The help for lacrosse in Sumner County Colleges has reached a nationwide degree.

USA Lacrosse President and CEO Marc Riccio has turn out to be concerned with the battle so as to add the game within the space after a Board of Schooling vote failed 4-3 in July.

In an Aug. 17 letter to Sumner County Colleges Superintendent Scott Langford, Riccio expressed his “sturdy help for including lacrosse to Sumner County Colleges’ lineup of sanctioned highschool sports activities.”

“Lacrosse is greater than a sport — it’s a catalyst for private development, educational success and neighborhood engagement,” Riccio wrote within the letter. “Throughout the nation, lacrosse is bringing younger folks collectively, instructing them the worth of teamwork, perseverance and management. Introducing lacrosse in Sumner County would give college students one other outlet for constructive improvement whereas strengthening the communities wherein they reside.”

In his letter, Riccio reported a 20-percent participation improve in TSSAA lacrosse since 2021 and confirmed regular development nationally based on The Sport & Health Business Affiliation 2026 Sport Report. 

He stated USA Lacrosse was dedicated to supporting Sumner County Colleges providing the game, certifying coaches and offering curriculum and entry-level tools by way of grants or at a diminished value.

“We urge you and the Sumner County Board of Schooling to think about including lacrosse to the district’s athletic choices,” Riccio wrote.

Primary Road Preps has requested a response to the letter from Jeremy Johnson, Chief of Workers for Sumner County Colleges.

The TSSAA sanctioned lacrosse in 2023, and since then supporters have pushed for its inclusion in Sumner County. It’s the solely TSSAA-affiliated sport not provided by public faculties within the space. Presently, JPII is the one Sumner County faculty that performs lacrosse.

Over 700 mixed signatures had been collected this spring for a petition to begin lacrosse at Beech, Hendersonville and Liberty Creek Excessive College, resulting in summer time discussions by the Board of Schooling. 

Langford’s suggestion at their June assembly was that lacrosse was not but viable within the county due to restricted pupil curiosity, an absence of feeder packages and journey instances with different competing faculties. 

The Sumner Lacrosse Affiliation Board (SLAB) responded to Langford’s considerations earlier than July’s assembly – providing a feeder program within the Hendersonville Spartans, correcting considerations about journey by way of the TSSAA and offering a roster of gamers.

The potential roster listed gamers from 5 completely different faculties. The TSSAA Board of Management has allowed a most of three-team co-op agreements in lacrosse beforehand.

“I’d argue that our principals aren’t against sports activities,” Langford stated in July’s assembly. “I feel our principals are attempting to gauge what’s potential and what there’s curiosity for.”

4 Board of Schooling members had been in favor whereas three against the July vote to supply lacrosse in Sumner County Colleges. Six sure votes had been wanted to hold the movement. 

Meghan Breinig and Kathy Stuart stated throughout the assembly that providing lacrosse was not one thing the Board ought to vote on. Nonetheless, Sumner County Colleges Board Coverage 4.300 states that “The Board shall initially approve extracurricular actions on the district-level to make sure correct help and supervision.”

Steven King, one in every of 4 Board members not current at July’s assembly, made a movement to rethink dialogue on including lacrosse at their Aug. 18 assembly. The movement was not supported.

The SLAB has requested that dialogue surrounding Coverage 4.300 be added to the Board’s Sept. 8 Research Session assembly.