“Talk on the phone. Look in the mirror.”

Those are the directions that coaches of the Mountain Lacrosse Minis use to help the young girls learn to move their sticks as they carry the ball on the field. The Minis, ages 3-7, just completed a four-week camp to learn lacrosse basics.

The girls demonstrated their skills during halftime at an Evergreen girls varsity lacrosse game on May 5. Each girl ran to the goal using her stick to carry a tennis ball and scored. More importantly, they had fun.

The girls said they enjoyed playing with the sticks and the balls, and they especially enjoyed scoring.

This is the first time Mountain Lacrosse has offered a camp for girls this young, but Sarah Hunsche, a first-time coach with a young daughter, decided to try it and was pleased with its success. Traditionally, the organization, which offers programs for girls and boys from Bailey to Clear Creek County, offers opportunities for girls starting in second grade.

“I felt strongly that we could get girls to be involved in the program at a younger age,” Hunsche said. “This also was a way for us to introduce the sport to parents.”

Some parents, she added, don’t think of lacrosse as a sport for girls, but there was a lot of enthusiasm for the skills camp. Hunsche wanted to introduce her youngest daughter to the sports that her older children already enjoy.

Parents watching their girls warm up at the varsity game called it controlled chaos as the coaches took time to remind players how to move their sticks as they carry the ball.

“This has been amazing,” said Lauren Burger of Morrison, whose daughter, Dolly, 5, is a Mini.

Burger said Dolly was more interested in sports than other activities.

Kate O’Rourke of Evergreen, whose daughter Bronwyn, 4, participated in the program, said it was nice to have a place for her youngest daughter to learn lacrosse like her older siblings, who gravitated to the sport.

“(Bronwyn) found a lot of camaraderie and friends with the Minis,” O’Rourke said. “The coaches are super positive, and it’s been a great experience.”

The assistant coaches are middle school and high school players, and the Minis are thrilled to get to know the older girls, she said.

Hunsche called the Minis an energetic group of girls who even at a young age were able to focus when it came to fun activities disguised as skills drills. Water noodles are used to simulate defenders, so the girls learn to run with their sticks and balls through the noodles.

“One of my favorite parts of the program was how I saw parents get excited about lacrosse,” Hunsche said. “I saw excitement and joy in the Minis’ eyes. That was very uplifting and made it all worth it.”