MSHSL Sanctioning

[LaxRef]

I'm just curious: what are seen as some of the benefits and drawbacks of having lacrosse become a MSHSL sport? It seems like the higher visibility would be a plus, but the additional regulation and structure might be a minus.

For example, there's talk about making students who switch schools via open enrollment ineligible for MSHSL athletics for one year. Would they enforce that even for a kid who switched schools from one that didn't have lacrosse to one that did? (BTW, I don't like that proposal. I know some kids are abusing the open enrollment to try to get to a championship team, but there are other kids who transfer for legitimate academic reasons who might want to do a sport for fun but be, say, the tenth-best freestyler on the swim team. Why not ban transfers from post-season play only for one year and/or make them ineligible for post-season awards—like all-state—for one year? That way kids can still transfer and participate, but they can't do it to try to win an easy championship without giving up a shot at one for a year.)

[DanGenck]

I don't think there's anything wrong with transfers. Minnesota offered open enrollment and now they're stuck with it (in my opinion).

I think sanctioning boy's lacrosse would go a long way toward developing the foundation and tradition that we'd like to see in Minnesota Lacrosse. Right now, despite all the organization and effort, it still seems at times like a dog and pony show.

Sanctioning would also encourage more competition, more players, more athletes going to college for lacrosse, etc.

[Sonny]

I would imagine that sanctioning would also increase the pool of referees. (At least it did somewhat down here in Georgia). As a state sanctioned officials association, we were able to attract a few more referees from other sports.

There are far more benefits (vs. problems) if/when the sport is sanctioned. Any of the drawbacks associated with the move are short-lived.

[Frank Clark]

I am all for the sanctioning of the sport by MN. It may help increase the pool of officials(qualified or not ) but one of the drawbacks to consider is coaching. There are a limited number of coaches out there right now. If there are requirements on teams for practice times, etc. how will that effect those coaches who can only help because of the things be flexible with the schools. There are a limited amount of teachers out there who want to or know how to coach a lacrosse program. Just to bringing up a point that could be of concern when talking state wide sanctioning. Maybe there wont be a problem and that would be great!

[DanGenck]

I know I only speak for myself, but if Elk River ever gets varsity lacrosse, I would strongly consider coming home to help start the program. Of course, I am one of few... but over time, I would hope that more varsity programs would create more interested coaches, etc.

Do we know when the MSHSL is going to vote again on adding lacrosse?

[Rob Graff]

This Spring.

[Pinball]

It provides a lot more legitimacy in the eyes of a college AD (with no lacrosse knowledge) and puts lacrosse way above the likes of frisbee, rugby, fencing, armwrestling, competive ribbon dancing and the other club sports out there.

[DanGenck]

It provides a lot more legitimacy in the eyes of a college AD (with no lacrosse knowledge) and puts lacrosse way above the likes of frisbee, rugby, fencing, armwrestling, competive ribbon dancing and the other club sports out there.

Don't forget Yahtzee. St. John's Lacrosse comes to blows every year with the club varsity Yahtzee team...

[MNLaxFan14]

Howard Rogers and the MBSLA are pushing hard to get a succesful vote on May 18th for MSHSL sanctioning. Here's his recent email...

March 21, 2006

To the Members of the MBSLA

I have had some feed back from members of the MSHSL regarding the number of emails they are receiving in favor of the Boys Lacrosse Amendment. Some have expressed displeasure with the numbers of emails, while others applaud the efforts of so many interested people. The direction given by the MSHSL Board was to PUSH THE ISSUE. At the same time, we don't want to make enemies either. In an attempt to keep everyone happy, I would like to suggest a change in the second step of the plan. The three steps are as follows:

Go on a petition drive: Get as many signatures as possible and invite everyone you can to attend the meeting on the 18th. (direction and meeting information is in the prior notification and will be sent again as we get closer to the date)

Contact via email, the members of the Assembly and Regional Secretaries:

Fill the room: The goal is to overfill the room with supporters. Players of all, Parents, Boosters, and anyone who supports Boys Lacrosse. Players are invited to wear their game jerseys.

