Thanks for your interest in Bees Boys’ Lacrosse!  We don’t have a long history here in Brecksville-Broadview Heights, but we’re proud of what we have accomplished so far! This is the team’s fifth year at Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School.

Lacrosse has been around as a sport for a few hundred years.  In the United States, it was predominantly an East Coast phenomenon and has just recently begun to really catch on in the Midwest.  In Ohio, teams were first formed in the southern part of the state and the rage has now spread to the North Coast.

The Bees’ Lacrosse program started in 2007 as a long-shot idea by a group of high school students led by Connor Lynch who loved the hot new sport. They recruited their own coach, Owen Rasmussen, and received permission to play under the Bees name. They had no home field, no buses and no players who’d ever played together before.

During the inaugural season in the spring of 2007, the team consisted of just 28 students and only a handful of games –- all of which were away, and they sure were far away! The guys had no uniforms, just pinnies. We did everything ourselves. But the program was borne as the students, parents and skeleton coaching staff shared a goal to lay the foundation for a program that would last for decades.

For the second season, with donations from a few generous sources, the team purchased uniforms, goals, and everything else needed to be a real club team.  We were on our way!

In the summer of 2007, in time for planning the 2008 season, the team was sanctioned by the Brecksville-Broadview Heights City School District as a team with “club” status. This was important. club sport status allowed the team to host games at the High School stadium’s new turf and use other school facilities. Other than that, the team was and is fully self-supporting — we do not receive any ongoing financial support from the school.

Other aspects of being a club sport: The team’s record is tracked just like that of other Ohio lacrosse teams. Players must abide by school and Ohio High School Athletic Association rules, and players can earn varsity letters.

The 2008 season was a wonderful introduction of lacrosse to the BBH community. Although it seemed to rain for every home game, the 52 players developed a faithful following of enthusiastic fans.  Coach Owen scheduled some tough games for the boys, who played well.  They were challenged on the field by some of the best teams in the state (Solon, for example, was in the state Final 4). In the end, we finished the season with a respectable 6 wins and 8 losses and everyone was proud of their first official lacrosse season.

In the summer of 2008, the community saw an explosion of interest in lacrosse.  Camps and leagues in Broadview Heights and around the area gave younger kids the chance to experience the excitement for themselves.  This was welcomed at the high school level as the team recognized the need to develop playing skills in elementary and middle school students.

Also in 2008, the School Board approved club status for a high school girls’ lacrosse team.  Like the boys’ the turnout for the girls’ team has been very high!

The 2009 season boomed with excitement, a roster of  52 boys and a full schedule of 16 games.  For the first time, some of these new players came to the team with experience from the younger leagues.  The program moved  in the direction we hoped.

For 2010, we had a packed schedule of 17 varsity games and 12 junior varsity games, and a complement of three coaches who have all played lacrosse before.

The team gives special thanks to all of the parents.  The efforts of a special group of people during the first few seasons have provided the boys with a strong foundation for years to come.

Last year, the Varsity team mounted its best record to date, with 10 wins and only 4 losses. We look forward to building on the progress and competing in post-season play.

Again, welcome to the 2012 boys’ lacrosse season.  Enjoy the fun!