Lacrosse Catching on in Greenville County

[Nick]

http://news.greenvilleonline.com/news/sports/hs03/site/greenvilleonline/preps.php?pagename=story&rc=y&storyid=63294

[Sonny]

Good article Nick. Great to see the growth of the game in the upstate.

Should be good for the lacrosse clubs at Clemson, South Carolina, Furman, Winthrop, & other SC area schools.

[#1SCAD LAX]

Interesting fact, Defender Charles Pate of SCAD played for Greenville his senior year of HS and the first year of the program, then comes to SCAD and makes 2nd team all-SELC as a Fresh., so looks like some good players are coming out of the area already.

[Ron Mexico]

Its growing everywhere. It is amazing. Like Kudzu.

[Kevin OBrien]

Lacrosse is really growing here in SC. A few more teams are added every year. It's close to getting sanctioned as a varsity sport here. 16 teams need to fill out an application in order to get it recognized, but some schools won't fill out an application before it is recognized...pretty big catch 22. I believe there are 9 for boys on file and about 6 or 7 for girls. There are about 14 boys teams (about two of those aren't based out of high schools, but are area club teams) and about 10 girls teams.

Once it's sanctioned, I think the growth will take off from there. The next step is growing the middle school and elementary school programs at the rate of the high schools.

I know that USC and Clemson are finally getting guys from in state who have played before, some of 'em are pretty decent. Hopefully, it'll help out the programs at Furman, The Citadel, and Winthrop, as well as start up some new ones at Wofford, Coastal Carolina, and College of Charleston.

[Nick]

The only South Carolina kids we have now are from Blythewood (Ridge View HS) which is around Columbia and a kid from Hilton Head which has had a program for a while.

Most of the kids playing in Greenville county are pretty young so it may take a while to see them at the MDIA level.

[Kevin OBrien]

The only South Carolina kids we have now are from Blythewood (Ridge View HS) which is around Columbia and a kid from Hilton Head which has had a program for a while.

Most of the kids playing in Greenville county are pretty young so it may take a while to see them at the MDIA level.

The players are at all levels from what I saw during the G'ville play day. I know there are one or two from AC Flora that are going there or are already there. Apparently there's one or two that are going to USC from that hs as well, along with the first line of middies from Ridge view.

Part of my job at the SC Chap of USL is to grow the game at the college level. Hopefully next year we'll be able to get in touch with the graduating seniors and see where they're going to college and if they want to play. If it's an in state school with a program, we'll forward on their contact info. If it's a school without a program, we'll try to put them in touch with others there and the sports club director so hopefully they can get something started.

[LAXDawg14]

my grandfather lives in Greenville and he was telling me about this article, he actually cut it out in the paper and saved it for me.
he loves coming to my lacrosse games. my cousins go to mauldin and he hates getting drug to their soccer games, he much rather watch lacrosse. and as my dad said "i wish they had lacrosse @ wade hampton [in greenville] in the 60's i would have played"
didnt end up to even matter, he went to georgia to play football ,but i am glad its picking up in SC

[Kevin OBrien]

he loves coming to my lacrosse games. my cousins go to mauldin and he hates getting drug to their soccer games, he much rather watch lacrosse.

Get 'em to play for Mauldin.

One of the things holding back SC lacrosse is that soccer is a spring sport, unlike up in MD where it's fall. I've heard that when soccer was added (recently down here, within the last 10 years) it was put in spring to keep it from competing with football. What season is soccer in other SELC states?

[Sonny]

I've heard that when soccer was added (recently down here, within the last 10 years) it was put in spring to keep it from competing with football. What season is soccer in other SELC states?

Same thing happened in the late 70's/early 80's when soccer grew in Atlanta/GA area high schools. Soccer is a spring sport now. A small handful of mostly non-football playing Atlanta schools play soccer in the fall. But most everyone else plays in the spring.

[Catlax]

In a never ending quest to be different (and a pain in the butt!), soccer is a winter sport in Florida.

[DixieSlax]

Its been really quite fun to watch the game grow extensively in Greenville since it was added as a sport last year for the high schools. I know several players (including myself) on both the men's and women's teams here at Furman who really have had a blast helping start up the high school teams and getting them on their feet.

The area definitely has given quite a bit of support to the game, but what they really need now is to continue to have those knowledgable with the game in the area dedicate time as coaches and (especially) refs.

Go Riverside!

[champp]

he loves coming to my lacrosse games. my cousins go to mauldin and he hates getting drug to their soccer games, he much rather watch lacrosse.

Get 'em to play for Mauldin.

One of the things holding back SC lacrosse is that soccer is a spring sport, unlike up in MD where it's fall. I've heard that when soccer was added (recently down here, within the last 10 years) it was put in spring to keep it from competing with football. What season is soccer in other SELC states?

In Virginia soccer is a spring sport. I also believe this was so that it didn't compete with football.