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LAX-tra following Patriot Cup

As advertised, I’m back today to go into more detail on a couple of aspects of Dallas-area lacrosse following the two-day Patriot Cup that ended Saturday night at SMU’s Ford Stadium. In case you missed yesterday’s 12-hour thread, about 7,500 folks took in the games compared to 2,500 last year.

Now, without further ado …

Of course, Daniel Trevino showed an early interest in golf. But his father, Lee Trevino, offered a warning – it’s a lonely sport.

“If you’re going to learn this game well, you have to do it alone,” Merry Mex said. “Can’t do it with your buddies. You’ll waste your time. It’s all about concentration.

“You’re not going to have many friends.”

Young Daniel gravitated to team sports. Wanted to play football but was on the small side for that. About the fourth grade, some cousins from Connecticut showed him lacrosse. And he was hooked.

“It’s a contact sport that a small guy can play and be effective,” Daniel said.

Now 16-year-old sophomore, Daniel is a starting attacker for St. Mark’s. When the Lions played nationally top-ranked St. Mary’s of Annapolis, Md., on Saturday morning, he played early into the fourth quarter but didn’t score. St. Mark’s lost its first game of the young season, 12-8, but kept close with the national power that will send 17 players into NCAA Division I lacrosse over two seasons.

On Friday, St. Mary’s was much more dominant in wins over ESD and Highland Park. Daniel and some his teammates took in the ESD game.

“Their performance against ESD in the first quarter was insane,” Daniel said, awe in his eyes. “We were a little intimidated. We knew we had to keep the ball, get our good looks. I think we had a good showing.”

When Daniel isn’t in the game, over on the sideline, he can be a little difficult to locate. Dad lists him at “5-5, 5-6 and between 135 and 140 pounds.”

Hayward Lee, in his sixth season coaching the Lions, said of Daniel: “His strengths are tremendous hands, tremendous eye-hand, and he is very athletic. He’s quick. He’s extremely strong for his body type.

“He’s very competitive, and he’s very smart. He elevates everyone around him.”

All of this has made Lee Trevino something of a soccer mom, one with all those golf major trophies in the den. He appears to relish the opportunity to be a lacrosse parent, part of a significant St. Mark’s contingent that not only watched the Lions’ game in the Patriot Cup but also helped organize and run the two-day event. Tom Hicks and wife Cinda sat a few rows in front of the Trevinos, eyes on St. Mark’s junior reserve midfielder William Hicks.

“I can’t say enough for these dads that are involved,” Trevino said. “From ESD. From Highland Park. From Plano, Westlake. We all know each other. We support our kids.”

And Trevino appears to be a model parent in the stands. Maybe it’s the golf background, where the bystanders watch quietly and applaud after shots.

“We went to some games up in the East, and some of those parents up there got a little crazy on the sidelines,” he said. “I said to them, ‘Did you play the game?’ ‘No, I didn’t.’ ‘Well, how can you have an opinion? Don’t be screaming at the referees for calling this and calling that.”

Daniel said back when his father was driving him to and fram practices and games, Dad offered no critical analysis of his play. “He just says, ‘Good job,’ ” Daniel said. “He doesn’t know much about the game.”

Lee said with a smile: “I’ve got to believe that not 10 percent of the parents know the rules.”

Consider the history of American lacrosse. A game started by Native Americans has evoled into a modern sport that took root in the Northeast. As it continues to branch out across the country, it’s most often found in the more affluent of communities and private schools.

An organization called Bridge Lacrosse Dallas aims to change that, at least locally. It’s part of the national “Bridge” group that stands for Building Relationships to Initiate Diversity, Growth and Enrichment. It takes the game to Dallas inner city kids. Director Edie Lycke explains why.

“The lacrosse gets their attention,” she said. “We hope to take advantage of a broader mission. We hope to connect with them and teach things that you learn on a team. There’s also nutrition education and after-school tutoring.”

Bridge Lacrosse Dallas has been around for five years and just recently became incorporated. It has started a couple of elementary school teams at St. Philip’s School and Community Center near Fair Park and another at the nearby Irma Lerma Rangel Women’s Leadership School. Plans call for more involvement, at the Larry Johnson Rec Center.

Of the 10 college and high school teams that played Saturday at Ford Stadium, SMU backup goalie Phil Quist was one of the few African-American players on the field. Quist, a sophomore, started playing when his middle school in Brooklyn brought in some lacrosse players from Long Island for a clinic.

“I think it’s an awesome idea,” Quist said of Bridge Lacrosse Dallas, which utilizes SMU coaches and players. “You can find athletes anywhere. Lacrosse is one of those sports where, once you’re exposed to it and are athletic, you can pick it up pretty quickly.”

The non-profit has its next fund-raiser on May 23 – “May Madness,” gathering at a sports bar to watch the NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse final four. Among the door prizes will be two tickets to next year’s final four.