The Lacrosse Movement in Thailand

Considered by many America’s first sport with origins going back to the days when Native American tribes competed amongst each other, lacrosse is similar to hockey, basketball or football as it combines a lot of different elements of these very popular sports. But, essentially, lacrosse is an up-and-down-the-field game with a goal at either ends and with players passing the ball around and trying to score on the goalie.

To do that, they use a long-handled lacrosse stick (held with gloved hands) which has a head with a “pocket” or net made out of mesh at the end. Players use this net to catch, pass and throw the ball with. The size of the ball is the same as a hardball in baseball, but much heavier and, as such, helmets are worn to protect the players. But did you know that you can also play this sport in the Land of Smiles?

Thailand Lacrosse Association (TLA) is made up of a dedicated core group of about fifty players located in Bangkok, with many Thai and foreign players coming through at different points in time for games, work, school or even on vacation. Currently, many Thai players are living and going to school in the United States, so they are only able to fly in especially just for the games or during school breaks.

In Thailand, they play field (outdoor) lacrosse but since they’re playing on a smaller than regulation size field, the game has a lot of elements of box (indoor) lacrosse mixed in. Box and field, the two versions of lacrosse, are very similar in many respects, with box being the Canadian version and field being the American version. Both styles have popular professional leagues in North America and, according to some reports, lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports worldwide.

Thailand Lacrosse Association is actively looking to get more box lacrosse programs going on in Bangkok in addition to their current field lacrosse program. At the same time, TLA is looking into holding a future World Box Lacrosse tournament in Bangkok, to be organized in collaboration with the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL), to which Thailand belongs and works closely with. Thailand even has a women’s lacrosse team program going as well and young ladies and women are welcome to come play, practice and learn the game.

TLA welcomes both foreign and local lacrosse enthusiasts and, one of them, Robin Zinger, a Bangkok-based 33 years old Canadian, has been playing lacrosse in Thailand for just over two years now. Although he had always loved lacrosse growing up in Canada, where lacrosse is their official national sport (even though Canada is a hockey nation, as everyone knows), the sport was only popular and accessible in certain regions outside the big cities. “So, I didn’t really get the opportunity to watch or play,” confessed Robin.

But, when the Canada’s National Lacrosse League (NLL) moved their team from Hamilton to Toronto and lacrosse games were shown on TV all the time, Robin got to watch live games in person. “On top of that, lacrosse equipment was in the sporting goods stores. But I still didn’t have any organized place to play or learn in my area, so I would throw/shoot the ball against the wall by myself most of the time. Actually, this is one of the best ways to practice,” remembered Robin Zinger.

Then life brought him to Thailand and, one day, while walking home he took a detour through Soi Thong Lor and, where normally people see football being played, he saw a bunch of players in Thailand jerseys playing lacrosse. “It was like an oasis in the desert, but even better. I watched them practice, as they were preparing for the first game ever in Thailand against the Hong Kong team, and at the first break in the action I started talking to the players and tried to get to the bottom of how there were people playing lacrosse in Thailand,” said Robin.

It turned out that a lot of the players had gone to school in the United States and picked up the game there while some were homegrown players through the Thailand Lacrosse Association. “There were even some Japanese and Australian players! I quickly got talking to Prantarit Nerngchamnong, or Payu for the people who know him well, the president and mastermind behind lacrosse in Thailand, and despite my lack of experience I was welcome to come and play, practice and learn the game with the team,” recalled Robin.

They even provided Robin with all the necessary equipment and thus the Canadian who missed his opportunity at playing lacrosse in his native country was finally able to learn and play the game here in Bangkok. “Needless to say, my personal amazing experience in Thailand had just gotten exponentially more amazing with the addition of lacrosse to the equation.”

Membership to Thailand Lacrosse Association is absolutely free. Apart from that, the people running the game are usually able to find equipment for newcomers or help them get some if need. If you’re dedicated to playing lacrosse in Bangkok, then all you need to do is go and talk to them. They’ll help you get started, as cost is not a barrier to anyone learning or wanting to play lacrosse with the TLA program in Thailand.

Thailand Lacrosse Association operates in two locations. Their practice field is located at Arena 10 complex on Thong Lor Soi 10 (beside Funky Villa/Demo/McDonald’s), where they train every Tuesday and Thursday from 7pm to 9pm.

Their official stadium for tournaments and for the annual Friendly Cup and Rival Cup games with the Hong Kong and Singapore lacrosse teams takes place at Yamaha Stadium, IMPACT Muong Thong Thani. If you can believe it, these are top-end facilities and not even the best American and Canadian teams can boast dedicated game and practice grounds as great as the Thai team.

In Robin Zinger’s opinion, “The lacrosse movement in Thailand, in particular, and Asia, in general, has been amazing to watch and be a part of. Thailand Lacrosse Association is working towards fielding a men’s team for the world championships in Denver in 2014 and the women’s world championships in Oshawa, Canada this summer. Plus, we are continuing our annual games against Hong Kong and Singapore in Bangkok, and trips to those cities for games.”

Speaking of the biggest difference between lacrosse in Thailand and lacrosse in Canada, Robin admitted that, amazingly, “it’s been easier to learn and play the game here than in the historic home of the game. The main difference is that in Canada they play indoors in the hockey rinks mostly because there are so many, and the game has a lot in common with hockey stylistically, whereas in Thailand we play the more American and international style which has a lot in common with football and rugby.”

Lacrosse is the ultimate hybrid sport, combining all the best elements of a multitude of sports such as hockey, American football, soccer, rugby, Aussie rules football, basketball, and baseball. So, there’s no doubt that lacrosse can be great fun and is good exercise. “However, fans of tougher more physical sports are more likely to enjoy playing the game as it can get rough, and the ball is quite hard. But it is a gentleman’s game, with a lot of respect built in, although not for the faint of heart. But once you watch or play it, you’ll be hooked,” assured us Robin.

An upcoming event to look forward to is the Asia Pacific Lacrosse Championship which will take place between June 21-22 in Beijing, China. The current participating countries are China, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore while Thailand hopes to send a team too.

You can follow the evolution of the Thai lacrosse movement by accessing the Thailand Lacrosse Association official website, by reading their blog or by joining their Facebook group. Or, even better, just go downtown Bangkok and meet them!

 Initially published in “Bangkok Trader” (June 2013, Vol. 7, No. 7)

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