Lacrosse: City Section asked to sanction sport

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Palisades, Huntington Park and Manual Arts, three City Section schools that have been competing against Southern Section schools in the sport of lacrosse, asked the City IAC committee Monday to sanction the sport.

The Southern Section has told the three schools that it will no longer permit them to compete after this season. In a survey, only seven schools in the City Section indicated interest in starting a lacrosse team.

Budgetary and supervisory issues make it difficult for the City Section to give approval because the Los Angeles Unified School District is facing loss of funds and may not have the resources for transportation and coaching stipends for a new sport.

But the success of lacrosse in attracting more than 80 students for boys’ and girls’ programs at the three schools serves as motivation to find a way to allow the schools to compete next season.

‘This sport caught on like a wild fire,’ Manual Arts Athletic Director Wanda Szeremeta told committee members.

There are more students interested in playing lacrosse than tennis and volleyball at some of the schools. A decision is expected at the June 2 IAC meeting.

-- Eric Sondheimer

-- Image from www.lacrossenation.biz