Tricksters and lacrosse
Swing Low Sweet Chariot Just Arrived To Bratislava!
01.05.2005 source: European lacrosse magazine
A referee camp, a great get together, a wild bunch in the mellow light of darkened streets of Bratislava, a lacrosse celebration, a step forward, a happening that took place in our new lacrosse history. Pick your own definition. Each of us who was there did for himself and yet we may have not fully understood what has just happened.
On the weekend of 26th and 27th of February 2005 for the first time on Slovak grounds, the »Tricksters Lacrosse Team« from Bratislava organized a referee camp. The idea of the camp arose during the first Danube Lacrosse Conference (DLC) season, during the small talks of the leaders of the teams, mostly Mark Lichtner (Tricksters, Bratislava) and Chris Mistelbauer (Vienna). The reason was obvious: we needed referees!! Where should we get them when all of us barely knew much about the game and the tricks with the stick? Well then, why don't you become one!
Blessed enough, someone in touch with the ELF knew what to do, and it must have been one of the guys, who called on the gurus of refereeing. And it happened. Graham Lester, David Vortel, and Andreas Rossband measured lengths to come over and spread the word. And so we had our own, and very first referee camp. It all started with a little meeting in a pub on Friday evening where the VIP people met. Chris, Mark, Graham, David, and some more »soon-to-be-referees« had a chat and some refreshing drinks. It was just a taste of what was to come.
Saturday started off with a swift jump into the theme. Not too familiar with the rules from »the book«, people seemed kind of wanting to jump from one thing to another, but hey, Graham was there! So we went over some basic things that happen often, and after lunch we tried it out in the gym. And the whole thing got different. We simulated some of the situations and one could tell that some of us »did get it«. Since we were all dressed up for action we couldn't say no to a small game between the Vienna Monarchs and Bratislava Tricksters. Soon two of the guys got their penalties. It really was a nice demonstration of what we have just learned in the classroom and the business of refereeing just became so much clearer. And those sometimes not easy tasks when you've got to do what you've got to do! Being lacrosse people, we couldn't say no to an evening in a pub. So we learned the illegal body-check elbow high toast and the Sweet Chariot referee song of course. Besides the English language mainly used, you would catch Slovak, German and Czech. And we all agreed that we miss some Hungarian and Slovenian. Just say wow. That's how it is in this part of Europe.
Sunday was rather slow for some of us after the visit in the pub, but you can't stop Graham, can you? He had some more of these »tasty ones«! To sum up, things came together and to an end. And before it ended the gossip was out that we might meet next year for another round. For some it was a great get together, for some a learning experience, but for those of us that were there from the beginning of things in Bratislava, this was a great step forward a step that we are yet to come to appreciate, a historic event and a great show of fellowship of lacrosse people in Europe. Hale, the ball's got dead, long live the ball! Swing low sweet chariot…
