Why walk when you can run?

That’s the mindset of the organizers for the 2018 Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) Men’s World Championship, set for July 12-21 in Netanya, Israel, a resort town located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

“We want to raise the bar,” said Scott Neiss, executive director of the Israel Lacrosse Association. “We want people to remember our country and this world championship as the best one ever.”

That an organization less than a decade old is hosting the largest international championship in the sport’s history is not a surprise to those that have followed the upward trajectory of lacrosse in Israel. Playing in its first men’s world championship in 2014, Israel finished seventh out of 38 nations. The following year, its men’s indoor team finished fourth and it has since had strong showings by its U19 boys (sixth in 2016) and women’s senior team (sixth in 2017).

That success has fueled optimism for the sport in the country.

“We want to be the national sport of Israel,” Neiss said. “It’s not a dream. It’s a goal.”

With more than 50 nations competing this summer, running the event is a daunting challenge for a young organization, but also a way to fuel its mission. It’s also a chance to bring the world to Israel and help change perceptions of the Middle Eastern country. Neiss and others stressed that Israel is a safe place.

“Instead of forming their opinion from the media, we want people to form their opinion from their own experiences,” said Seth Mahler, a member of Israel’s national team and the men’s program director for Israel Lacrosse. “We want people to see the country, see how it’s thriving.”