BY SAPNA PATHAK

Three years ago, Spiro Harbilas couldn’t even show you how to hold a lacrosse stick.

But thanks to his son Nick, Harbilas was introduced to what’s being called “the fastest sport on two feet,” and he is now a part, as head coach of the Windham recreation program’s U13 boys lax team, of the sole feeder program to Salem High’s lacrosse teams.

Windham’s lax squad remains the only spring sport under the town’s rec program, with baseball and softball moving to private affiliations.

“It’s a fast, fun sport that requires a lot of different skills,” said Harbilas. “I did not know anything about it until my son wanted to try it. I sort of learned how to play along with him, and then I got into coaching. The program has really grown and become more popular each year.”

Indeed, from two teams three years ago, Windham rec fields 11 squads this year. The boys program has one U9, one U11, three U13 and two U15 teams. The girls program, under coordinator Paul Cino, includes four teams in the U11 to U15 age groups.

Drawing players from Salem and Windham, the program serves as a popular alternate to spring’s longtime stalwarts, baseball and softball. And, because more indoor facilities share their fields, Harbilas said lacrosse is becoming a year-round sport for more of his players.

For the past two seasons, the program has hosted affordable winter skills sessions to teach young newcomers lacrosse basics. Each participant trained on indoor fields for 10 weeks before the regular season began, something Harbilas said helped them decide about a larger commitment to the sport in spring.

“It was around $7 per week for the parents to have their kids in the winter training,” said Harbilas. “We had a lot of hockey players show up because it seems like a good alternative once hockey’s done. It was a good way to introduce the game before making parents spend all that money on equipment.”

This year, the program has a new president and U11 girls coach, Steve Krikorian, who said the all-volunteer program has become increasingly beneficial for younger players and those who aspire to play for the Blue Devils.

More than 30 players who made Salem’s freshman or varsity lacrosse squads came from Windham’s program, and Harbilas said he expects that number to go up each year. Blue Devils junior varsity head coach Steve Ring, who also coaches in Windham, helps the transition by using many of the same drills and practices the high school does.

“All you need is a ball, stick and a wall,” said Harbilas. “Spend a couple hours each day throwing it off the wall and catching it, and you’d be surprised how much you’ll improve. Most kids play baseball and lacrosse until they’re about 10 and then make a decision … Recently that decision’s been to stick with lacrosse.”