Lacrosse, Anyone?
Support local expansion in one of the nation’s fastest-growing sports
By Erin Smith
Photos: US Lacrosse
Fast-paced, exciting, and inclusive, lacrosse remains one of the nation's fastest-growing sports at the youth and high school levels. Over the last two decades, its rising popularity has pushed the game far beyond its traditional Northeast footprint into emerging areas from coast to coast. Fields and outdoor spaces from Florida to California and from Texas to Minnesota now feature lacrosse goals dotting the landscape.
Since its inception in 1998, US Lacrosse has been one of the primary catalysts in fueling the growth of the game, investing over $275 million into the sport’s national development. With programs, services, and initiatives that help put lacrosse sticks in the hands of players and provide guidance to program leaders, the national governing body has safely introduced the game to thousands of participants.
Whether you are looking to launch a program or already have an established presence, various grants can help create opportunities in the sport while benefiting an organization.
The grants are divided into three categories:
Education and development
Equipment
Financial
Each grant area focuses on providing specific resources and support to ensure youth have the best experience possible.
Education And Development Grants
These grants help support the overall development of the sport at the local level. Member programs, new and old, can apply to host coaching-development clinics for the men’s and/or women’s game at three different experience levels.
Each clinic is led by certified coaching clinicians to ensure participants receive proper instruction to feel confident leading their programs.
Providing feedback after a clinic, former Johns Hopkins University player Walt Carswell, now a youth coach, thoroughly enjoyed his experience: “The clinic was outstanding. Prior to going in, I figured I would be enlightened to some degree, but definitely not to the level that I experienced. They were well organized, with explanations that were on point and clear, and provided fantastic analogies to past experiences. I would definitely recommend this to all the lacrosse coaches out there.”
Equipment Grants
The First Stick program awards free lacrosse equipment to organizations, which can apply to receive a Starter Kit Package, Youth Team grant, or High School Team grant through this program.
The Starter Kit Package provides 30 lacrosse sticks, two dozen soft practice balls, and two 3-foot by 3-foot goals. Starter Kit grants also include complimentary US Lacrosse membership for two adult coaches and up to 30 new youth players.
The Youth or High School Team Grant provides enough equipment for 20 field players and one goalie. Organizations that receive a Team Grant are required to be participants in the 100% Membership Program. They receive complimentary membership for two adult coaches and up to 20 new youth or high school players.
Financial Grants
These grants are intended to support programs that work to ensure greater diversity in the sport nationally. The Diversity & Inclusion National Grant Program provides funding to qualified organizations that initiate and/or continue programs or projects that promote lacrosse participation and education in underrepresented communities.
These grants are offered in various forms, including equipment grants, free youth clinics, and scholarships, that cover costs associated with attending lacrosse education opportunities like coaching clinics and the annual US Lacrosse Convention.
Last year, a diversity grant helped introduce the game at the Salvation Army Kroc Center in Camden, N.J. Program manager Demetrious Marlowe leveraged the organization’s funding support to launch a 10-week winter clinic for boys and girls, and also incorporated lacrosse into the center’s after-school program.
“The parents have been wildly impressed with what we are doing with lacrosse,” Marlowe says. “The kids are constantly moving for 90 minutes, and more importantly, they are learning and having fun.”
Introducing The Sport
One of the newest initiatives, TryLax, has quickly become a popular choice for local leaders seeking to bring the game to their community.
The 90-minute player clinics are designed as an introductory experience for boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 14, and offer an affordable no-obligation option for parents and families.
Featuring a curriculum designed by US Lacrosse and delivered by coaches from local programs, the clinics are an attractive option for players who want to try the game for the first time.
Earlier this spring, Yakima Valley Lacrosse, located in the largely agricultural region of south-central Washington, was looking for a special way to launch registration for the 2020 season. Seeking to expose the game to potential players, YVL leaders applied to host a TryLax clinic.
The one-day event produced the type of return the program leaders were hoping for.
“TryLax was a great way to create exposure to the game and to our organization,” says Jeff Feen, one of the YVL’s event coordinators.
Perhaps no area of the country reflects the growing popularity of TryLax more than the state of Florida, which has hosted eight events in recent months.
Manatee Youth Lacrosse, based in Bradenton, served as host for one of the state’s largest TryLax clinics, with 170 boys and girls attending last November. In addition to exposing the sport to new players, the organization used the event to heighten community awareness.
“TryLax gave us an opportunity to approach our local school board to ask for more support,” says MYL board member Kris Cox.
Kristen Marr, a program leader of a parks and recreation-affiliated program in Little Rock, Ark., also offered praise for the program: “The support materials and curriculum made it so easy for our directors and coaches to hold the event.” We had 64 kids at the clinic, and almost 100 percent signed up for spring teams. Once you give kids a stick, you’ve got them.”
Each TryLax clinic is a partnership between US Lacrosse and the local organization that serves as the host. In addition to a one-year membership and free stick for each participant, US Lacrosse provides the local host with marketing support, event insurance, the clinic curriculum, and up to 10 dozen soft practice balls.
US Lacrosse awarded 84 TryLax clinics across 33 different states in 2019, with 45 more clinics through the first four months of 2020.
Local Support
Launching or growing a program can be an intimidating task alone, so US Lacrosse has managers across the country representing 10 different regions that work in and understand the hyperlocal challenges you may be facing.
To connect with your region’s manager, visit www.uslacrosse.org/program-leaders/regional-managers.
Lacrosse continues to be one of the fastest-growing team sports across the country, but there’s still plenty of opportunity for growth. Offering lacrosse can better engage current athletes looking for a new sport. Through different grants and available local support, adding lacrosse can be a seamless and beneficial experience.
“The US Lacrosse grants are all about the power of the community,” says Jon Stehle, a Fairfax City council member who coaches a team for girls in the Fairfax Police Youth Club. “I can see the return on investment. The grant is expanding the pool of players and actively building the lacrosse community from the ground up.”
Erin Smith is Senior Director of Sport Development at US Lacrosse in Sparks, Md. Reach her at emsith@uslacrosse.org or (410) 235-6882 ext. 151.