Everyone’s talking about Sixes.

World Lacrosse went full steam ahead with its new 6v6 discipline of the sport, putting it in the hands of some of the best lacrosse players on the planet at the Super Sixes event in October featuring teams from Canada, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the U.S. What a spectacle it was. Highlights galore.

And yes, for the naysayers, plenty of room for improvement.

But if we believe in the Olympic vision — if we think putting the sport (in any form) in front of a global TV audience of more than 3 billion people and incentivizing nations to develop it robustly within their borders is good for the game — then shouldn’t we give it a chance?

Numerical symmetry aside, these are my six takeaways from World Lacrosse Super Sixes.

1. Players love it.

Unequivocally, they do. While the new discipline has met mixed reviews from fans on social media, it’s got the thumbs up from the pros who have played it — as well as a few who wish they could try their hand at it. John Grant Jr., Chris Passavia and John Grant Jr. were among those lamenting that Sixes did not exist at the height of their playing days. The discipline has been compared for better and worse to the continuous 3v2 drill called West Genny — which happened to be what the 2018 U.S. men’s team chose to play exclusively during a players-only weekend at Hofstra in advance of the world championship.

2. It’s very Olympic.

This discipline was created with one goal in mind: Get lacrosse back into the Olympics. And anyone who watched the Tokyo Games this summer could see what World Lacrosse envisioned when creating Sixes. It’s helter-skelter lacrosse, back-and-forth action with few stoppages, high scoring, elite speed and incredible skill.

3. It lacks narrative.

We’re storytellers by trade. My chief criticism of Sixes is that there’s no arc to the game. There’s no build or momentum shifts. It all unfolds so fast. Key moments get lost in the shuffle. With goalies digging the ball out of the cage and immediately putting it back in play, there are no goal celebrations or dramatic draws.

4. It’s not box.

It’s not field, either. It truly is a hybrid. But those who dismissed Sixes as outdoor box lacrosse — understandable considering the 6v6 format featuring a goalie and five runners playing in a more confined setting — or hockey on grass were mistaken. There’s no forechecking, off-ball contact or boards, which makes it a different game.

5. It levels the playing field.

No one has the depth of lacrosse talent as Canada and the United States, who have combined to win 40 of the 43 world championships ever contested— field, box, men, women and U20. The World Lacrosse Sixes roster limit of 12 reduces the advantage even within the rivalry. A week after getting scorched by the U.S. 19-3 in the traditional field discipline at the USA Lacrosse Fall Classic, the Canadian women defeated the U.S. 17-14 then fell 14-11 in a Super Sixes split.

6. It invites strategy.

Play 4-on-5 defense with a hanger up top? It’s worth trying. Teams will continue to experiment with the new discipline to see what sticks — and what might one day carry them to the Olympic podium.

— Matt DaSilva, Editor in Chief

This article appears in the Deecember edition of USA Lacrosse Magazine. Join our momentum.

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