Page:Lacrosse- The National Game of Canada (New Edition).djvu/222

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
FIELDING.
199

rates into a mêlée without it, and the object of posting the men is defeated. The fielders should always keep the disposition of every man in view, and never waste a shot or unnecessarily break their wind. If tacking is adhered to, this intense exertion and wild play must have an end.

It is easy to understand the merit of each man perfecting his own play;—in fact, a good “Twelve” is always the result of individual progress: it is not that we deprecate, but the playing solely for effect and admiration; the attempt to monopolize attention in so far as possible, and for the sake of separate applause, sacrifice the science of Lacrosse to hard running. It is vexing to a side to see a man persist in carrying the ball, when a throw to another in a better position would have accomplished the object more surely. ‘To this pale-face fashion we have always attributed our defeats by the Indians They forget their individuality when hard pressed, and do not try to shine ai risk of losing the ball. There is no egotism in their play when hard pushed; they have a unity of aim and an alliance to play into each other’s hands; while we, working twice as hard, fail to combine our play or pin our faith