two years, making that program's first two trips to the Division 1 state finals. The Axtells both helped coach at GRFHNE and would make a weekly trip down to Grand Rapids and stay in their camper or with friends while coaching during the week.
"Being away from northern Michigan three months a year was not why we moved up here," Axtell said.
Girls lacrosse first became an officially sanctioned MHSAA sport in 2005.
MHSAA senior assistant director Kathy Vruggink Westdorp, who oversees girls lacrosse as part of her duties, said girls lacrosse has about the same pace of additional teams as its boys counterpart — although the girls side started with fewer initial programs. Last year's postseason saw 90 teams competing in two divisions.
"What's been fun to see is the migration of it throughout the state, and that includes Traverse City," Westdorp said.
The closest other varsity girls lacrosse team is Midland Dow, Westdorp said, adding that the sport is one of the fastest-growing activities across the state. Colleges adding the sport has helped that rise, she said.
Axtell won Division 2 state championships at East Grand Rapids in 2019 and five straight from 2012-16, also appearing in the finals in 2017.
"We're excited to have someone of his experience and knowledge," Thorington said.
Axtell said he was able to watch the TC club team play in tournaments in Grand Rapids over the last several years.
The co-op team of Traverse City Central, Traverse City West and Elk Rapids is currently scheduled to play in Division 1.
Practice begins March 11, with first games eligible for play March 20. Axtell said it'll most likely be April before they play contests, because of spring break limiting early-season practices. Postseason play begins May 16.
Girls lacrosse differs from boys in several ways. The girls game employs 12 players on the field instead of 10 — five offensive players, six defenders and a goalie.
The sport is not full-contact like the boys, with Axtell comparing it to the amount of contact allowed in basketball. As a result, girls don't wear as much protective equipment as boys, with goggles and mouthguards. Girls aren't required to wear helmets or gloves, but goalie gear is primarily the same. Girls can check the stick, but not the body.
Defenders don't get significantly longer sticks than forwards, the girls field is 10 yards longer and wider than the boys and the sticks don't have as deep of a pocket, making cradling, passing and shooting more distinct. Axtell said it makes the girls game more about finesse than shot speed.
"You will see a very fast-moving game," Westdorp said. "And one chock full of athleticism."
Axtell said the co-op aspect of the team adds another layer to the coaching process.
"There's a lot more to overcome when you have a united program," he said, pointing out that many of the athletes are fierce rivals in other sports at Central and West.
Like many newer teams, the program is mostly funded by a booster club. Traverse City Area Public Schools pays the coach. TC Central serves as the host school for the co-op.
"This could be a catalyst for getting girls lacrosse off the ground in northern Michigan in general," Thorington said.
The team will largely practice at the new artificial turf practice fields at Central and West.
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