School system to add intramural lacrosse program

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) plans on adding a varsity-level intramural instructional lacrosse program to its spring sports lineup.

Starting this spring, the school system plans to begin offering lacrosse at all six high schools. The sport will start as an instructional program and hopefully grow into a Southern Maryland Athletic Conference competitor after two years.

The first year, students in grades 9-12 are eligible to participate in the program, which will be limited to competition with other Charles County high schools. There will be both boys' and girls' lacrosse teams, and each team will have a 14-game schedule to include both home and away games. All games will be officiated by certified officials and the league will follow all criteria as set forth by the CCPS athletic handbook as well as the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association. Criteria include eligibility, including academic requirements, number of contests played and sportsmanship rules.

The second year, the school system will evaluate the first-year program, and dependent upon participation and interest, will divide into a junior varsity and varsity intra-county, instructional program. If needed, the program will continue as a 9-12 varsity intramural program for the second year.

"The goal," said Jan Johnson, specialist in athletics and health for CCPS, "is that by 2011 Charles County Public Schools enters SMAC with a junior varsity and varsity team from each of our six high schools."

Lacrosse players will receive awards, recognition at spring sports awards ceremonies and earn school awards letters from the beginning of the program.

The next steps, said Johnson, include clinics for coaches, advertising in schools for potential players and securing officials for the upcoming season. Equipment for the sport was purchased at the end of last school year in anticipation of starting the program this year.