Shifting the Lacrosse Paradigm
A westward movement takes center stage

Visions of Canadians swapping out winter ice hockey sticks for their spring lacrosse ones epitomize the traditional American sentiment of the centuries-old game of lacrosse. While the Northeastern United States is as much a part of its grassroots upbringing as Southern Canada , only until recently has the sport garnered enough enthusiasm to perpetuate large-scale growth. An increase in media exposure is perhaps one reason for the snowball effect, allowing lacrosse to gather momentum as it advances across the country.

"New York , New Jersey , Maryland and Massachusetts are the original hotbeds [for U.S. lacrosse]," says Jason Dombrowski, Head Men's Lacrosse Coach for Pfeiffer University . "Now it's popping up all over the place. It's really rocketed."

As the sport continues to push its way west and south, U.S. Lacrosse reports that Oregon , for example, had just 150 youth players in 2001. In 2007, the number of Oregon 's youth players came in just under 3,000. According to the report, Texas has seen similar growth in youth lacrosse. Its youth players grew from 700 in 2001 to almost 5,000 by 2007.

Connecticut, Georgia, Washington , D.C. and Virginia also experienced high growth in youth programs. Maryland , New York and Massachusetts , respectively, boast the highest numbers of youth players.

At the high school level, Florida , Michigan , Minnesota , Missouri and Pennsylvania state high school associations have recently recognized lacrosse as an official sport. Only 18 of these associations have sanctioned the sport although high school lacrosse was the fastest-growing segment of the 2007 U.S. Lacrosse report. In fact, no sport has grown faster at the high school level in the last 10 years.

Increasingly-but slowly-players from the growth areas are becoming visible at the college level. In women's college lacrosse, all divisions, recruits from California and Ohio have been on the rise over the last three seasons according to laxpower.com; from 2.5 percent in 2006 to 3.4 percent in 2008 and 1.9 percent in 2006 to 3.3 percent in 2008, respectively. In men's college lacrosse, similar growth can be seen in Florida and Georgia . In 2006, 1.3 percent of all men's recruits were from Florida , compared to 2.4 percent in 2008. Georgia saw a rise from .7 percent to 1.4 percent over the same years.

Coaches agree that a player's geographic location is no longer as important as it once was with regard to college recruiting; top Division I teams routinely recruit from all areas of the country.

"The areas where they have been playing longer have a 'lacrosse IQ'-better instinct and anticipation," according to Head Varsity Lacrosse Coach Brooks Matthews from Gilman High School in Baltimore, Maryland. "But I know that coaches are open to recruiting from any area; if they are recruiting geographically, it's because of budget."

"Give yourself a chance to be recruited," Matthews adds, "coaches are looking for speed, size and strength."

The explosive growth at the youth and high school levels has allowed college coaches to be more selective of their players over time. Competition has become fiercer according to some coaches.

"With minimal experience you can play in college," says Coach Rob Bajoros, Men's Head Lacrosse Coach at Notre Dame High School , "but playing at a high level is more difficult."

While college level programs continue to grow steadily-152 new NCAA lacrosse programs were added from 1996 to 2006 according to U.S. Lacrosse-collegiate teams have not enjoyed the kind of explosive growth of the youth and high school levels. Laws of supply and demand dictate that slowly and systematically collegiate programs will likely support the influx generated by the youth programs-some of which have even started in parking lots due to lack of field space.

Whereas youth participation is still highest in the northeast, coaches agree that recruits from these new growth areas will catch up in time to the more traditional regions.

Says Coach Bajoros of local youth coaches and players, "Once they play, they want to see it grow."