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Excitement
Over Lacrosse is Raging in the South
Lacrosse
glossary
On a windy Saturday morning, fans lined up their lawn chairs on
freshly laid grass to watch the newest action in town.
At Firethorne, a new subdivision near Katy, spectators and fans
are enjoying a new set of fields for the area's fastest growing
sport: lacrosse.
According to a recent participation survey conducted by U.S. Lacrosse,
the sport's governing body, an estimated 147,000 high school students
played lacrosse in the United States in 2005, a 206 percent increase
during the last 10 years. The survey reported 204,394 U.S. athletes
age 15 and under played organized lacrosse in 2005.
That growth is evident in the Houston area. There are 31 high school
teams and 18 middle school teams in an area where football remains
king.
"I played football forever, but I loved playing lacrosse in the
offseason," Andrew LaFleur said. "I ended up getting a scholarship
for lacrosse instead of football and now I continue to play a sport
I love."
LaFleur, a Katy Taylor graduate, played for the Taylor club team
and now competes for Marymount College in Arlington, Va. He is just
one of many athletes who have found away to get noticed for a "northern" sport
in the South.
Gaining ground
"
Lacrosse in Texas is growing so much so these kids are starting to
get recognition," Taylor lacrosse coach Michael Cavanaugh said. "And
the competition is getting so strong here that these kids can go on
and play at the next level against kids who are playing their whole
lives."
Boys lacrosse teams in Houston play under the guidelines of the
three-district Texas High School Lacrosse League. The North district
consists of teams from the Dallas, Fort Worth and Shreveport, La.,
areas. The Central teams are in Waco, Austin and San Antonio and
the South district teams are in the Houston area.
There are 19 boys teams playing in the Houston area.
Girls lacrosse in governed by the Texas Girls High School Lacrosse
League. They also have the same district areas as the boys league.
In Houston, there are 12 girls club teams.
Mindy Stone, a senior who plays on the Bellaire girls club team,
said lacrosse has opened a lot of doors for her.
"I am fielding some scholarship offers right now," she said. "It's
a really exciting thing, because I love lacrosse but never thought
it would be big enough here for me to be able to get noticed and
play in college."
The area is embracing the sport. Firethorne, a new subdivision
in west Katy opened two lacrosse fields in February to host tournaments
and home games for the Taylor, Cinco Ranch and middle school teams.
Growing demand
"
Several families are drawn to this area because we have lacrosse here," Firethorne
general manager Wayne Meyer said. "People who are relocating from
the North are thrilled with the fact that we are offering (lacrosse)."
The boys lacrosse league has had teams competing in Houston
for 10 seasons. The girls league picked up teams about five
years ago. The demand for the teams is growing and schools
such as Brook and Cypress Falls are planning to start lacrosse
teams.
Because lacrosse is not a UIL sanctioned sport, the teams
are operated away from school grounds and the coaches, most
of which are volunteers, are not associated with the schools.
"It's a very rewarding job," Cavanaugh said. "Getting out
here and enjoying the day, getting to coach kids who are playing
a very exciting, competitive sport is worth my time."
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