U-46 to have lacrosse teams starting in spring

Elgin Area School District U-46 is starting cooperative lacrosse teams for high school girls and boys next spring.

The school board recently approved creating the teams making lacrosse an Illinois High School Association-sanctioned sport.

The girls' co-op is Bartlett, Elgin, Larkin, South Elgin and Streamwood high schools. The boys' co-ops combine Bartlett and Streamwood on one team, and Elgin, South Elgin and Larkin on the other.

Some coaches suggested creating district-funded programs. The district has self-funded boys' club teams at South Elgin and Bartlett, costing roughly $30,000 per program. Students pay more than $500 in fees and teams rent fields from park districts.

The independent boards running those clubs wanted the district to take over the programs and provide partial funding and expand them to include girls.

U-46 would charge a $200 athletic fee per student. Teams likely would charge an additional $300 to $400 per student to cover uniforms and equipment, officials said. It costs roughly $1,000 per student to play.

For now, athletic trainers will be paid for through the high schools' budgets. Teams also could do their own fundraising to support other costs, which players have been doing already.

The district plans to make lacrosse a fully funded sport within the next two years.

The IHSA conducts its first boys and girls state championship series in the spring.