By HENRY MONTAGUE
Special to the Courier-Post

In the past few years the Moorestown High School girls field hockey and lacrosse teams have enjoyed tremendous success and today its lacrosse team is ranked best in the country.

The high school did not achieve it alone, having made use of a township field hockey recreation program that has been growing for six years.

``You've got to have the feeder programs if you want to have a good (high school) program,'' said Joan Lewis, who has coached high school field hockey since 1974. ``The rec program helps by getting more interest in field hockey. With the school program growing it's important to get interest at younger ages,'' Lewis said.

Moorestown, like many towns, offers recreation programs in many popular sports, but few area programs offer field hockey and lacrosse at the municipal level, as Moorestown does. The recreation level field hockey program that began six years ago has helped propel local interest and skill levels to new heights in both field hockey and lacrosse, and should yield benefits for years to come, local sports officials said.

Hundreds of girls have had the chance to develop their skills through playing in the recreation league. The results are phenomenal and not limited to field hockey. Lacrosse players rely on many of the same skill sets.

Currently, both the high school boys and girls lacrosse teams are nationally ranked, a feat they often accomplish. Last year, however, both became state champions. It was the first time a school has held both the boys and girls titles simultaneously in state history.

The high school's field hockey teams are perennial powerhouses in the Burlington County league. Its varsity team was ranked second this month in the Courier-Post's Top 20 rankings.

``Just getting and keeping their sticks on the ball keeps the skill level high. And starting young is important to having success in any sport,'' said Lewis.

Moorestown started its recreation field hockey program six years ago. It replaced four-day field hockey clinics held in the spring and winter to introduce township girls to the sport.

``Six years ago we only had about 60 to 70 girls. There has been a 20 percent increase in each year,'' said Ginny Webber a member of the Moorestown Parks and Recreation Department in charge of the field hockey program.

``This year we have 16 teams. Two hundred forty girls are involved in the program. The age groups are K through sixth grade, broken into two levels, K through third, and fourth through sixth grade,'' Webber said. Lacrosse teams start playing at the fourth grade level.

Starting the children young gives the high school teams an advantage over much of their competition.

``At most schools you don't start playing until your freshman year. Here we have a big head start. I think it's really important,'' said varsity field hockey player Jessica Lacontora, a junior.

One of the reasons the township can field these programs is because many high school players spend Sunday's coaching the recreation league teams.

``I go back and coach because it makes it fun for the kids,'' Lacontora said.

Creating the need for more recreational sports programs was the large influx of young children in the township in the past decade, which accompanied the construction of many new homes.

``There has been more growth in the last eight to 10 years than before. There has been more development in the area over that time and that means more kids,'' said Bob MacBride, director of Parks and Recreation in the township. Because of it growth wasn't limited to only field hockey, he said.

``Youth sports have exploded. There are more kids and more venues which offer more opportunities for them,'' said MacBride. MacBride said school projections show the growth spurt in school-aged children in the township may top off in about five years. Still, according to Lewis, the recreation programs now in place will create good habits for its players for years to come.