About Smithtown Lacrosse

In 1994, youth lacrosse was not well organized in Suffolk County. Though there were pockets of opportunity to play, the local politics and style of play did not suit nine men who were involved within the Township of Smithtown; (Bob Hill & Kevin Huff- Smithtown, Don Mitchell & Jerry Goodfellow- Hauppauge, Mike Gongas & Pat Collins- Commack, Ed Recco & Pete Thompson- Kings Park and Jim Oliveri- Suffolk County Lacrosse Officials Association). These nine pioneers met in Bob Hill’s kitchen on Cambon Avenue in Saint James and created the idea for a better youth lacrosse league.

The seeds of Smithtown Township Lacrosse were planted. In the first season, these four towns traveled and played highly positive and competitive games. The kids had a blast and the word got out among the parents that lacrosse was, in fact, a finesse game played by good sports within a proud community. The true spirit of lacrosse was demonstrated and spread like wildfire.

Other towns in Suffolk County heard about the success of the new “positive training travel league” and asked to join. Four towns became eight and then sixteen and so on. The name of the league was changed to Suffolk County Youth Lacrosse as it expanded well beyond the Township of Smithtown. Smithtown proper retains the name Smithtown Township Lacrosse today. Suffolk County Youth Lacrosse now includes 44 towns and 330 teams.