Lacrosse Fever Hits Western Springs

According to US Lacrosse, the official governing body of the sport, Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing team sports in the United States. Youth participation in the sport has grown 138% since 2001 to nearly 300,000. No sport has grown faster at the high school level over the last 10 years and there are now an estimated 228,000 high school players.

Western Springs Lacrosse, a program run through the , is riding the wave in popularity first hand.

"Spring 2012 will be our 13th year of lacrosse," reports Pam Florczak, lacrosse coordinator for Western Springs Lacrosse. "When the program started it was just 5th grade thru 8th combine...with just a few games and tournaments. Last spring, we had a total of 413 boys and 90 girls registered in grades 1st thru 8th. Our boys programs grow about 20 percent a year, while the girls program is growing 30 percent a year."

Peter Keese, 8 of Western Springs, tried lacrosse for the first time last spring.

"I wanted to try a new sport, but one that was simliar to hockey," reports Keese. "I also wanted to be outside and play something with some of my school friends."

While lacrosse is traditionally a spring sport, Western Springs Lacrosse added programs for summer, fall and winter in 2009 due to high demand for the sport.

"Lacrosse is a great sport because it combines elements of many other sports.  It uses fielding like soccer, cuts like football and motion attack like basketball," explains Florczak.

"It helps children with physical agility, endurance, eye hand coordination, team work and making new and lasting friends. Starting lacrosse early will help the boys and girls get the skill level they need for high school and colleges."

Cliff Nastas of Hinsdale signed up his 11-year-old son Jack for Lacrosse and helped coached his team.

"Jack got involved in lacrosse primarily because his two cousins play for the University of Arizona and many of his friends in the neighborhood were also interested in the game," says Nastas. "He really enjoys it because it is like hockey on land, you get to do a lot of checking...his hockey background helped him immensely.  Many of the same skills are used positioning, passing, shooting and hand/eye coordination."

The sport of lacrosse traditionally enjoys most of its popularity on the East Coast, but has been making aggressive inroads into other parts of the country, including the Midwest, in the new millenium.

Lyons Township High School has varsity, junior varsity and freshman lacrosse teams for both boys and girls, both of which play in the spring. The sport is classified as an "emerging sport" by the Illinois High School Association. Many major colleges also feature lacrosse teams; Illinois school Northwestern's women's team have won six of the last seven national championships.

Girls lacrosse is a non-contact sport and required equipment includes a lacrosse stick, mouthguard and protective eyeware. Conversely, boys lacrosse is a contact sport and requires a lacrosse stick, mouthguard, lacrosse or hockey helmet, shoulder pads, elbow pads, lacrosse gloves, cup and cleats.

Lacrosse equipment ranges from $70 for rentals to $200 or more if purchasing. Western Springs Lacrosse team fees for spring range from $100 to $200 for house leagues depending on grades, and travel leagues $350 up to $600. Summer, fall and winter house leagues range from $100 - $250, depending on season and level of play. Florczak offers advice for both parents and kids considering lacrosse.

"As with any sport, a time committment is involved along with attendance, practices, willing to learn, learning to play the sport with other kids and working together and a committment to the team," says Florczak. "Kids need to take the time to understand the rules of the game, listen to the coaches and go in there with the knowledge that many of the kids are just learning also and it takes time."