According to Varsity head coach and Downers Grove Lacrosse Club director Jon Gargiulo, “lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in America because it is a combination of soccer, basketball and hockey.”
Because the sport is growing so rapidly, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) officially considers both boys and girls lacrosse as emerging sports.
According to the IHSA website, “In October 2009, the IHSA Board of Directors approved a state series for the 2010-11 school year, but only if at least 65 boys teams and 40 girls teams entered the tournament. Those thresholds were not met, and the Board delayed the inaugural tournament indefinitely until participation in lacrosse increases.”
The Downers Grove Lacrosse Club is a not-for-profit volunteer group whose goal is to spread the game of lacrosse in Downers Grove and surrounding areas. More than 60 players split into Varsity and Junior Varsity, consisting of students from DGS, Downers Grove North High School and Hinsdale South High School, make up the club.
Athletic Director Randy Konstans feels that economic hardship is responsible for keeping lacrosse from becoming an IHSA sport.
“One thing that is getting in the way is the economic climate,” Konstans said. “Schools have been cutting, and we’re no exception…We should be providing field space just like we do for all of the other sports, but I don’t think that we’re in a position to do that.”
Gargiulo, though, remains optimistic that lacrosse will eventually become part of IHSA.
“Our goal is to get the sport into the high school system,” Gargiulo said. “Once that has occurred, the coaches would be looking to assist the official high school coaches to keep the programs moving along. Currently our coaches are working on their substitute teaching certifications, which is a requirement for us to coach at the high school level, so if this transition happens sooner than later we can transition easily in this capacity.”
While lacrosse remains a club sport, players feel that they miss out on benefits that are provided from the school, including attack, senior Paul Carlquist.
“The main differences with being a club team are the schedules and the places that we play,” Carlquist said. “Because we are not affiliated with the school, we don’t practice on the game field like other teams and we don’t practice right after school like other school sanctioned sports. Because we are at a club level, the teams we play are also at a club level. None of the teams we play are in the West Suburban Gold conference.”
Defender, senior Nic Tysiak also recognizes the individual differences between a club team and a school sanctioned team.
“What sets us apart [from a school team] is that we don’t have trainers,” Tysiak said. “We also have to supply our own equipment, and we don’t have rules on when we can start practicing.”
However, these student athletes also gain unique benefits by playing at the club level rather than in the IHSA system.
“If DGS were to make lacrosse into a school sanctioned sport, I would miss the freedom and flexibility that comes with a club team,” Carlquist said. “As a club, we are able to schedule extra scrimmages, play with and develop friendships with kids from other schools and…create a new, unique team every year.”
Konstans, though, feels that students will be playing lacrosse in Mustang uniforms in the future.
“I think eventually you will see it,” Konstans said. “You’ll see it here and at other high schools. You will see it come into the IHSA at the state level. It will cease to be an emerging sport and be a sport. I think it will happen because there’s quite a bit of interest out there for lacrosse from what I see.”
Gargiulo, too, has high hopes for the season and the future of the sport.
“I’m always hoping for more,” Gargiulo said. “Our main goal of the Downers Grove Lacrosse Club is to make lacrosse a monster in Downers Grove and to get the sport into the high school.”