In growing lacrosse communities, the current economic crisis is impacting the push for recognition.  Schools are losing money and the resulting environment has cooled plans to make lacrosse a sanctioned high school sport in Oregon. How else will the economy change the game?

A recent article in the Oregonian expands on the OHSLA’s recent decision to pause their effort to push for lacrosse as a recognized high school sport.  With budgets being cut left and right, the organization felt it would come across greedy if it pushed for sanctioning in the current rough economy. 

This is the first bit of bad news for lacrosse in a state where the game is booming.  New teams are springing up at a fast rate and at times the OHSLA has tempered growth because there just wasn’t enough quality coaching to meet the demand for new high school teams. The long term impact this will have on Oregon lacrosse is likely to be small but this is yet another example of the pitfalls that the game faces on the long road to recognition around the country. 

Lacrosse drive hits economic wall

by Kevin Hudson, The Oregonian, April 05

Jesuit H.S in Portland is one of the newest members of the OHSLAThe Oregon High School Lacrosse Association will delay its efforts to gain recognition from the governing body for high school sports in the state in deference to the recession and the resulting budget crunch in school districts across Oregon.

The proposal to make lacrosse an official sport in the state was originally intended for presentation at the Oregon State Athletic Association delegate assembly meeting Monday in Portland, according to OHSLA Commissioner Dale Waagmeester. Waagmeester said lacrosse boosters recognized the financial burden another spring sport could place on school districts that are already trimming budgets…

“When you start up one sport you’re going to have to take away from another sport, and then we have a problem,” Williams said. “I don’t think anyone, anywhere in the state, can afford to add a new sport right now.”

“Had the economy not headed south, I think (the proposal) would’ve had a decent chance,” he said. “But right now, most of our school districts can’t afford what they already have.” (full article here)