An Important Message from US Lacrosse Due to the intense media coverage about members of Duke University’s men’s lacrosse team, our sport is receiving unprecedented attention across the country. While the legal process will determine the ultimate outcome, this event is clearly a tragedy for all involved.
This situation has created an important learning opportunity for our sport, particularly at this time of unprecedented popularity and growth. All of us -- players, parents, coaches, officials, event and camp directors, manufacturers -- must continue to hold each other to the highest standards of personal responsibility, inclusiveness and respect for others.
An unfortunate byproduct of this media coverage is that our sport has been mischaracterized by some members of the press who are using outdated stereotypes and painting everyone associated with the sport “with the same brush.”
Each day we are working with media outlets from across the country to more accurately convey the facts about the national lacrosse community and culture of our sport. We are also in direct communication with the NCAA and other organizations involved with lacrosse at all levels.
As a lacrosse enthusiast, you can play a critical role at the grassroots level to help ensure that an accurate picture of the game and its many positive impacts are communicated. Many of our members have asked “What can I do to help protect our sport’s reputation?” Here are some specific ways:
Correct people who paint a narrow picture of lacrosse as only for the “privileged.”
There are now an estimated 385,000 lacrosse players in America at youth, high school, college, club and professional levels.
The perception that lacrosse is only for the privileged is an inaccurate stereotype. Today, lacrosse is played in far more public schools than private schools, while publicly funded recreation programs provide inclusive opportunities for tens of thousands of young players. The sport is reaching far beyond its traditional hotbeds into communities across the country that represent all socio-economic levels, as evidenced by the development of 54 US Lacrosse regional chapters.
As set forth in our current strategic plan, US Lacrosse has been working hard to promote diversity through initiatives such as our BRIDGE and Fast Break programs, which seek to introduce the sport to underserved communities and nontraditional lacrosse areas across the country. While there is still much work to do in this regard, please look carefully at the current issue of Lacrosse magazine. The diversity of people, programs and places covered in its pages are a great testament to our sport’s growing diversity.
Honor and respect the sport; reinforce its values in your actions and deeds.
There should be no sense of entitlement among those associated with the game of lacrosse. And there should be no room for people who dishonor the heritage, values and traditions that are at the heart of our sport. While lacrosse continues to grow, we have a unique opportunity and steadfast obligation to strengthen our positive culture of personal responsibility, teamwork and inclusiveness.
We have developed an evolving “Media Center” section on the US Lacrosse Web site where media representatives focused on this story and others can get accurate information about the sport and learn more about US Lacrosse and our sport development initiatives. This evolving page will also include links to more balanced and accurate media coverage of lacrosse.
In the coming months, we intend to keep you up-to-date on US Lacrosse activities in response to recent events. Until then, please join us in reflecting on the critical issues affecting the future of lacrosse and making a stand to make our game the absolute best it should be.
On behalf of the US Board of Directors of US Lacrosse, thank you for your support.