Lucia Sugich

Xavier lacrosse huddles up after its morning practice on April 7. On April 8, they play Chaparral, for a rematch, hoping to defeat the Firebirds after previously losing by one point in overtime.

Lacrosse is one of the most popular sports nationwide, but in Arizona it remains on the sidelines.

While flag football, badminton and even esports get AIA recognition, lacrosse players are still fighting for field space, funding and legitimacy. So why hasn’t the Arizona Interscholastic Association made the move?

The Arizona Scholastic Association (AIA) is an association of high schools that serve as the regulatory body for high school athletics and activities. 

Becoming an AIA sport would provide more funding for the sport, give events recognition and ensure fair competition. 

If lacrosse were to become an AIA sport, “There would be more teams and visibility for lacrosse in Arizona,” said Diana Oduho, Xavier varsity lacrosse coach. 

Since lacrosse isn’t an AIA sport, it gets none of these benefits, making it harder for athletes to not only commit and get scholarships to college but also participate in a competitive environment. 

“Yeah, it’s definitely hard competing with the same teams over and over again because of the lack of competition in the valley,” said Mackenna Packer, 25’, varsity player. 

Although the sport has been in Arizona for over 20 years, only 12 out of 600 high schools have a girls’ lacrosse team. This disparity highlights just how far the sport has to go before it gains mainstream recognition and why AIA sanctioning could be the key to bridging that gap.

Ronna Layne, Xavier administrative assistant of activities and head of lacrosse operations, says that without the help of AIA, players have to pay for their uniforms, the officials, renting out the field and even the lighting during games and practice. 

“Making lacrosse an AIA sport takes away that burden from the players and puts it back on the high school, allowing girls to play for free.” 

The financial burden of lacrosse plays a large part in why many girls don’t get involved, creating a loop that halts the sport’s growth. Fewer players mean fewer teams, and without enough teams, there’s little incentive for schools or the AIA to invest in the sport.

Luckily, several Catholic schools in Arizona have lacrosse teams, as well as Higley and Cactus Shadows. These schools in particular have all agreed to support their lacrosse teams financially, even though it’s not required.  

Xavier specifically has been lucky enough to have the full support of Sister Lynn Winsor. “She supports this lacrosse team, the same way she supports soccer or volleyball, even if we aren’t AIA,” said Layne. 

“We are lucky to be at Xavier. Our athletic department fully supports us and treats us like an AIA sport,” Oduho said. 

However, lacrosse becoming an AIA sport could bring its own set of challenges. 

Because lacrosse isn’t an AIA sport, students whose schools don’t follow AIA guidelines are allowed to play for teams outside their high schools.  

Since most schools have students from other schools playing for them, the AIA taking in lacrosse would mean these athletes could no longer compete on teams outside their home schools. 

Some people worry that this could potentially “implode” the league, making league growth even more challenging.

Oduho disagrees. “I don’t think the league would fall apart. Contrarily, it would create the opportunity to build new programs and develop more talent.” 

Looking forward, what is needed for lacrosse to become a sanctioned sport? To put it simply, funding. 

Flag football has only been around for a few years, but quickly became an AIA sport due to large financial support from the NFL. 

“I can see the difference between having that support from an entity like the NFL pushing the programs and supplying the expertise, versus none,” said Layne. 

Hopefully, with the expansion of the National Girls Lacrosse League (NGLL), recognition and momentum for the sport will continue to grow in Arizona, eventually helping it become an AIA sport. 

With the right support and recognition, girls’ lacrosse in Arizona could finally gain its place as an AIA-sanctioned sport. It’s time the state caught up with the momentum already building across the nation.