The Sarasota County Students Deserve Lacrosse

Right now, there is a campaign going on in Sarasota--one that will hopefully result in a lacrosse program being instituted in each public high school in the county.

Lacrosse is the oldest and fastest growing sport in this country. Just last week, The Baltimore Sun published an article explaining why the US Lacrosse (lacrosse's  governing body) has had to move their headquarters to a larger location. Their company has grown from 12 employees serving 15,000 players, coaches, officials and others involved in the game, to a current membership of more than 415,000.

Division 1 colleges are now offering 12 1/2 full scholarships per team for qualified athletes. By not offering this wonderful sport in our public schools, like so many other districts in our own state,  Sarasota County is really missing the boat, and our children are missing out.

There are already several youth lacrosse programs in place in the area, all very successful, and three private high schools also include lacrosse as a sport. This sport has become so popular that our district actually has families pulling their kids out of public schools and sending them to private ones--just because they can play lacrosse there.

Here's how you can help:

1. Write letters to your school board members and the district's director of athletics. Tell them why it is important to you and your children to include lacrosse as a sport in the schools. 

Here are the email addresses: Steve Cantees, Executive Director of Sarasota County High School Athletics, Stephen.Cantees@sarasotacountyschools.net;

Jane Goodwin Chair, jane.goodwin@sarasotacountyschools.net; 

Shirley Brown Vice Chair, shirley.brown@sarasotacountyschools.net; 

Caroline Zucker, caroline.zucker@sarasotacountyschools.net;

Dr. Carol Todd, carol.todd@sarasotacountyschools.net; 

Frank Kovach, frank.kovach@sarasotacountyschools.net. 

School Board Phone: (941) 927-9000 ext. 31147

2. "Like" the Facebook page that has been set up to further the cause. This is the best way to keep up to date with the progress being made. Here is the link:

https://www.facebook.com/LetsGetLacrosseInTheSarasotaCountySchools

3. Sign the online petition that will be sent to the Sarasota County School Board members. Steve Cantees has told me that one of the things the board will take into consideration when deciding whether or not to add lacrosse to our schools is the level of interest in the area. This is an important way we can show them that this is what we want:

https://www.change.org/petitions/the-sarasota-county-school-board-and-hi...

I know that I am only one person, but I am the voice of many. We owe it to our athletes to do whatever we can to bring Sarasota County into the fold of lacrosse hotbeds now developing all over our state. Our youth players are now getting national attention, winning tournaments up and down the east coast. Let's give them the opportunity to represent their own schools with pride on the high school level.