Local lacrosse players looking to keep their skills sharp don't have to travel far to find quality competition.

Thanks to the North Country Lacrosse League, it's practically in their own backyard.

Dave Ross runs the league that holds games on Monday and Wednesday nights at the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds.

Ross isn't a stranger to the summer lacrosse scene in Jefferson County. He helped manage the local chapter of the Brine Upstate Lacrosse League (BULL) for four summers. Organizers decided this year to not renew their affiliation with Brine, and formed the NCLL.

Ross, an Adams resident, traces his involvement in summer lacrosse back to the days of the Watertown Lacrosse Club.

"Brine was good to us the first few years," he said. "They helped us initially get set up. We just kind of wanted to organize everything closer to home."

But the loss of Brine's recognizable name hasn't negatively affected interest in the local league.

The NCLL, like BULL did, offers leagues for men, junior high boys and girls, and elementary boys and girls. The portion of the season for school-aged children is over, but the men's games will continue until about mid-August, Ross said.

It's no secret that north country lacrosse is highly respected on a national level. One can get a good sense of the quality of players in the NCLL just by attending one night, and taking note of the different helmets on players' heads. Le Moyne, Clarkson, SUNY Cortland, and Hobart are just a few.

"Nobody here has any high school eligibility. Most of them are playing in college, but some are out there roofing all day long," Ross said. "And some are playing at the highest levels of lacrosse, at Syracuse and Cortland."

Six teams, sponsored by local businesses, play in the men's league.

Nunzio Doldo, who just completed his freshman season playing for Division I Hobart, is playing this summer for Young Gunz. He said the league offers a good mix of fun and challenges.

"It's summer league so the talent varies, but this league is a lot of fun," Doldo said. "You're playing with a lot of old friends, and kids you played against in high school."

Carthage graduate Jason Coffman, the NCAA's all-time points leader, is another recognizable name. Recent Carthage alums Rob Grimm and David Gallagher are also using the league to prepare for their impending college careers.

"You look around at how many kids from around here play for the top caliber teams. A lot of good talent comes out of here," Doldo said. "And a lot of them are playing here this summer."

Ross said the hardest part of organizing the league is completing administrative tasks such as collecting money and securing insurance. He spends most game nights wandering the Fairgrounds shagging game balls. But he doesn't seem to mind.

"Once the games start, my job is pretty easy," he said. "Everybody behaves pretty well, but it's still competitive."