Onondaga Nation Arena
Why do people love lacrosse? Well, to start with, it is a fast paced game with two teams of elite athletes moving lightning fast all while demonstrating skill and knowledge that takes years to develop. Although that is a great reason to love the sport, when you truly understand the game and the history you can love it that much more! 
Lacrosse is one of the oldest sports ever played on North American soil. The men and boys of the Onondaga Nation, the People of the Hills, have been playing lacrosse for centuries. It is said that lacrosse was a gift given to the people of the Onondaga Nation as a gift from the Creator, and it is to be played for the Creator. Today this game is still very spiritual and is known to have healing powers for the Nation and all of those who play lacrosse. Whether you love lacrosse or have never caught a game, you can head over to the Onondaga Nation Arena and after just one game you will be hooked on box lacrosse! The arena is called Tsha’Hon’nonyen’dakhwa’ and located at 326 Route 11 (use 4000 Route 11 for GPS directions), Onondaga Nation via Nedrow, NY 13120 and they can be reached at 315-498-6813.
Lacrosse was traditionally played in an open field; however today people also play lacrosse indoors, known as box lacrosse. Box lacrosse is played in an arena, in an area smaller than an outdoor lacrosse field. In box lacrosse, there is no “out of bounds” and the ball is played off of the walls and the goals are smaller which makes the game more challenging and fun to watch. There is also more contact in box lacrosse as the players are allowed to crosscheck and cross slash; it’s a full contact sport. In box lacrosse the players take the field for a fast paced 60 minutes of constant action. With a 30 second shot clock, it has been called the fastest game on two feet because of how quickly things move! If you love hockey, you are sure to love box lacrosse, because the tempo is similar and sometimes the gloves even come off for some quality entertainment. In addition to the constant action the players are some of the best athletes in the world.
From early spring until fall the Onondaga Nation Arena is used for lacrosse and is the home arena of the Onondaga Redhawks. The Redhawks have different divisions for boys of all ages to play lacrosse, beginning at age four and going through a senior league (age 21 and over). The seniors play in the CanAm League. The teams travel across New York State and into Canada. The Redhawks have a reputation of being some of the best lacrosse players around. You can come to the arena to check them out for yourself at their final regular season home game on July 11 at 7 pm. Don’t worry if you can’t make that game because the playoff series runs until late August. The Redhawks are (as always) strong contenders for the championship and look forward to defending their title as 2014 President’s Cup Champions!
Did you know that the Redhawks feature mostly homegrown talent? The men have been playing lacrosse in CNY since they were old enough to hold a stick! When you go to the Onondaga Nation Arena, you are not just watching a game, you are watching history in the making! Lacrosse is a game that is passed down from generation to generation, where the current players are the grandchildren of former rivals! Other sports rivalries have nothing on these guys! The Onondaga Nation Arena is proud to announce that they will be hosting the 2015 World indoor Lacrosse League Championship. With 13 countries battling for the title, it is sure to be an exciting event. Since this is the birthplace of the game, Lacrosse is coming home!
The Onondaga Nation Arena also has all of the supplies you will need to play available at the Pro Shop! They carry sticks, heads, mesh, as well as everything you need to play safely like helmets and pads! They carry all of the top brands and they even specialize in customizing your gear! Let them hook up your stick with custom stringing or traditional mesh or let them give your head a custom dye so you are sure to stand out from the crowd! Stop by and say hello to Brett Bucktooth, a current Redhawk and humble champion with an overwhelming passion for the game!
At the Onondaga Nation Arena you can see the biggest names in lacrosse play the sport they love for just $5 per person with free parking. They also have amazing concessions with good food. Other places charge an arm and a leg for stale popcorn and not-so-soft pretzels but not the Onondaga Nation Arena! Have a fun filled night out with the whole family without breaking the bank while watching some awesome lacrosse! Listen to their weekly radio show on 105.9 with Dave Fresenia from 4 to 5pm on Fridays, and call in for your chance to win free tickets! For more information and to check game times check out the Onondaga Nation Arena on Facebook.
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