-Svetla Tomanova
Virginia Beach high school lacrosse is no longer a club activity – it is a sanctioned varsity sport and each VBCPS high school fielded a varsity boys and girls team for the first time. Six of the 11 VBCPS teams advanced to the Virginia High School League competition that took place earlier in June: Ocean Lakes girls, Kellam boys, First Colonial and Bayside girls, First Colonial and Cox boys.
“We are excited that all 11 of our schools were able to field a boys and girls team this season,” said Coordinator Student Activities David Rhodes. “We’ve had some minor challenges, as we expected, but the early returns indicate that it has been a successful launch.”
Once the approval was granted, Rhodes and his team spent over a year preparing for the launch. This included ordering equipment and uniforms, creating game schedules, hiring coaches, and contracting with associations.
“It was an incredibly exciting lacrosse year for the division,” said Jessica Bowman, student activities coordinator at Cox High School and Region 5A tournament director. “We are excited about next year and making adjustments based on everything we have learned from this season.”
Aidan Bruehl, a senior at Cox High, said, “It was very exciting to finally get to play at the state level. It was such an experience to be part of the regional and state tournaments for my final year.”
“Sportsmanship above all,” said Scott Holava, Kellam High School coach and 2023 Region 6A Coach of the Year. “Throughout the season, our boys exemplified the highest standards of fair play and respect for their opponents. Win or lose, they demonstrated unwavering grace, humility, and empathy, setting an example for all to follow.”
Reagan Dziekan, a Kellam High School senior, said, “It felt really good to get some experience against high-level teams, compared to our district teams who were pretty new to the sport.”
As the spring season drew to a close, the passion for the game will burn brighter than ever in the next. Inevitably, lacrosse had cemented its status as a high school sport and set the stage for a bright future.
Reagan had this advice for the younger players who aspire to play lacrosse, “Go hit the wall and improve your stick skills. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself to become a higher-level player.”
About Lacrosse:
There are different rules for boys and girls games when it comes to the number of players on the field and the duration of the game. Boys teams are allowed to play with a maximum of 10 players, whereas girls teams can have as many as 12. The boys games consist of four quarters, each lasting 12 minutes, while the girls games are divided into two halves, with each half lasting 25 minutes.
In boys lacrosse, contact is permitted and players are allowed to make physical contact with opponents using their bodies and sticks. In girls lacrosse, contact is limited to stick checking only. In the two versions of the game, some of the required equipment is different, too.
