*This article was updated with new information
On July 23, the KHSAA Board met to discuss a number of topics, mainly discussing the speculation of lacrosse becoming an official sport, before ultimately deciding to postpone the decision to sanction the sport or not.
With more interest showing in lacrosse across the state, KHSAA has been considering the possibility of sponsoring a lacrosse championship in the Spring of 2022.
In order for this to happen, 50 teams must express intent to compete. The tentative deadline for programs to express intent to compete has been set by the KHSAA Board for Sept. 22 after it was voted on to move the meeting to that day.
There was speculation in prior months regarding the finalization of lacrosse becoming a spring sport in 2022 and KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett had told The Owensboro Times that at the moment the requirements to make it an official sport had not been met.
This wasn’t always the case, as there was interest from a number of schools across the commonwealth in years past.
“In 2018-19, the member schools of the association indicated on the triennial survey that more than fifty (50) schools were interested in postseason competition,” Tackett said. “The policies of the Association, adopted as state regulation through 702 KAR 7:065 require that fifty schools indicate their desire for KHSAA sponsored championship competition before such competition shall be held.”
Postseason play for lacrosse for those schools that did have the sport across the commonwealth was approved for this year initially, but that has since changed after the pandemic.
“During the 2019-20 school year, prior to the suspension of sports due to the pandemic, the Board approved a report from staff specifying that the 2021-22 school year would be the first year for postseason play, in a spring season that would closely parallel the seasons in baseball and softball,” Tackett said. “This was of course, dependent on the requisite number of teams sponsoring a team. As of today, the number of schools falls short of the number necessary.”
Prior to the meeting Tackett, said that 29 girls teams and 25 boys teams are listed at the varsity level by the member schools, thus falling short of the requirements.
Now, there are 38 boys teams and 37 girls teams, but having a team in itself does not mean that there is intent.
However, the graphic below made by Nate Bryan shows that there are 50 schools interested with nearly 40 schools showing interest for both genders.
Despite this, the board stood by their previous statement, voting that the sport won’t be sanctioned unless there’s even more support for lacrosse by the Sept. 22 meeting. Stay tuned to The Owensboro Times for more information as the story develops.
