Battle of Bothell Tourney June 22-24th: For Love of the Game

The Third Annual Battle of Bothell is a celebration of Lacrosse, Summer and Comeraderie. Hosted at the North Creek fields complex located at 19113 120th Ave NE Bothell, WA, somewhere between 30 and 40 teams will attend the 2007 event from Oregon, Eastern and Western Washington. The Battle of Bothell could potentially grow to 80 teams as the sport grows in Washington according to Tourney Organizer, Stan Kosick.

The Battle's divisions are broken down into 5/6 grade boys, 7/8th grade boys and High School. Kosick is trying to fit in 3/4th grade as well. "Most High School teams see their seniors depart by tournament time so usually its freshman sophomores but occasionally some seniors." said Kosick.

Held June 22-24th, Bothell will start competition at 6PM on June 22. Games will start at 8AM June 23rd, and 7AM June 24th. Games will be two 20-minute running halves, Starting on the hour. The Cost is $350 per team. Each team is guaranteed 3 games though the winner of each division will play 6 or 7. The event will have vendors and some "pretty cool stuff" to raffle off during the tourney.  A tournament application is located HERE

We asked Stan Kosick what caused him to think about running this tourney, here is what he had to say...

In 2004, I found out about the US Lacrosse Youth Festival at Binghamton University. Having grown up in Binghamton and the surrounds, I decided it was a good opportunity to go home visit family and be able to help out Joe Mars; he organized the officials, for the event. So I called Joe and he said to come on out.

I worked 8-10 games during that weekend and just had a blast. The kids seemed to enjoy it. There were teams from San Diego and Colorado and it got me thinking: why can't we do this in the Seattle area?

I came home and called around to some local teams and to some officials. In July 2004 the Bothell Shootout was born. Bainbridge Island brought two teams, Stanwood, Whatcom and I want to say Roughriders each brought a team. BI had so many kids that came over they filled out the other teams and they played for the day. Allen Scott brought the goals. It was a hot summer day and the boys had fun.

Later that year, my supervisor here at the City of Bothell said that lacrosse tournament idea is just the thing they are looking for. "You should apply for a tourism grant from the Greater Bothell Chamber of Commerce." So I carefully worked out a budget for the tournament and wrote a grant proposal for $9000. In December of 2004 I was informed I was to be awarded the grant. The Bothell Shootout was on.

Only I did not like the name, Bothell Shootout, even though there is an actual historical event that took place in 1920's known as the Bothell Shootout. I tried others. My supervisor, who is a lacrosse fan only because I hooked him, tried as well. One day I woke up with the Battle of Bothell. It was easy, catchy.

A broadcast email sent to coaches, whose information I got using WALAX, in WA and Oregon. 2005 only had 17 participants but still this was up from the 5 in 2004. By December 2005 I was receiving emails from coaches and parents wondering if the Battle of Bothell was going to take place in 2006. Once again, I sent out a broadcast email to coaches and parent contacts.

In 2006, I made the city of Bothell management stand up and take notice as 31 teams from across the NW came to Bothell for the event. Tourism Coordinator Sally Henderson estimated there were 3000+ people at the tournament.

It is now 2007 and while I expect to increase the number of teams I do not expect to double the number of participant teams.

"The Battle of Bothell is a tournament celebrating lacrosse in the Northwest. Aside from LAXFEST and WALAX summer league, after May, many boys hang up their gear waiting for next season. I want this to be a feel good tournament with good competition (and thus far there have been no repeat champions). I want to help build a sense of community within the lacrosse world. I look at it the way Chris Long and I played back in Otsiningo Park in Binghamton where we had pick up games of lacrosse. We would play hard for an hour and then shake hands and talk about latest movie or whatever afterwards. There was a camaraderie and a sense we played for a higher purpose than to beat the crap out of each other. I am not saying this should be a lacrosse version of utopia but for everyone to realize we are part of a whole. Last year the slogan was "We honor the game of Lacrosse" in Mohawk.

Plus its fun. In Native lore, lacrosse is a game played for the enjoyment of the Creator. Like the Creator, I love watching the game. I enjoy watching the kids have fun playing this game. I can be on one field watching two 5/6 teams go head to head and walk down and watch two HS teams go at it. Maybe I am biased, but I believe I witnessed one of the greatest lacrosse games ever played, here at the Battle of Bothell; a double overtime HS quarterfinal game in 2005. That game, the atmosphere surrounding it and the tenor in which was played, embodies what the Battle of Bothell was and is all about.

Lastly, more recently, I officiated a 5/6th grade boys game at Marymoor Park. After being ousted from the the turf field, we ended up on the cricket field. No markings whatsoever. The coaches quickly out lined the creases and field dimension with flat cones and we played the game. Do you know the boys did not care and paid attention to if they got close to where they though a midfield line might be? They would be running up field and just stop about the point they thought they would be offsides. Not that I was going to call it if they were: how could I tell without any lines? They were careful and called if the ball went out of bounds (again no lines). They just wanted to play. This what the Battle of Bothell is all about."