Lacrosse gets bum rap from local high schools, supporters say
Good morning! Lacrosse supporters unite to push recognition in WJCC and York high schools. Plus, tomorrow marks the start of hurricane season. Are you ready?
Lacrosse gets a bum rap at our local high schools, say determined supporters in the Historic Triangle who banded together to get the recognition they say their players deserve.
Lacrosse players and supporters have shown up en masse at meetings of the York County and the Williamsburg-James City County school boards to ask they be included as a recognized school sport. Their goal is to create a Bay Rivers sports district lacrosse category that would allow them to compete against each other and in the post season.
“There’s this connotation that it’s for affluent people like squash or polo,” says Jason Madzuma, president and head coach of the Lafayette Lacrosse Club. “But it’s so far from the truth.”
Lacrosse, which has been described as a combination of basketball, soccer and hockey, originated with Native Americans, for whom it was a spiritual activity. It’s drawn minority standouts like former football hall of famer Jim Brown (who played lacrosse at Syracuse), Native American Lyle Thompson (Albany) and Kyle Harrison, a black player from Johns Hopkins who became a pro standout before his retirement.
In his latest book, “The American Game”, sports author S.L. Price argues lacrosse is more American than football or baseball, which can trace their roots back to England.
It’s the fastest growing sport in the nation, with more than 130,000 high school players, according to the Hampton Roads Lacrosse League, which says its youth league has expanded by 30% a year over the past three years.
But while the Williamsburg-James City County and York County high schools recognize a variety of sports ranging from golf (arguably not a poor man’s game) to wrestling, track and field, and other traditional sports like football, lacrosse is not on the list.
That means “they are not recognized at the school awards ceremonies…. they aren’t allowed to use any of the school fields,” says Caroline Anderson, president of the York High School Lacrosse Club. They cannot participate in post season games at the regional level as part of the Virginia High School League, she adds.
This year, local schools would have made that post season list. The Jamestown boys’ team won top standing in Hampton Roads without a single loss this season, and Tabb’s boys’ team was in second place. The York High School girls’ team was tops in the standings with no losses, and Tabb girls came in third.
Because of the two school districts’ great performance, more than half of the Hampton Roads League’s all-star roster for this spring are boys and girls from schools in the York County and Williamsburg-James City County schools.
Besides post-season play, school support would make it easier for economically disadvantaged students to play the game, which rewards speed and agility more than size or strength, supporters argue.
Students have to pay $175 a season to register with the Hampton Roads league and another $35 for insurance required to play, Madzuma says. They also need to pay to use recreational fields for practice and games, find their own transportation, and spend money for outfits that can cost from hundreds of dollars to $1,000 for sticks, masks, helmets and shoulder pads, depending on whether they are purchased used or new.
Lacrosse parents spend significant time raising funds to help players cover some of the costs, Anderson and Madzuma say.
Because of those costs and the inability to get recognition for potential athletic scholarships, however, minority players “don’t tend to stick around,” Madzuma says.
The costs of adding this support was cited by both school boards as a reason they are hesitant to add lacrosse to their roster of recognized sports.
Supporters counter they would donate their existing equipment and any funds they’ve raised to the schools to help them defray the cost of starting up the program.
In addition, Caroline Anderson points out, spectators have to pay between $5 and $15 to attend high school games depending on the event, money which would go to the schools.
“I don’t know that they realize how many…people come out and watch the games,” says Anderson, “and if it was in the schools there would be more.”
Her husband John, who coaches girls at York High School, attributes some of the school boards’ reluctance to unfamiliarity with the game.
“When I was growing up I never heard of lacrosse,” he says, noting it was more popular in the northeast. “In this area (it was) not until about 15-20 years ago that a lot of the youth programs started picking up.”
James City County Board of Supervisors Briefs
Supervisors’ relatives can work for county
The board of supervisors voted unanimously at their Tuesday meeting to allow supervisors’ relatives to work for the county.
The vote will amend the county’s personnel manual to allow the county administrator to approve hiring family members of Board of Supervisors members. County regulations allow other relatives and spouses to work for the county if one does not supervise the other.
Administrator Scott Stevens told Williamsburg Watch he proposed the amendment after a query from outgoing Powhatan District member Michael J. Hipple, who did not return our call and email asking for comment.
Stevens told the board he didn’t think it was a conflict for their children and grandchildren to work in summer programs, adding he wasn’t too concerned about employees in entry and mid-range jobs.
“Above that would be an area where I would really have to talk to that board member,” Stevens said. But since any employee would be under the ultimate supervision of the county administrator and not the elected officials, he said there would be no conflict.
More stoplights
Supervisors will vote June 10 on whether to apply for state matching funds to pay for half of the cost of adding two more stoplights.
- The state approved funding two years ago for a new stoplight at the intersection of Jolly Pond Road and Centerville Road, but it was not put up, Community Development Director Paul Holt said. Since that time, estimated construction costs jumped from $600,000 to $1 million, and the county will need to apply for an additional grant to cover the state’s share of the difference.
- County staff is also proposing adding a stoplight at the intersection of Longhill Road and Warhill Trail, at the southern entrance to the Warhill sports complex.
Free mosquito dunks
James City County is offering residents free mosquito dunks to control the pests in ponds and other standing water. The dunks are not harmful to animals who might drink the water, Stevens told the board. Residents can get them by calling the county’s general services department at 757-259-4080.
Hurricane season starts Sunday
Sunday, June 1, marks the official start of hurricane season.
It’s not too soon to prepare emergency supplies to get you through several days in case you are cut off by weather, authorities say.
The Virginia Department of Emergency Management offers links to information on making a disaster plan, building an emergency kit, and more.
Our news partners at WHRO prepared a special report on hurricane planning for Hampton Roads, including evacuation routes.
State headlines
Measles case confirmed in Charlottesville area
Democratic candidates for attorney general talk opioids, Trump and Southwest Virginia
I-64, Gap Widening Segment C, James City County:
Single-lane closure on I-64 west near Old Stage Road (exit 227) May 30-June 1 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Single-lane closures on I-64 east from Old Stage Road (exit 227) to Route 199/Lightfoot (exit 234) June 1-7 from as early as 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Single-lane closures on I-64 west from Route 199/Lightfoot (exit 234) to the New Kent County-James City County line June 1-7 from as early as 7 p.m. to as late as 7 a.m.
Full closures of I-64 west on- and off-ramps at Croaker Road (exit 231) June 1-7 from as early as 7 p.m. to as late as 7 a.m.
Long-term, temporary traffic shift on I-64 west from east of Route 199/Lightfoot (exit 234) to the New Kent/James City County line. View the full traffic alert.
Long-term, temporary traffic shift on I-64 east between the New Kent/James City County line to Route 199/Lightfoot (exit 234). View the full traffic alert.
Government meetings next week
James City County:
Planning Commision, June 4, 6 p.m. County Government Center Board Room, 101 Mounts Bay Rd.
Williamsburg
Board of Zoning Appeals. June 3, 4 p.m. Stryker Center, 412 N. Boundary St.
Economic Development Authority, June 6. 3 p.m. Room 127 Stryker Center, 412 N. Boundary St.
York County
Board of Supervisors, June 3. 6 p.m. Board Room, York Hall, 301 Main St.
Passings
