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The WPLL was founded on the principle of being “for players, by players” – and its debut at the US Lacrosse headquarters showcased just that.

“We’re handing you the keys,” commissioner Jen Adams said. “We make sure we make it as good as we can possibly make it. That is our promise to you from our leadership and we hope that you take that charge on as well as players because it’s for you and it’s by you.”

As league founder Michele DeJuliis had hoped, past, present and future generations of players connected with one another, sharing “war stories” by comparing different styles of play throughout different eras.

Evident was the style of strict vertical cradling between the shoulders as many Legends were once taught. Then fast forward to today, displays of creativity emerged in the WPLL exhibition, like Baltimore attacker Dana Dobbie’s between-the-legs goal, demonstrating the evolution of women’s lacrosse.

Participants from the US Lacrosse girls’ TryLax clinic and young fans in the stands were just as excited to see Adams play again as they were to interact with current stars that recently graduated college, like Maryland’s 2017 Tewaaraton Award winner Zoe Stukenberg (New York), or won a medal in this past summer’s World Cup, including Ally Carey (Upstate), Taylor Cummings (New York) and Brooke Griffin (Baltimore) of Team USA, Dobbie of Team Canada and Olivia Hompe (Upstate) of Team England.

“The league is trying to do exactly what happened today,” said Legend defender Rachael Dececco, formerly Becker of Princeton, a 2005 U.S. silver medalist and the only defender to win the Tewaaraton Award in 2003. “We had the legends here with the pros, and now you see after the pro game all these young girls connecting with the pros. You’ve got three generations of young players in one spot really connecting and building those relationships, showing everybody what we’re about, which is the players and growing the game and providing opportunity for women. I think today was the perfect example of what’s to come of the WPLL.”

New Rules Shine With A Purpose

A number of new rules were implemented in the professional showcase, but the biggest on-field observation for the WPLL’s leadership, coaches and players was the new look to the 8-meter. It’s no longer a complete fan.

The 8-meter sides extend straight down to goal line extended, like a basketball key, and there are only three hashes, two surrounding the center hash. Any foul occurring in the 8-meter results in a free position from the center hash only. With two-point goals in play, DeJuliis said now no angle is a bad angle.

“Changing that is going to change the way we play defense as well as how we play offense,” said Dobbie. “Just by making that center hash a lot more valuable, you see the D clean up their cross-checking. They’re a lot more mindful about their contact.”

Other rules changes include a 75-second shot clock, free movement, and a back-field violation, again like back-court in basketball.

“Free movement is great,” Adams said on the rule, which was also just adopted at the NCAA level. “It means you’ve got to be fit and fast, but we always say we’re the greatest athletes on two feet, so now that’s truly the case in terms of females and women’s lacrosse. You’re running and gunning all game. It’s really exciting to see the pace of play.”

Dobbie, who coaches with Adams at Loyola, had a similar sentiment regarding the shot clock: “Lacrosse is meant to be played at a fast pace. It’s the fastest sport on two feet, so why make it 90? Take it down to 75, which is a good thing for our sport.”

While the back-field foul was not called, Dobbie said it makes players more mindful of their play and provides defense a goal to reach as another opportunity to get the ball back.

The WPLL product proved to be fluid and fast with minimal whistles, DeJuliis said, which make it fan-friendly as well as official-friendly. For Legends like Dececco, she has witnessed firsthand the evolution of women’s lacrosse.

“There’s been a lot of rule changes,” Dececco said. “The speed of the game, it’s a lot faster than it was, so it allows for the athleticism to show. It’s less referee involvement and more player control, which I think has been great. The quick starts and free movement really make a big difference.”

The WPLL follows NCAA women’s rules with international card penalties, but all rule changes unique to the league were created with the growth of the game in mind.

“It keeps everything moving forward,” DeJuliis said.