In recent years the sport of lacrosse has migrated from the East coast, with many teams popping up throughout the Midwest and other parts of the country.
Many recognize the name, but people tend to cast it aside because it lacks the same popularity as football or basketball.
Lacrosse has grown into a prominent sport and has spread to nearly all regions within the U.S. As of April 2021, only 22 states have sanctioned lacrosse as a high school sport, but even in states that are not sanctioned there has been considerable growth in participation of the sport, including in the Quad Cities (QC).
The Quad City Lacrosse Association was founded in 2015 and immediately began both boys and girls programs for the local surrounding areas. The program is directly affiliated with US Lacrosse, the sport’s national governing body.
The US Lacrosse organization is committed to expanding the sport to as many places and people as possible, all while maintaining the integrity of the sport. The stability of this program is achieved by offering training programs for coaches, players and officials.
Freshman Rese Bailey has been a part of the QC program for the last five years, and has experienced the ups and downs of lacrosse.
“The team has gotten smaller over the past few years, partly because not many people stuck with it when it was originally run by Saint Ambrose University,” he stated. “But since the sport is becoming progressively more popular in the Midwest, I have no doubt the team will grow in coming years.”
Since lacrosse has yet to be sanctioned as an official high school sport in Iowa, it can be difficult to find local competition. The QC lacrosse team is committed to their craft and is willing to travel across the state, as well as to nearby states to compete.
“The closest we have played is Iowa City. There are quite a few lacrosse teams spread out through Iowa though, and the sport is rapidly gaining popularity in Illinois,” Bailey said.
In this part of the country, the immersion of this sport has allowed for increased excitement in those with a desire to get involved. It also has lacrosse fans looking forward to games.
Senior Luke Ager has been invested in the progress that the league has made. “I’ve been a fan of the sport for awhile now, and I’m looking forward to seeing how lacrosse spreads and develops around here in the coming years,” he said.
The QC lacrosse program has welcomed new players of all levels of experience and provided a new opportunity for boys and girls to compete and develop their skills.
Lacrosse has been rapidly developing in the Midwest and other regions of the country over the past five to 10 years. With increasing popularity and awareness, the sport is expected to continue to expand in the future.
