Lacrosse, one of the fastest growing sports in the nation has been added to the 2006 Badger State Summer Games. Registration for Badger State Summer Games Lacrosse and the additional 23 sports is now open.
"Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing team sports in the United States," reports US Lacrosse, the national governing body of the sport. "Youth membership (ages 15 and under) in US Lacrosse has more than tripled since 1999 to nearly 100,000. No sport has grown faster at the high school level over the last 10 years and there are now more than 130,000 high school players.
Lacrosse is also the fastest-growing sport over the last five years at the NCAA level and that's just the tip of the iceberg. There are more than 500 college club programs, the majority of which compete under the umbrella of US Lacrosse and its "intercollegiate associates" level."
"There couldn't be a better venue to showcase the sport of Lacrosse to the state of Wisconsin than the Badger State Games. I know all the coaches, players and their families are looking forward to participating in the Games this summer." Harvey Briggs, Coach, Regent Lacrosse Club.
"We are very excited to be partnering with Madison Area Lacrosse to bring this great sport to the Badger State Games. Lacrosse is becoming hugely popular and Wisconsin is no exception. Badger State Games will give these Wisconsin teams the opportunity to show off their sport and their talents." Ryan Richards Director of Operations.
The US Lacrosse Web site describes the sport of lacrosse as "a combination of basketball, soccer and hockey. Anyone can play lacrosse, regardless of size. The game requires and rewards coordination and agility, not brawn. Quickness and speed are two highly prized qualities in lacrosse. An exhilarating sport, lacrosse is fast-paced and full of action. Long sprints up and down the field with abrupt starts and stops, precision passes and dodges are routine in men's and women's lacrosse. Lacrosse is played with a stick, the crosse, which must be mastered by the player to throw, catch and scoop the ball.
Lacrosse, considered to be America's first sport, was born of the North American Indian, christened by the French, and adapted and raised by the Canadians. Modern lacrosse has been embraced by athletes and enthusiasts of the United States and the British Commonwealth for over a century."
Registration for the 2006 Badger State Summer Games is now open. For more scheduling information and to register, log on to www.badgerstategames.org or call 608-226-4780.
For more information on the sport of lacrosse visit www.uslacrosse.org.
The Badger State Summer Games major sponsors include American Family Insurance, Charter Communications, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and Saint Joseph's Hospital, Marshfield, with special thanks to TravelWisconsin.com.
Wisconsin Sports Development Corporation is a nonprofit sports management organization that helps develop sports tourism in Wisconsin and promotes positive lifestyles and physical fitness through amateur athletic events and health education programs. WSDC owns the Badger State Games, the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame, the Wisconsin Sports Foundation, Paddle & Portage, Shape Up Wisconsin Kids, Lighten Up Wisconsin and the Fit Kids Challenge. WSDC is also the local host of Ironman Wisconsin