Understanding the niche sport of lacrosse can take some getting used to. Through long-winded metaphors, people often describe it as a mix of soccer, hockey and basketball.
The game, like soccer, is played on an approximately football-sized field. Its strategy mirrors basketball, involving pick-and-rolls, cuts and zone defense, while the equipment resembles hockey, with the “crosse,” or stick, acting as an extension of the player’s body.
The women’s game begins with a draw, similar to a face-off, where the ball is placed between two sticks pressed against each other. The field is split into three sections: offense (4 players), midfield (3) and defense (4), plus one goalie.
Midfielders take the draw, and the winner transitions the ball to the offensive side, with the ultimate goal of placing the small rubber ball into the back of the net. Like all sports, the strategy is intricate, but unlike men’s lacrosse, the women’s game is non-contact.
Because of this, rules like “shooting space” exist to protect players. This call is made when a defender steps directly into a shooter’s path, creating a dangerous situation for both players.
For those looking to get into lacrosse, the strategy can be challenging to understand at first, but the basic skills are relatively easy to pick up.
Varsity starter and captain Amelia Busch ‘26 began playing lacrosse her freshman year on Xavier’s JV team. In four years, she worked her way up the ranks, earning full playing time in her sophomore, junior and senior seasons.
According to Busch, picking up lacrosse is “easy, and with a welcoming community here at Xavier, you can get good quick.”
Many athletes start as freshmen and develop into varsity players by the end of high school, with some even going on to play in college, like Ohio Wesleyan commit Keegan Packer ‘27. “I started playing lacrosse in middle school, and I’ve worked up to the collegiate level through hard work,” Packer added.
In Arizona, however, lacrosse isn’t widely popular and is not AIA-sanctioned. Unlike sports such as soccer or volleyball, it is not required under Title IX and is not offered at all public schools. Instead, programs are often supported independently by the schools, such as at Xavier, Salpointe, Notre Dame Prep, and Higley.
This traces back to how the sport developed in the state. According to athletic correspondence and lacrosse director Ronna Layne, early teams weren’t tied strictly to schools. “You could play on a Pinnacle team even if you didn’t go to Pinnacle. It was just to encourage girls. If you want to play lacrosse, we’ll find a way for you to play,” Layne said.
This model helped grow the sport, but it also led to a unique system. Today, only about 10 teams compete under the Arizona Girls Lacrosse Association (AGLA), which was formed in the early 2000s to govern the sport.
Teams are often associated with a high school but function more like regional programs, allowing players to join based on where they live rather than where they attend school.
Xavier is an exception. Because of its financial support and structure, it treats lacrosse like any other school sport, meaning only Xavier students can play for the team. While some see this as a disadvantage, others argue it is balanced by the school’s access to top-tier resources, including a stadium, field time and full financial backing.
In contrast, many Arizona players must pay dues, sometimes over $1,000, to participate on club-style teams.
Despite these challenges, lacrosse is becoming more accessible. More than 40 athletes attended Xavier’s tryouts this past January, showing steady growth in interest.
The sport is also gaining national attention, with a planned appearance in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, signaling that lacrosse may not remain a niche sport for long.
