Neville Smith began his long association with lacrosse through Canadian Box Lacrosse, played during the 1930s throughout Western New York, Ontario, and on all reserves of the Iroquois Confederacy. He played six-man box lacrosse in those early years.

In 1949, Smith moved to Connecticut, leaving box lacrosse behind and joining the forces to develop field lacrosse in the Northeast. In 1956, he co-founded the Connecticut Valley Lacrosse Club and had been president of the Connecticut Valley . . .