Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71
William G. Tierney Field 2 Loveton Cir Sparks Glencoe, MD 21152
Year Opened: 2016
Capacity: 2,000
The Home Of Lacrosse
US Lacrosse is the national governing body of men;s and women’s lacrosse in the United States and was founded in 1998. The National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum used to be located in Baltimore, Maryland, on the campus of Johns Hopkins University and first inducted members back in 1957. In 2016 both the organization and the hall of fame were moved to a new facility in Sparks, Maryland, a northern suburb of Baltimore.
The facility includes a field as well as a headquarters building. The IWLCA Building at US Lacrosse National Headquarters is the centerpiece of the campus. The three-level structure hosts office and meeting space for the US Lacrosse staff, the Crum Family Education and Training Center, locker rooms, and that new National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum.
The field next to the building is William G. Tierney Field and is the training home for the U.S. National Teams Program. It is also used for more than 60 college and high school lacrosse games per season. The game we attended was a women’s game between two Division III teams.
Seating is first-come, first-served, and fans may bring collapsible camping/tailgating chairs and blankets for hillside/grass areas. There is an overall 2,000 via bleacher and grass seating, although around 500 is permanent.
Admission is free for the majority of games at Tierney Field. There may be an occasional larger game where admission is charged but the bulk of the game atmospheres will be identical as in our review.
Food & Beverage 1
There is not a permanent food stand located at US Lacrosse. The game we attended parents of one of the teams had set up a small stand with limited options. The best you can probably hope for is some coffee or hot chocolate on a cold day or a candy bar. Plan ahead and bring your own food.
Atmosphere 4
There is a nice grandstand along the building side of the field. The field is also surrounded by a walkway and grass areas that you can watch the action as well. The facility is designed well and is a perfect place to watch some lacrosse.
Neighborhood 4
Sparks is a northern Baltimore County area that is highly suburban. The Hunt Valley Towne Centre is just a couple miles south and has many food and drink options for your pre- or post-game. A few good recommendations there would be Iron Rooster – Hunt Valley, The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille or Barrett’s Grill. Andy Nelson’s Barbecue Restaurant is also not far in that direction and offers some tasty options.
Another option is to venture towards the much more rural, northern direction where the Milton Inn, The Filling Station, and Casa Mia’s Restaurant are good options. Happy hour specials at Casa Mia’s are a personal favorite.
Fans 5
This region is one of the hearts of lacrosse and fans are knowledgeable and usually quite into the game action. The crowd tends to be made up of family members and local alumni of the teams involved.
Access 4
Tierney Field and US Lacrosse are located off a well known north/south road, York Road, and is located not far from the I-83, Harrisburg Expressway. It should not be difficult to find the facility.
There is a small parking lot at the main entrance to the facility and a larger lot behind the complex. I would imagine that the parking could get tighter for a bigger game. The facility is located in a business complex so you should still be able to find parking, but please do not block business access routes.
Return on Investment 5
The games are generally free so the return on investment is strong.
Extras 3
The National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum is located right off from the stands so it is worth a quick visit there before or even during games.
It is nice to see a field dedicated to a single sport, so you will not see too many extra line markings for the lacrosse action. There are some differences between the men’s and women’s games so those are the differences you will see in terms of markings.
There are some interesting areas dedicated to explaining certain college lacrosse teams and the traditions of excellence of each of those programs. Plan on spending some time reading about the great programs of the sport.
Final Thoughts
If you enjoy lacrosse and will be in the Baltimore area you should check out the Tierney Field schedule and stop by this fine little facility.
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