Men’s and women’s lacrosse teams from the USVI are in Kingston Jamaica for the 2023 Pan-American Lacrosse Association (PALA) Sixes Cup, which begins today, Thursday. The women’s team is marking its debut at the event, a historic occasion head coach Kim Russell calls “an incredible learning experience.”
The women are “excited to compete” against Jamaica, Haudenosaunee, and Peru in their initial matches, Ms. Russell says, while the men’s team – which has participated in previous PALA tournaments – will be up against Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Mexico.
Men’s head coach Jojo Marasco called this year’s team “a great group of men who continue to grow the sport of lacrosse around the world and especially in the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
Adding to the importance of the tournament is the recent decision to recognize the Sixes format of lacrosse by the International Olympic Committee for inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games. Sixes, according to World Lacrosse, is an “incredibly fast-paced, compact version of lacrosse, combining the most exciting elements of the more traditional disciplines. It is characterized by an accelerated, open style of play with quick transitions and non-stop, high-scoring action.” Sixes is played on a smaller field with, as the name suggests, six players per side.
As the USVI is seeking to establish their place in the Caribbean’s rising lacrosse profile, demonstrated by Jamaica’s historic final eight finish in this year’s World Lacrosse Championships, Executive Director of the USVI Lacrosse Association Rich Carter looks forward to seeing the teams perform on a regional stage. "I am extremely excited that both our women’s and men’s teams will have the opportunity to represent the Virgin Islands in what will be a fantastic event in Jamaica," he said.
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