The game once played by the native Ho Chunk Nation has changed over the years, but it's roots right here in western Wisconsin remain solid. That's why the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletics Association is goosing it back into action. Starting next school year, teams all across the state will be participating in the first WIAA lacrosse season. The areas long-time club team, the La Crosse Lightning, is hoping to be a part of the first season.
The club still needs the approval from the area schools, but if the schools decide to create a team, it will help the sport grow within the community.
“It's just going to be such a different change and feel like being a club sport. You don't get like the same exposure in the school and like the same kind of like it's just different because the fan base isn't there and stuff like that. It's definitely going to be an amazing thing for this club to expand in the sport of lacrosse, to grow in our area,” said La Crosse Central sophomore, Charlie Seehafer.
While the sport has seen its ups and downs in its namesake city, with the WIAA taking over, the hope is that participation will skyrocket.
“You have to reach a certain threshold and if you get accepted then, like you said the growth then takes off or skyrockets in some instances, we are hopefully hoping for that same type of scenario in lacrosse,” said WIAA assistant director and lacrosse supervisor, Kate Peterson Abiad.
The WIAA says that lacrosse is one of the fastest growing youth sports around the country, and before the pandemic, participation here was on the rise.
“It was growing pretty rapidly, I would say, up until COVID. COVID hit, and then we didn't have a season for a season and a half," said La Crosse Lightning Lacrosse Club President, Katie Iriwn.
So, what exactly is lacrosse?
“It's similar to other sports. I think it has aspects from all different sports in it, like you have a stick similar to in hockey and the substitution is similar to hockey and it's constantly moving. There's no stops,” said La Crosse Central Sophomore, Jarret Ellis.
Like a lot of sports, you try and put the ball in the goal, but for Lacrosse, its the speed of the game that keeps athletes coming back.
“Overall, it's a very fast paced sport, which I love personally because I'm a very energetic person and I like the get up and go of lacrosse,” said Seehafer.
The town once named after the sport, will soon be taken over, by it, once again.
The inaugural season will start in the spring of 2024 and the WIAA will have both boys and girls seasons.
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Kade Overton graduated from the University of Iowa in December 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communications, and Sports Studies. During college, Kade had the opportunity to commentate Hawkeye basketball games on KRUI radio, live broadcast for the Palm Springs Power baseball team in Palm Springs, CA as a summer intern, and was the Sports Director for the Daily Iowan TV, bringing both sports and news reports to the homes of Iowa City. One of his favorite assignments during his tenure as sports director was traveling to San Diego to cover Hawkeye Football in the 2019 Holiday Bowl. Kade also served as the student director for the Iowa Broadcast News Association. Growing up in Adel, Iowa, he is familiar with the Midwest and feels he will “fit in” just fine in La Crosse. In his free time, he enjoys everything outdoors, playing and watching sports, gaming, and cooking, and is looking forward to getting out in the community and meeting new people. He is excited to start his career with the WKBT team and working with a great group of journalists.
Favorite song: Electric Avenue by Eddy Grant
Do you have a personal motto or quote that inspires you? “The moment you give up, is the moment you let someone else win.” Kobe Bryant
If you could interview one person, living or deceased, who would that be? Stuart Scott. His extraordinary sports broadcasting is what inspired me to go into journalism and it would be an enormous opportunity to sit and visit with him and hear “Boo-Yah” one more time.
What sports team are you a big fan of? Hawkeyes (of course), Colts, and Red Sox.
Favorite food: My mom’s chicken and noodles, chicken parmesan, and a perfectly cooked rare steak.
What do you like about your job? I like being able to tell stories in a creative yet honest way.
Pizza: Sausage, pepperoni, or everything on it? Everything on it!
Family: My parents live in Adel, Iowa and my sister and brother-in-law in Ankeny, Iowa.
