Though lacrosse was officially banned under communism because of the perception that it is a bourgeois game played largely at exclusive private colleges, young Czechs quietly played the game in the woods. Czech boy scouts first discovered the sport in the mid-1930s when they saw pictures of Indian lacrosse in their woodcraft manuals and National Geographic. Having seen only the pictures, they fashioned their own equipment and made up rules. In the mid-1980s, two modern sticks and a copy of box lacrosse rules were smuggled across the border, giving lacrosse enthusiasts the first chance to learn the western traditions of the game. In Radotin, lacrosse has become a source of pride over the years.
Hundreds attend every game.
During practice, locals at a nearby bar bring their beers outside while neighbors watch from their windows. Still, there are only a few thousand players in a couple of leagues throughout the country. The country's largest league, the Czech Lacrosse League, has around 2,000 members who play the country's version of the game. Similar to box lacrosse, Czech lacrosse does not allow play behind the goal. When you say you play lacrosse, no one knows what you play.