FREDERICA, Del. — If the more than 1,600 athletes competing at the 2021 USA Lacrosse Youth Nationals at DE Turf needed motivation on a sweltering hot day, they didn’t need to look far.

On Tuesday morning, the U.S. men’s and women’s players competing in the inaugural USA Lacrosse Sixes training camp arrived to a hero’s welcome. 

“When the national team showed up, they literally got swarmed,” said Krystin Porcella, president of Top of the Bay Sports, which is running the event alongside STEPS Lacrosse. “Every girl here wanted to see them, get pictures and autographs. That’s kind of what it’s all about.”

We had a few special guests at Nationals today

Both @USAWLax and @USAMLax made the trip to D.E. Sports Complex as part of their Sixes training camp.

The women’s autograph session was a blast. pic.twitter.com/SXNFnf6lSu

— USA Lacrosse (@USA_Lacrosse) July 13, 2021

If the young players wondered if they could someday wear the red, white and blue of USA, the answer was right there in front of them. Several of the U.S. players — from Sam Apuzzo to Ryan Conrad to Caitlyn Wurzburger — had been there not that long ago, having played in the previous iterations of this USA Lacrosse sponsored event in the past.

“I remember being in their shoes and kind of seeing the other national players when I was that age,” said Apuzzo, who played in the U15 national championship three times for Top Guns (N.Y.) before going on to win the Tewaaraton Award at Boston College in 2018. “It’s so cool to be on the other side of it now and just know how much that we impact these players. The next generation growing up, they’re going to be in these shoes eventually and it’s kind of cool to connect with them and see what they’re into.”

There was plenty of motivation to come from their own games as well. 

A record 82 girls’ teams, representing 16 states, are competing in the 13U, 14U and 15U age groupings at this year’s event. This is the first year it has been run in partnership with STEPS Lacrosse and Top of the Bay. 

“USA Lacrosse should have a national championship and we both feel very strongly that the best of the best should be here competing for this,” said Porcella, who was the head coach of the 2011 U.S. U19 women’s team that won a gold medal at the world championship in Germany. “Through [Charlie Shoulberg’s] experience with STEPS and our experience with Top of the Bay, we felt like we could come together and work with USA Lacrosse and make this a great event for the athletes.”

Tuesday’s schedule saw 123 games played to set the stage for championship Wednesday, which will be highlighted by the 14U and 15U title games being carried live on Lax Sports Network beginning at 2:15 p.m.

WEDNESDAY on LSN: @USA_Lacrosse Youth Nationals championship games | Girls 14U at 2:15PM ET and Girls 15U at 3:45PM ET
https://t.co/oJkK8CQ2nw
Distro TV Channel 135 https://t.co/PVF6Mrg8gc
Zingo TV Channel 207
Local Now https://t.co/bYYRLHgDSL pic.twitter.com/Q64XafgRYS

— Lax Sports Network (@LaxSportsNet) July 13, 2021

Action gets underway at DE Turn on Wednesday at 8 a.m. with consolation and championship bracket play. Here the quarterfinal matchups for the three divisions (complete schedule available here):

13U Quarterfinals
Hero’s 2026 Green vs. Tradition 2026
Yellow Jackets Manning vs. Long Island Jesters 2026 Black
Long Island Top Guns 2026 Black vs. NXT 2026 Black
Hero’s 2026 White vs. PRIDE Lacrosse 2026 Red

14U Quarterfinals
Yellow Jackets Spallina vs. Prime Time 2025
Limitless Lacrosse Elite 2025 vs. Yellow Jackets Janelli
Hero’s 2025 Green vs. Monster Elite 2025
STEPS Elite 2025 Blue vs. PRIDE Lacrosse 2025 Red

15U Quarterfinals
Team 180 2024 vs. PRIDE Lacrosse 2024 Black
GRIT Lacrosse Dallas 2025 vs. STEPS Elite NJ 2024 Blue
Big 4 HHH 2024 vs. Integrity Lacrosse 2024 Green
Monster Elite 2024 vs. All American AIM 2024