The second Annual Armenian Sixes Lacrosse Championship brought together the growing lacrosse community of Armenia for a day of competition, unity and inspiration at Ararat Valley Golf Club.
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On August 19, the best teams representing 4 Armenian communities gathered on the field. Around 60 players battled for every possession, every goal and every second, demonstrating not only their athletic ability but also their passion for a sport that continues to find new roots in Armenia.
This year’s championship was dedicated to the memory of Tatev Fakhuryan (2012–2026), a player of the Kaghtsrashen lacrosse team.
After a day of intense competition, the final standings were:
1st place — Vanadzor
2nd place — Metsamor
3rd place — Kaghtsrashen
4th place — Akhtala
In an interview with Aravot.am, Johnny Mouradian, co-founder of the Armenian Lacrosse Federation, described this year’s tournament as “fantastic” and confirmed that the championship will return next year.
Coach Johnny is currently on a 12-day road trip across Armenia, visiting 12 remarkable locations and sharing 12 daily Bible-reading videos across all six Armenian Lacrosse social media platforms from August 11 through August 22, 2026.
Coach Johnny also highlighted the significant progress made since last year’s championship. Attendance has increased as more families have begun to recognize the tournament as a true Armenian championship. At the same time, the skill level of the players has taken a major step forward.
He particularly pointed to the talent emerging from Vanadzor and Metsamor, noting that the next stage will be developing stronger team concepts and building a unified Armenian men’s and women’s program.
The long-term vision is ambitious: identify the best young players, give them a pathway to develop, and ultimately create high-level national-team athletes who can represent Armenia on the international stage.
For many of these players, the journey will be very different from that of athletes in established lacrosse countries. Diaspora players often begin playing at five or six years old, progress through youth programs, clubs, high school, and college before reaching the highest levels of the sport.
Armenian players are now beginning that journey. And they have something equally important: an opportunity.
As Mr. Mouradian emphasized, young athletes who are currently 14 or 15 could, with ten years of dedication and development, become 24 or 25-year-old national-team players. That vision transforms a single championship into the beginning of something much larger.
As Mr. Mouradian noted the progress of Armenian lacrosse is also a testament to the dedication of its coaches.
Many of them are already experienced in coaching basketball and football, and now they are taking on the challenge of teaching lacrosse as well. Their willingness to learn, adapt, and inspire a new generation of athletes is helping create the foundation for the sport’s future in Armenia.
The second Armenian Sixes Lacrosse Championship was therefore not simply about who finished first.
It was about building something. It was about four communities, 60 athletes, dedicated coaches, passionate families, and a growing federation working toward one shared dream: to see Armenian athletes compete at the highest level and one day represent their country as members of Armenia’s national lacrosse teams.
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
