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EASTERN IDAHO — Twenty-four states have sanctioned lacrosse as a high school championship sport, including neighboring Utah, which added its name to that list in 2019.
Idaho, according to Idaho Falls Eagles club spokeswoman Erin Hostman Murdock, has not yet seen any real movement toward joining that growing list. But local clubs, including the Eagles, are doing what they can to push for sanctioning.
Two primary issue facing the sport of lacrosse is a lack of interest among girls, creating Title IX problems — offsetting the male-female balance of athletic opportunities.
The Eagles have focused their recruitment efforts on elementary-aged girls, with intention to combat that issue.
The efforts have already borne some fruit. Last season, the Eagles’ 7- to 9-year-old girls team was made up of just 12 players. This year, that team has 24 players.
“We struggled, we didn’t even have a fifth- and sixth-grade team last year, right now we have 17 kids registered for that,” Murdock told EastIdahoSports.com. “That’s really exciting, that we have so many kids out and playing, and all the kids are loving it so much.”
The Eagles compete with 13 regional teams, 10 of which are based in the Boise area but all of which have deep ties to their local schools and school districts.
“The Idaho Falls School District has been really helpful getting us on Ravsten (Stadium) … just that cooperation is great,” Murdock said. “Treasure Valley teams have really good cooperation with their school districts.”
The Eagles have also partnered with SD91 for a series of camps and clinics coming up in April, to be held at Taylorview Middle School.
On April 10, CitySide 208, a Boise-based traveling club team, will host a clinic and girls’ team tryout — the first such event they have held in eastern Idaho, according to Murdock.
“We’re really excited about that,” she said of the event.
The two-hour clinic will begin at 2 p.m., with the tryout to follow. For more information about the event, visit the CitySide 208 website — here.
On April 17 and 18, Idaho Falls and Taylorview will host girls teams from Sun Valley, Teton Valley and Boise for a tournament, with games going on all day both Friday and Saturday.
The following weekend, April 24 and 25, the Eagles’ boys team will host its competitors for a similar tournament, also at Taylorview.
And these events are just the beginning. The Eagles, both boys and girls, will be hosting clinics and camps throughout the summer, though dates for those have yet to be determined, Murdock said.
So, if you have a child looking to find a sport — or another sport — Idaho lacrosse may be worth a look, with right now being a great time to get in on the ground floor.
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