New Tampa Lacrosse Association

Welcome to the PROUD home of the New Tampa Lacrosse Association.

We have received several inquiries about what is needed in terms of equipment, from families new to lacrosse.  Players are responsible to have their own equipment including:

BOYS
Helmet 
- Raiders - Gold, black or white 
- Freedom - White Pro7 preferrably w/Red decals or other white helmet with red brim.
- Wharton - White Pro7 preferrably w/Navy decals or other white helmet with Navy brim.
Gloves
Elbow Pads
Shoulder Pads
Stick
Mouth Piece
Cleats (not metal)

Many onlines sites to shop from, as well as a few local outlets.  Unless you know your size and exactly what you need, shopping in person, is the way to go...

- Lacrosse Xtreme has an outstanding selection, and is located in a small plaza behind the Marathon gas station on the corner of Bearss and Florida.
     204 E. Bearss (813) 374-9264 
- Play it Again stores do have minimal used equipment and the local stores have some new, but if you don't mind the drive, the store in the Britton Shopping Plaza on South Dale Mabry has a good selection too.
- Dicks Sporting Goods in Wesley Chapel has some equipment, and plenty for girls to choose from.

Having trouble throwing accurately, it may be your stick.  DON'T learn to throw improperly, to adjust for a lousy stringing job...get it done to your specs!  Factory stringing is nearly unusable, buy unstrung heads, we'll take care of the rest!

Expert Local Stick Stringing, by the best in the area.  Traditional, mesh, and some other custom twists available!  All sticks are not strung the same.  Did you know that the shape of the head and alignment of the stringing holes require specific consideration?   

Get your stick done to your liking...high, mid or low pocket, quick release or slower release, lots of hold, or less hold.  If you haven't been asked those questions before, come to us!  If you don't know for sure, tell us what position you play, and your style of play, and we can customize with that information!

After stringing support too!

Call or email Evan:
813-417-6163  or whartonlax24@gmail.com

We believe in relationships that are grounded in honesty, trust, and respect.  We will meet our responsibilities with integrity, persistence, and confidence.  Through the bonds that we create, we will hold ourselves, our teammates, our classmates, our schools, and our community in the highest regard.

As visible members on campus, we have an opportunity to strengthen our community through active participation and service.  In the giving of ourselves, we can enrich the lives of others around us.

Regardless of the challenges that we may face, we embrace a commitment to always put forth our best effort.  Our attitude will be defined by the strength of our character and our constant pursuit of excellence on the field, in the classroom, and within our community.

SHOW YOUR TEAMS COLORS!

Players and Parents....our exciting new team store, is now open.  There are t-shirts, moisture management shirts, ladies bling shirts, spirit shorts, replica jerseys (customize with your name and number), for you to purchase!

Go to the link below, and there will be tabs for the Raiders, as well as Freedom and Wharton High Schools!

The reason we are only offering the store for 10 days, is that it takes up to a month to get your delivery.  By closing on 1/16, the vendor has guaranteed you will have your order delivered to your home, by 2/15, so you can wear it for the entire season!

Click Here and start shopping -->      zimagear.myshopify.com

Thank you for supporting the New Tampa Lacrosse Association

We hope everyone enjoyed the event on January 9th!  Great food, great place, great friends, what more could you want!

Thanks to all for supporting the NTLA!

RETURNING PLAYERS DON'T WAIT ANY LONGER - SLOTS ARE FILLING!

Registrations are for Boys and Girls Grades 1-12, including; the Raiders Youth Program, as well as Freedom and Wharton High School Club Teams.

CLICK ON Register, above and PLEASE READ THE WELCOME PAGE before starting the registration process.  You cannot save a partial registration...you will have to begin again if you don't have everything needed.  So before you start, make sure:

 - You have registered for, or have an active USLacrosse membership # (there is a link on  look-up your USLacrosse membership number or to register)

- You will have to state that the player you are registering has had a physical examination within the past 6 months.

- You have your credit or debit card ready for checkout.

GOOD LUCK, email ntlacrosse@verizon.net with any questions!

