If there’s one thing that every Kansas Citian knows and loves, it's sports. With many successful professional teams, intense college rivalries and a plethora of youth and high school sports, everyone has an investment in local athletics.
And while the classics– football, soccer and baseball– have held our citizens' investment in an iron grip, a new sport has been growing steadily behind the scenes: lacrosse.
The Kansas City Metro Girls Lacrosse Association (KCMGLA), established in 2011, was the first lacrosse league in the area. Later, in 2012, the Lacrosse Association of Kansas City (LAKC) formed to create a boy's league.
Both leagues started small, with only a few (mostly private) school teams. Many public schools still don’t have
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“We ended up losing to Rockhurst by four, but we’ve had a great season this year.”
In addition to successful seasons, the Southwest team also sees a few students commit to play collegiate lacrosse each year. For the class of 2023, Daniel Besheer and Connor Falkner committed to Lindenwood University and Rockhurst University respectively.
Southwest currently does not have a girls lacrosse program, they play for the unified Blue Valley team. As the sport continues to grow, more teams will become available for students at their own schools.
But for the sport to grow more students need to try out for the team. So, how do you start lacrosse? According to Peterson, you just ask! Local lacrosse players are more than happy to point prospective players in the right direction.
Southwest Sophomore and Mills farm resident Brady Shannon backed up this claim, saying “People are completely able to join lacrosse, just show up and you’ll find a spot on the team.”
Lacrosse is welcoming to new players of all ages and athletic backgrounds. In fact, local high schools commonly welcome brand new players to their teams. It is a particularly popular option for students looking for a good off-season