http://www.newarkadvocate.com/story/spo ... /83910118/
Lacrosse emerges as OHSAA sport
Dave Weidig , Reporter Published 8:42 p.m. ET May 7, 2016 | Updated 9:25 a.m. ET May 8, 2016
NEWARK - The Ohio High School Athletic Association couldn't wait any longer.
Starting next spring, boys and girls lacrosse will officially become OHSAA sanctioned sports. It will be the first sport added since bowling in 2006-07 and the first in the OHSAA's newly developed category called "emerging" sports, since lacrosse currently doesn't yet have the required 150 schools to become a "recognized" sport. There were 122 boys schools and 118 girls schools in 2015, with an additional 18 boys club teams sponsored.
As an emerging sport, the OHSAA board will conduct an annual assessment of lacrosse following 2017, to determine if it will continue as emerging, be elevated to recognized, or be suspended or discontinued. The OHSAA recognized the sport's growth. Commissioner Dan Ross noted several schools won't sponsor it until it is OHSAA-sanctioned.
The sport has taken hold in Licking County and local coaches expect further growth here.
The Granville Recreation District has spring boys lacrosse for grades 3-6, focusing on individual stick skills and basic understanding of the game. During the week, they can often be seen on the fields of Bryn Du Mansion and coaches often include players from Denison's highly-successful lacrosse program. The GRD also fields middle school lacrosse teams that compete in the Ohio Middle School Lacrosse Association league and tournament.
Granville has well-established boys and girls varsity and JV lacrosse teams. For the past five years, the Blue Aces have been fully backed by the school district. Licking Valley has had boys lacrosse the past five years and also has a middle school team. Although the Panthers are board-approved, they are self funding, as is Johnstown which re-started its program three years ago. Newark has been given the go-ahead to start lacrosse and hopes to have a team in place by next spring. And Northridge has had teams in the past.
"This (the OHSAA) will give us better visibility and recognition statewide," said Granville varsity girls coach Bobbi Seidell. "It might be enough for teams to be actual school teams instead of just club. Everyone has been trying to follow OHSAA rules, so the transition should be smooth."
"When you're school sponsored, it changes the feel and mindset," said Granville athletic director Kevin Jarrrett. "It makes a difference because of the little things. The expectation changes because you compare yourself to the other sports. It pulls you all up." Or as Seidell said, "You become part of the school family. Your relevance steps up a notch."
Johnstown coach Steph Alley is taking things one step at a time. She coached her son Hunter, now a junior standout for the Johnnies, from third through seventh grade in the New Albany youth program before moving to Johnstown. The Johnnies had the sport in the past and Alley re-kindled the interest.
"We're a school-sanctioned club sport, and we have to get it reviewed every year," she said. "We have to do our own fundraising. The ultimate goal is to get a middle school program, then get a youth program like Licking Valley does at the YMCA. It takes a lot of manpower."
Alley has seen her varsity program grow from 14 three years ago to its current 24. "We had seven freshmen come in this year, and we have a freshman goalie," she said. "Only eight of our players have ever even played before."
Caleb Nilo, a first-year World History teacher at Newark High School, is just getting lacrosse started with the Wildcats. The same thing happened his freshman year at his Hickory, N.C. high school. Two years later, it was school sponsored, and he went on to play collegiately at Appalachian State. His friend, former Newark soccer player Travis Lindner, is helping him out and they hope to have everything in place for their first team by next spring.
"We're getting started faster than I ever expected," Nilo said. "(Athletic director) Jeff Quackenbush gave us the go ahead and said they would buy the goals and give us the facility (Evans Athletic Complex). We have to be a club team for two years first."
Nilo said Valley coach Pat Cherubini, who has had Newark players play for him in the past, has been a huge help, putting him in contact with people willing to donate time and equipment. Denison University legend Bill Mason has helped him put on non-contact, instructional clinics that have been well attended and he made connection with a Columbus man whose son is the head lacrosse coach at Muskingum University. Fundraising projects have already begun.
So why all the interest in lacrosse, which has similar elements to soccer and hockey, only played with sticks? Athletes from other sports are intrigued by the speed, finesse and physical play of the game and have joined in.
"It's the fastest growing sport in the Midwest," Alley said. "It brings another flavor for a spring sport, for kids who don't want to play baseball, softball or run track. It's another avenue for opportunity and it doesn't matter what size you are, are which appeals to a lot of kids,"
"It's another way to keep kids engaged, those who aren't able to start in football, basketball and baseball," Nilo said. "It's a fast-paced game, and offers something new and different. I talked to a mom whose son had never played sports. He caught on, and is excited."
Granville senior Jaclen Moxley started the sport in sixth grade, because it wasn't available to her until then. She's parlayed it into a scholarship to Ohio State.
"It's a cool sport, and basically all you need is a stick, at least for the girls," she said. "The boys have to wear more padding, but not that much more. Once people try it, they see it's fun. It's cool to see the smaller schools starting it."
The Ohio High School Lacrosse Association has been conducting postseason tournaments with two divisions for boys and girls. The OHSAA has said it will decide in the fall on divisional alignment for next spring.