Coaches, Volunteers and Sponsors are needed for all age groups.  You will have the opportunity to state your interest for either, during the registration process. 

If you are not registering a child to play, but would like to volunteer, please email: ntlacrosse@verizon.net.

Thank you!

The NTLA is working with the other programs in the USLacrosse Gulf Coast Chapter, to try and grow this outstanding sport.  Our goal it to make this a sanctioned FHSAA sport in the near future.  In order to accomplish this, lacrosse needs an even bigger footprint in the county, to pursuade the Hillsborough County School Board, that this is a viable option.

However, right in our own back yard, at Freedom, and to a lesser degree at Wharton, we continue to have challenges in the number of kids playing.  We have the strongest youth and middle school teams in the area, however, we have the added burden of supplying 2 local high schools with players, realistically 3, as we lose about a third of our talented players to Jesuit and Tampa Catholic, each year.  Additionally, many of the rising freshmen do not continue playing, for various reasons, including; cost, motivation, and the thought that they may not be good enough, or get enough playing time, as freshmen.  We can't fix all the issues that cause these kids to stop playing, but we can address a couple:

• We will be using a portion of the registration raffle proceeds this year, to be used to purchase equipment for as many financially challenged new players as we can.  If you are able to help sponsor a player, or contribute to the Player Fund, or know of an organization or individual who can, please contact us at ntlacrosse@verizon.net.  We know there are kids who just need this help to get started.
• Wharton has had a JV team, which allows an opportunity for players not quite ready for varsity, to develop and get playing time...Freedom has not had the numbers for that, which may be keeping kids away.  This year, even if we don't have the numbers for a full JV team at Freedom, we are looking to give all of the less experienced players this opportunity.  We are looking at taking a subset of the varsity team, comprised of the underclassmen, and newer players, and have them play a JV schedule of games in addition to the varsity games.  This would give them valuable playing time at the JV level, so that as the season goes along, they will be more prepared to contribute at the varsity level.  However, in order to do this, we need some additional players to step up, and all the freshmen who played for the Raiders, to continue to play!

RECRUIT - Please have your sons and daughters take their backup stick out, and play catch with a friend, and get them hooked too!  And if you have the means to help us suit up some new kids, that would be great, too!

$UPPORT - We have the best family support in the league, so we know we will turn this challenge into a success!     Please help get sticks in some additional hands!

Thanks to all.  Dan McCall

 #22  Adam McCall, Wharton High School

 #28  Nico Beskid, Freedom High School

WHARTON HIGH SCHOOL

#6  Jacob Meier - Second Team, Defense

#11  Jesse Kraus - Honorable Mention, Midfield

#13  Brant Wickersham - Second Team, Goalie

#14  Jay Wickersham - Second Team, Defense

#17  Justin Velazquez - Second Team, Attack

#20  Jordan Hughes - Honorable Mention, Midfield

#22  Adam McCall - First Team, Attack and Attackman of the Year

FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL

#13  Kevin Pacholec - Honorable Mention, Midfield

#17  Ian Mackler - Second Team, Defense

#18  Adam Gray - Honorable Mention, Attack

#27 Jonathan Thelen - Honorable Mention, Attack

#28  Nico Beskid - First Team, Midfield

#32 John Cress - First Team, Goalie and Goalie of the Year

The primary goal of the NTLA is to develop student athletes of character and integrity who will serve as positive members of their school community and the greater society.   We believe the following objectives best serve our program's mission:

• We will promote pride, unity, and confidence in the NTLA, in each of our teams, and the NTLA lacrosse family.
• We will place primacy on our academic endeavors, and recognize the importance of intellectual growth
• We will practice positive leadership and display the courage necessary to advocate just causes in the face of public or social pressures.
• We will hold ourselves responsible and accountable for our thoughts, feelings, and actions; we recognize that we represent our schools, our families, and our community.
• We understand the opportunities afforded us as members of a diverse student body and society.  Through our interactions on campus and in the broader community, we will demonstrate the virtues of compassion, sensitivity, and respect.

The NTLA has been founded on the values of family, community, and positive attitudes.  All members of our program will strive to uphold this tradition through hard work, professionalism, and loyalty.