The newly formed Grays Harbor Lacrosse Club began holding tryouts this week at Rottle Field in Montesano.

High school boys and girls from throughout the county are eligible for the club, and are welcomed to come to tryouts and see what the sport is about. The club is permitted to take new athletes until midway through the season. Students from Hoquiam, Aberdeen, Montesano and Elma are eligible for the 2017 season.

Head coach Ray Cristobal notes that tryouts are more of a safety precaution than a means of deciding which players make the club.

“Lacrosse is a contact sport,” Cristobal said. “We just want to be sure that everyone on the field is able to either take a hit or avoid a hit.”

Tryouts are 3:30 p.m.-5 p.m. at Rottle Field every day through Feb. 24. Interested athletes can attend any tryout. Practices starting next week will be held 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at Stewart Field.

Cristobal is excited about the opportunity to teach young athletes about lacrosse, and hopes to throw in some life lessons along the way. Athletes already have learned about fundraising and raising awareness and support for the club throughout their communities.

“I think about the impact a coach can have on a student, and I just want to give back,” Cristobal said.

Cristobal isn’t the only member of the lacrosse club who has given back. In fact, it was Montesano High School junior Jared Wallace who was instrumental in starting the club.

Having played lacrosse in Illinois before moving to Montesano, Wallace says he promised an old teammate he would start a lacrosse team wherever he moved to.

“I heard coach Ray was trying to move lacrosse down to Grays Harbor, so I started going to his clinics,” Wallace said.

Wallace was instrumental in spreading awareness, recruiting players and organizing preseason practices.

“For people thinking about joining the team, I would tell them that it is a great opportunity to build bonds with the other members,” Wallace said. “We will have a lot of fun.”

The club has a website, www.ghlacrosse.org.

Even though the club will provide athletes with basic lacrosse pads, there are costs that players and their families will have to cover such as a $150 registration fee.

“We don’t want financial issues to get in the way of students playing lacrosse,” Cristobal said. “If someone wants to play, we will make it happen.”

The approaching season still has the club looking for coaching volunteers as well as volunteers to man the time and score tables. Those who are interested can visit the club’s website.

The season officially begins with the club’s first game at 7 p.m. on March 17 at Stewart Field in Aberdeen.