HISTORIC TRIANGLE — Supporters of high school lacrosse teams are still urging school boards in both York County and James City County to assist with efforts to make the sport an official Virginia High School League-sanctioned sport in all local high schools.
Currently, Jamestown, York, Tabb, Lafayette, Warhill and Grafton High Schools all have club lacrosse teams. The groups practice and play games like every other sport, but because of their club status, they are not an official varsity sport.
At a meeting of the York County School Board Monday, parents of lacrosse players spoke out, urging the board to assist in the process of making the sport official.
“These girls practice every day for four months, just like every other VHSL sport. However, unlike VHSL sports, after winning the club league championship, their season is over. They will receive no official recognition from the schools and there will be no chance to move on to regionals or state championship opportunities,” one parent shared.
According to another, the process to make lacrosse a sport in York County has been going on since 2007.
“We understand that you are actively working on it. We are here tonight to ask that you please continue to do everything in your power to make this a reality for our schools here in the county. Lacrosse has been a club sport in York County since 2007, that’s eighteen years. Our athletes continue to miss out on opportunities for scholarships and NCAA roster spots the longer we stay at the club level,” said another.
While parents have spoken out at meetings, so have players. At a meeting of the Williamsburg-James City County School Board in April, players from the Lafayette High School boys lacrosse team shared their thoughts on what it would mean to become VHSL-sanctioned.
“The truth for us at Lafayette is that the work doesn’t matter. You could be the hardest working guy and it doesn’t matter because the team says club in it. Our team is laughed at like a joke because we can’t be VHSL,” a student athlete said.
“I feel that a lot of the players in our community have the talent and capability to play lacrosse at the next level. Those kids are looked at as less and are not recruited as heavily because of the title club. If lacrosse were to go to VHSL, I believe more opportunities would be available for players to go play college lacrosse,” said another.
Current teams play under the Hampton Roads Lacrosse League. At the end of the 2025 season, the Jamestown High School boys team and the York High School girls team emerged as champions.
Efforts to continue the conversation on making lacrosse an officially sanctioned sport are ongoing in both districts. Supporters of lacrosse have asked that the public continue to speak out at both York County and Williamsburg-James City County school board meetings.
The next York County School Division meeting is on June 2, and the next Williamsburg-James City County School Division meeting is on June 17.