Lacrosse takes a huge step to inclusion in the Olympics

Lacrosse is one of five sports put forward by the Los Angeles Olympics Organising Committee for the 2028 games (LA28). Whilst still requiring OIC ratification, an IOC spokesman said the LA28 proposal for the additional sports was “well received.”

For the past 15 years, lacrosse has been the fastest growing NCAA college sport in the USA. In 2019 alone, 30 new lacrosse programs were added to NCAA member colleges.

The growth has also seen an increase in player squad numbers to on average 44 players, meaning more opportunities to attain a lacrosse scholarship to prestigious schools like Harvard, Duke and Johns Hopkins. Some 60 colleges offer Division 1NCAA lacrosse scholarships.

Part of the reason for lacrosse’s unprecedented incline towards mainstream popularity, not just in America, but globally, is the inclusivity of participation. Men and women can both play a very similar game in terms of the skills and athleticism required. The other reason for the popularity of lacrosse is that most people who try the game fall in love with the sport. Lacrosse involves the gladiatorial nature of one-on-one competition with advanced team strategies required to combat the many different ways to play the game eg slow and easy, methodical, defense focussed, run and gun etc. Lacrosse is not just attacking in one direction like nearly every other sport, the ability to play behind the goals means we can attack in any direction on a 360° plane.  You will also never find a game that can be physical yet still involve so much skill and finesse. It only takes a few months to begin to develop the skills to play a reasonable lacrosse game but you can always improve and there are ample opportunities to develop your own style of play and add your own idiosyncrasies to all the skills.  

There are currently 88 member countries playing lacrosse, including countries such as Australia, Canada, China, England, Germany, Japan, Uganda and the United States.

If you would like to join Altona Lacrosse Club and learn the best game in the world, please contact us.

World Lacrosse Olympics Statement