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On Sunday, at the Copper Ridge rink a group of lacrosse players gathered for the first ever adult lacrosse tournament.

One of the organizers, Neil McGrath, grew up near Ottawa and had played lacrosse for most of his life. That was until he moved to Whitehorse and had to stop playing because there was nowhere to play.

Sunday there was enough to play three-on-three with goalies and nets, sticks, balls and referees were all provided. McGrath said the ones that played said they had friends who couldn鈥檛 make it.

鈥淚t was pretty recreational and we had varying ages,鈥� said McGrath. 鈥淚t was like a pickup hockey game.鈥�

McGrath said there has always been a demand for Canada鈥檚 national sport in the Yukon.

鈥淲e are trying to grow the sport through youth development,鈥� said McGrath. 鈥淎nd we have been focusing on adults now. 鈥淪o many people have played in other provinces and there has always been a demand. This was just a way of harnessing that.鈥�

There has been no formal plan for another tournament yet but McGrath said everyone who was there had a good time and are keep to keep playing.

鈥淲e talked about making a formalized group to do another one next month,鈥� said McGrath. 鈥淎nd then hopefully one every month.鈥�

In the future drop-ins McGrath hopes to get as many new people trying the sport as possible. On Sunday, there was one player who hadn鈥檛 played lacrosse before.

鈥�(They) picked it up fast,鈥� said McGrath. 鈥淭he rules are very similar to hockey and there is no contact so you don鈥檛 have to worry about that. Everyone is open to giving tips so come and give it a try.鈥