SHERIDAN — A handful of youth lacrosse players towered over their teammates at Dan Madia Field Wednesday before the Sheridan Recreation District players lined up against the rec district’s team from Buffalo for the program’s first game of the season. The taller teammates were as old as 14, while the shorter players were as young as 7. Playing experience varied, as did the reason for why the athletes began playing the sport. 

Kade Shideman, 10, began playing when he was four after his uncle helped him pick out a lacrosse stick in Minnesota. Gideon Smith, 13, grew up in Houston, Texas, and saw the sport on TV, thought it looked fun and started playing shortly after. Raileh Sirirot, 12, just started playing this year because he plays hockey in the winter and wanted to give lacrosse a try. 

The players’ favorite parts of the sport and SRD’s league varied too. 

“I like going against the older kids,” Shideman said. “... And you get to run around a lot.”

“I like hitting people with metal sticks,” Smith added. “... And my favorite part is playing defense. I like stopping people from scoring.” 

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