Lacrosse close to full IHSA recognition

New Trier has built a boys lacrosse dynasty.

The Trevians have won the last six Illinois state championships, as well as the 1995 and 1998 titles. The team, in its blue and green and fabled NT logo, has developed some of the best players in Illinois, several of whom went on to elite-level collegiate programs.

Last year, four Trevians went on to play collegiately, including JP Harvey at Northern Illinois and Joe Lankford at Indiana.

And from the Class of 2005, former Trevians Matt Kelly and Andrew Jaffe went on to play at such perennial powers as Virginia and Johns Hopkins, respectively.

New Trier has plenty of hardware and accolades, an overflowing display case of trophies won by its lacrosse team.

But no acknowledgement from the Illinois High School Association.

Lacrosse is simply a club sport locally, and not an IHSA-sanctioned sport a la football, basketball, soccer, baseball and most other sports.

“For the kids (playing lacrosse), who are working really hard, training and trying to be successful, sure, you get a trophy if you win the state championship. But it’s not the same thing. It doesn’t have the same weight or validity when it’s not an IHSA state trophy,” said Hinsdale Central athletic director Paul Moretta, who previously worked at New Trier in the Trevians’ athletic department.

Lacrosse, much like ice hockey, has an enormous following at many Illinois schools, with highly competitive teams, skilled players and an even a sizeable fan-base. But no legitimacy from the IHSA.

At least not yet.

The argument about sanctioning lacrosse is deep and wide spread, with many legitimate reasons to do so, and naturally some against it, too.

Many want it to happen. Many think it will happen. Many are convinced it’s a matter of when, not if.

“For the growth of the sport, I think we need to (become an IHSA sport),” said New Trier boys coach Tom Herrala. “Sure, we may lose schools in the short term. But in the long term, being an IHSA-supported sport will help it grow bigger and better. Long term, it will be very beneficial.

“The sport of lacrosse is exploding across the state. Kids are starting to play as early as kindergarten. It used to be a sport that was just played on the North Shore, but not anymore. Now you’re seeing some really good lacrosse players out west and down south.”

It seems everyone and everywhere in Illinois is playing lacrosse. The sight of that solid rubber ball and the long-handled stick is now commonplace, not just on the East Coast where lacrosse has blossomed.

“Lacrosse is wildly popular. It’s a great game,” Moretta said. “We need to find a way to give more kids the chance to play within the school, and that’s the bottom line. We want to provide as many opportunities for kids as possible, within all of the boundaries we have, including budgets, space, etc. The onus is on the athletic director to try to overcome obstacles. If it’s important enough, you figure out a way to get it done.”

Hinsdale Central, for instance, has about 200 lacrosse players, combining boys and girls, which makes it one of the school’s highest participation sports.

New Trier is one of many area schools that partially support its lacrosse teams — meaning, the school pays for uniforms and a team bus to and from matches. Parental boards then fill in the remaining team expenses, such as the expenses from the team’s three overnight trips for games.

Yes, the biggest obstacle for lacrosse to overcome the IHSA obstacle is financial. Especially when schools across the state are cutting programs and resources.

Some lacrosse helmets can cost $200 or more, and that of course is per player.

Adding lacrosse to a high school athletic department’s budget would be an expense of between $50,000 and $75,000, according to Moretta. That includes a boys and girls team, coach’s stipend, transportation, entry fee, and equipment.

And many schools would have to figure out field space to practice or play, not to mention its upkeep. With other spring sports also playing outdoors, those facilities are at a premium. And the weather also can impact the fields and their corresponding costs. As snow melts, the soggy fields would be destroyed almost instantly by lacrosse.

“For the sport, it’s best immediately (to become an IHSA sport), but it’s probably two or three years down the road,” Herrala said. “I don’t see it happening (sooner) with the (current) economic environment.

“Cost clearly is the big issue. Schools are cutting teachers, staff, and programs. So add a sport? Well, we might need to be creative because, yes, there are enough teams, enough players that I think it’s just a matter of time.”

New Trier girls coach Peter Collins added: “I personally would like to see lacrosse as an IHSA sport for a lot of reasons. One, it will give more validation to the sport, particularly to and from the general public. Second, the players will be treated like football, basketball and soccer players, and all other IHSA athletes. Third, more schools then will try to add it. I don’t see or know any reasons why you wouldn’t want it to be an IHSA sport,” other than the cost.

Collins has made numerous trips to the IHSA headquarters in Bloomington to make promotional pitches on behalf of the sport. And the IHSA has long been receptive to lacrosse, he said, provided that conditions are met and teams agree.

Take, for instance, length of season. The IHSA has a stipulation for that, and lacrosse locally has adopted that policy. Ice hockey, meanwhile, is not supported by the IHSA and likely never will be — if only because of the length of its season, among other factors. New Trier Green is the school’s top ice hockey team, arguably the best program over the past 20 years.

Well, Green started playing in September and was on the ice at the United Center on Sunday, March 13, for the state championship game against Glenbrook North.

The length of the ice hockey season would never fly with the IHSA.

Another factor for lacrosse is a suitable playoff format. Also considered is, can the sport be played on the school’s campus? Most, but not all, would play in their football stadium.

“I really hopefully that lacrosse becomes an IHSA sport, and we’re working really hard as an advisory committee to partner with the IHSA,” Moretta said.

The catch now is support from schools that already have lacrosse teams. Moretta said that 66 boys and 40 girls teams must fully agree, and sign to it.

The next vote is scheduled for next February, Moretta said.

“We’re a handful (of votes) away. We’re really close. It’ll happen in the next couple (of) years, at most,” he said. “All teams adhere to the Emerging Sports Provision of the IHSA, including length of season, having certified coaches, number of contests, etc.”

Ironically, Moretta never played lacrosse, but he was a hockey player. He attends many lacrosse matches annually — as a school official and also as a cheerleader, of sorts.

“Going to lacrosse (matches) is no different for me than going to any other (athletic) contest,” Moretta said. “I’m there rooting for our team. I want to make sure our kids behave well. I want to make sure the kids are treated well by the coach. I want to talk to the parents for their thoughts.”

Moretta is convinced that a full high school sanctioning of lacrosse would not diminish the participation numbers of other spring sports, which is also a concern for many. Moretta says Hinsdale Central has probably already seen athletes leave their spring sport for lacrosse. It likely would be an issue for schools that would be offering new lacrosse teams.

Glenbrook South athletic director Steve Rockrohr is another of the strong lacrosse backers for sanctioning by the IHSA.

“I both want and think (lacrosse) needs to be a fully-recognized IHSA sport,” he said. “There are a ton of kids playing it, and just because the IHSA didn’t recognize it as a sport this year does not mean there are any fewer kids playing it.

“I think it was just the reluctance of some schools and some school districts to take on the financial (issues) that would make it a fully-funded sport, and I understand that. It’s hard when a school is cutting 10 teachers (jobs) to then add lacrosse.

“As soon as the economy turns and schools have a little more financial flexibility, I think they then will adopt it as a school-sponsored sport.”

The question is, when?

And for many in Illinois, the answer is: the sooner the better.

“I feel very confident that, as soon as the economy turns (for the better), we then will be fully accepted by the IHSA,” Rockrohr said.