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PrintThe Tulsa Youth Lacrosse Association faces off
The teams bring an increasingly popular sport to young athletes in the Tulsa area.
The Tulsa Youth Lacrosse Association isn’t picky when it comes to recruiting players. While some local high school football teams have come under fire recently for recruiting violations, local lacrosse teams are happy to open their ranks to anyone with a dedication to teamwork and a willingness to learn.
“Anyone can join,” says Stephanie Mitchell, head coach of the girls’ team, known as the Tulsa Twisters. “We don’t even hold tryouts.”
What they do offer are clinics in the summer and fall, which are open to middle and high school-aged kids, regardless of experience level.
“Last year the girls fielded a single team of about 15 players,” Mitchell says. “We’d like to reach 25 or 30 players this year, so we have plenty of room. In fact, one of our main goals this year is to field separate high school and middle school girls’ teams.”
The Tulsa Youth Lacrosse Association was formed in 2006. Dustin Booth, who was already coaching an informal collection of local boys’ teams, joined with Julia Phelps to add girls’ teams and organize their efforts. Informal coaching sessions became clinics, and organized teams began play in 2007.
While the sport has grown quickly among boys in the Tulsa area (and is one of the fastest-growing team sports in the country), the association would like to reach more female players as well.
“To someone unfamiliar with lacrosse, the sport can look more difficult than it is,” Mitchell says. “The first step to coach an inexperienced player is to teach stick skills. With practice, most girls will develop faster than they might think. Once they learn to throw, catch and scoop the ball, they realize how much fun it really is.”
Lacrosse can be considered America’s first sport, as the idea originated among North American Indians.
French pioneers became interested in the sport, and in 1867, Canadian W. George Beers helped standardize the game by adopting set field dimensions and other basic rules. 
In the United States, lacrosse became popular first in the Northeast, but the game’s popularity has gradually spread all over the country, drawing comparisons to soccer, hockey and basketball.
“We were excited to help popularize lacrosse in Tulsa, especially considering Oklahoma’s rich Native American heritage,” Phelps says. “It’s exciting to see the girls learn and watch them blossom into talented players.”
The Tulsa Twisters play approximately eight games in a season against teams from Edmond and Bentonville, Ark. The team also hopes to add games against Texas teams this year to gain more exposure and experience. The team begins practicing in early February and games run from late February through early May.
Mesa Ostervold, 16, who joined the team two years ago by attending a clinic, says the friendships and camaraderie are her favorite parts of playing lacrosse.
“It’s a really great group of girls,” she says. “We’re more about teamwork and fun than putting a lot of pressure on ourselves.”
Last year, Ostervold was even asked to play with a Dallas college club team.
“They gave me a jersey and we played OU,” she says. “I even scored a goal. It was awesome.”
Ostervold and other veteran team members help mentor the younger players.
“One of the most exciting things to watch is how the more experienced players help us coach younger girls,” Mitchell says.
Sara Streapy, 17, who has been on the team since the beginning, agrees.
“Playing with the Twisters has helped me develop as a person,” she says. “I’ve learned teamwork and leadership skills that I use in other areas of my life.
“I’ve also found some amazing friends. That’s the best part.”