The change is in #2. I have discussed this with a couple Associations and I believe this will satisfy most the members of the MSHSL, without alienating them. I suggest that only team officials or Association Board of Directors (usually 8-12 people) contact the voting members of the MSHSL directly by phone. There are forty-eight voting members pf the MSHSL (3 members for each of the 16 Regions). If each Board divided up that list and called 4-6 people each, we would get our message out without overwhelming them.

Next I would like anyone else to contact ONLY the Regional Secretaries via email. The Secretaries will keep a count of the communications and pass the information to the voting members.

There are approximately 6 weeks until the signed petitions must be in my hands for copying and distribution, and about 8 weeks until the Assembly meeting on the 18th. I would like copies of all signed petitions to be in the hands of the voting members by May 5th. This means that signed petitions need to be mailed or delivered to Howard Rogers, 4752 Zenith Avenue S., Mpls, MN 55410 no latter than May 1, 2006.

Keep up the good work and thanks for supporting Minnesota Boys HS Varsity Lacrosse

Thanks

Howard Rogers
MBSLA Representative
MN Boy's HS Varsity Lacrosse Amendment
612-998-3622
hrogers@usfamily.net

[schelitzche]

Coming from a high school program that spends half of their budget on field costs, Varsity status would be nice. Not the mention the headaches that come with scheduling field time and coordinating parents/volunteers to help with jobs that would be done through the school.

State rules may not let us do some of what is currently being done but think about being able to have full use of a weightroom any time, gym time if needed, morning announcements, school paper, yearbook, etc..

I also think its a great opportunity for smaller towns. Convincing 50 kids from a small town to buy $500 worth of equipment each is not easy. If you can get a small school to wrap its arms around a sport, you may end up with a "Hoosiers" type team. Find a few schools that don't really excel at the major sports and give them lacrosse sticks......its a great way to have the sport take off around the state.

Just remember that "varsity status" does not mean the school automatically gives you 75 new helmets and gloves. Each school also has to agree!

[Gooseguy10]

The problem with small towns is that it will be hard to compete with baseball in the Spring. In northern Minnesota, there is no way it would be able to compete with baseball and there isn't enough non-baseball players to field a competitive team at most of the schools around here.

zs

[Jay Zabel]

Gooseguy-
Why don't you start a program up in el norte? God knows you can't play baseball.

[jayp4757]

I would disagree with gooseguy on this. Being from northern minnesota most kids have little idea of what lacrosse actually is, rules, etc. I'd say lack of exposure and coaching is the biggest issue. But gooseguy may be refering to far smaller towns than I am thinking of. Thus that may be a pretty accurate statement.

On a side note, I didn't know what lacrosse was until my freshman year of college.

[Gooseguy10]

Mr. Zabel. Can Lou Holtz play football? Yes I am the Lou Holtz of Cherry Baseball. Also remember what George Castanza said "it's not a lie if you believe!"

As far as up on "the Range" a vast majority of schools do not have enough kids to field two teams of anything, much less a new sport like lacrosse. I agree that exposure would help but no matter what happens, there is still a number issue. I am not saying that all northern schools face this but a vast majority would.

[gopherlax27]

One way to increase exposure of lacrosse to northern and southern minnesota would be to get a a caravan of current and ex-players, coaches and other people affiliated with lacrosse in Minnesota and put on demonstrations to schools without a program. When I was in middle school, Mark Hellenack came to our school with a video and informational packets about lacrosse and this was how I got started with lacrosse. This seems like a lot of work but if we are to get this amendment passed, we have to give an incentive to voters in regions outside the metro. They won't vote for lacrosse because they feel like there is no way that their school or region would ever see a lacrosse team in the near future. Once they start believing that this is possible, then that are more likely to vote for the amendment.

As far as northern teams not having enough players to field a team, they can always combine teams like they do for other sports. I'm not sure what the exact State High School rules regarding combining schools but this is something that can be done.

Eugene Zevelev
Breck JV
U of Minnesota Utility Player