synthesis paper

“This could very well be a lacrosse world, and we’re all just living in it.” - Chris Rattey. Lacrosse is a fast, aggressive, intense sport and it should become sanctioned in the state of Utah on a high school and college level. Men and women’s lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports across the country. It is major along the whole east coast and in the northeast, and is growing like crazy in the midwest. The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) works with US lacrosse to get its data from the schools and has reported that for the past 10 years lacrosse is the fastest growing sport. According to the percentages of growth rates for sports from 2009-2014 boys lacrosse is at 27.8% while the other sports like swimming, bowling, cross country, and water polo do not even reach 10%. Girls lacrosse is at 31.2% with the same rates from other sports. “It’s a virus in a good way. Once you pick up a stick, you’re with it for life.” - David Gross, Commissioner of Major League Lacrosse.” (Rattey, Chris. "Lax attack: Lacrosse continues to explode across the United States." Boston.com. The Boston Globe, 12 Apr. 2016. Web. 16 Mar. 2017). In Utah county it is becoming more played on a high school level and even in a junior high level. “From Cache Valley to the southern end of Utah County, there are currently 39 Utah boys varsity teams and 41 JV squads, as well as 30 girls varsity programs and 17 JV teams participating under the umbrella of the Utah Lacrosse Association. Last school year, Olympus' girls team had more participants than any other girls sport at the school and the boys team was second only to football. Together, the lacrosse rosters were made up of more than 100 Olympus High students. In the Olympus boundaries alone, there were 96 participants in Chase's eighth-grade group.” (Thomas, Sarah. "High school lacrosse: UHSAA, lacrosse proponents debate sanctioning the sport in Utah." DeseretNews.com. Deseret News, 25 July 2013. Web. 16 Mar. 2017). The University of Utah has even been considering taking their boys lacrosse team to division I. They discussed the speculation and said that if it were to happen, Utah would be the first pac-12 school with division I lacrosse, and the western most division I program in the country. Division I lacrosse is mostly on the east coast, but with the sport becoming so much more popular, it only makes sense to start adding it into the school’s programs. It would be really great for the lacrosse program to be added into the pac-12 market. (McKee, Adam. "Will Utah Add Lacrosse?" Block U. Block U, 12 July 2016. Web. 16 Mar. 2017). Lacrosse has the potential to be one of the most popular sports, and it could create several teams across the state. "I know there are factors and hurdles for the schools, so I can't speak for them," Cuff said. "I think looking at the way lacrosse is being supported at a youth level and also at other states that have lacrosse, I think it's certainly a popular sport enough that they're going to have a lot of teams." ("Utah Considers Sanctioning High School Lacrosse." Utah Considers Sanctioning High School Lacrosse. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2017). Along with the expansion of men’s and women’s lacrosse in Utah, and across the whole country sanctioning would be great because of the support aspect of it. Sports are expensive, there is equipment, uniforms, travel, coaching, field use etc. With lacrosse not being sanctioned all these expenses are covered by fundraising and personal money. The coaches do not get paid, they do it out of their own free will. Finding a field to play on is a challenge to, we can not use the high school fields so we result to using elementary fields or junior highs, and even that comes with a $700 expense for the whole season. Our coach pays that right out of his pocket, and he even bought us nets to use and balls. It is the little things that are not thought about that would make a huge difference. If lacrosse stepped out of the club program and moved to a sanctioned program by high schools, it would reduce the costs for the teams, it would provide fields, uniforms, gear and equipment. Although if this were to happen, lacrosse would have to follow the regulations in the state of Utah. For example they would need to keep at least a 2.0 GPA, and paying the coaches the same amount as other coaches. ("Utah Considers Sanctioning High School Lacrosse." Utah Considers Sanctioning High School Lacrosse. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2017). Expenses are the biggest worry for sanctioning lacrosse, that makes sense. Lacrosse has more gear than most sports, and would have to start over with the purchasing of uniforms and nets and balls. But this is one of the main things, as athletes in lacrosse, are hoping for too. The support of the school would be incredible. But what about all the costs? This is a huge reason for why lacrosse has yet to be sanctioned. Lacrosse is a beautiful game, and it can be for any athlete. If the game were to get sanctioned it would create another option for multiple-sport student athletes to consider, and for those kids who are not playing a sport, it could be a great choice for them and something they could exceed at. Not only will it create more opportunities for those who have not entered into the lacrosse world, it will be great exposure for those who are. Recruiting is not easy for club sports. Lacrosse is growing on the college level too, so being able to take that next step into a higher more advanced game is something any high school athlete thinks about. But when you play on a club team, chances of getting exposure are hard unless you seek them out, which can have high expenses. From my personal experience the only way to get some attention from colleges is to apply online and send in videos and information, or get invited to go to tournaments outside of the state, which are usually a lot of money, and even then the chances are very slim. Other opportunities that would be great about the sanctioning of lacrosse is the fact that they get to experience what it feels like to be supported by peers, family, and school. ("ULA Sanctioning Letter." Utah Lacrosse News. N.p., 10 June 2016. Web. 16 Mar. 2017). Lacrosse is a beautiful game, and it is growing so fast across all the states. Several athletes, boys and girls, are hoping onto the lacrosse bandwagon. Lacrosse should be sanctioned because it creates opportunities for the players to feel supported by a school, by peers, and by family. It will help with all the expenses of playing lacrosse as a club sport, and it will continue the growth of the game by inviting whoever would like to come try the sport out. Sanctioning in the state of Utah would be very beneficial to the community of lacrosse.