For years, lacrosse has embraced a familiar marketing mantra: the fastest game on two feet. It has also been one of the fastest-growing sports in America. Today, the sport boasts three professional leagues, NCAA championships drawing robust attendance, and—most significantly—a return to the Olympic stage as a medal sport for the first time in more than a century at the LA28 Games.
Momentum is undeniable. But as lacrosse accelerates toward a global spotlight, the sport also faces a defining moment. Growth is not guaranteed. Maximizing the opportunity ahead of—and following—the Olympics will require deliberate investment, informed decision-making, and a clear-eyed understanding of where the sport has been and where it must go next.
That’s why the USA Lacrosse Business Intelligence team spent months analyzing participation trends across youth sports, with a deep focus on lacrosse. Those insights will be shared during the upcoming State of the Sport webinar on March 25 (with free registration). The data offers more than a snapshot in time; it provides a roadmap—showing how we arrived at this moment and illuminating the paths that will shape the sport’s future.
One of the clearest findings underscores the outsized importance of the youngest players. Our data shows that a seven-year-old playing lacrosse today yields a net of two players by age 10, as young athletes naturally bring friends into the sport. That multiplier effect is foundational to long-term growth—and its absence can be equally powerful.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic made that reality impossible to ignore.
As a spring sport, lacrosse was hit hard when programs shut down in 2020. Many regions saw limited or no play again in early 2021 due to the winter surge of COVID cases. In large parts of the country, introductory-level lacrosse simply disappeared for two consecutive seasons.
The result was a lost generation of players—kids who never picked up a stick for the first time, never shared the game with a friend, and never entered the sport’s natural growth pipeline. Even six years later, the data shows the continued impact of the generation that didn’t have an opportunity to start playing this amazing game.
Yet there is reason for optimism. Coming out of the pandemic, lacrosse has rebounded strongly at the youngest age levels because of USA Lacrosse's intentional strategies and investments.. USA Lacrosse now has more members aged nine and younger than at any point in the organization’s history. As the lost COVID generation gradually ages out, the sport is positioned for a renewed upward trajectory—if the right conditions are in place.
That brings us to the single most important enabler of sustained growth: infrastructure.
Our data shows a direct correlation between strong infrastructure and both participation levels and growth rates. Where lacrosse is supported by clear pathways, stable governance, and visible opportunities for advancement, the sport thrives. Where those elements are missing, growth stalls.
One of the most impactful pieces of that infrastructure is the sanctioning of high school lacrosse as a championship sport by state governing bodies. The evidence is compelling. States that have gained championship status in recent years—Ohio (2017), Illinois (2018), and Utah (2019)—have all experienced measurable increases in youth participation following sanctioning. When families see a legitimate, school-based pathway, confidence in the sport rises, and participation follows.
The opportunity here remains significant. Currently, only 24 states offer full state championship status for high school lacrosse, with two more providing partial recognition. The geographic footprint is heavily skewed toward the East Coast, limiting access and visibility in large parts of the country.
Progress is possible. In 2025, Nevada became the most recent state to sanction high school lacrosse, aided by collaboration between USA Lacrosse and local leaders. That success has energized broader efforts to identify priority states and work alongside community stakeholders to expand sanctioned opportunities nationwide.
As lacrosse approaches the global stage at LA28, the opportunity ahead is clear—and so is the responsibility. Sustained growth will depend on investing early in young players, rebuilding gaps left by the pandemic, and strengthening the infrastructure that allows the sport to flourish in every community.
The data shows us the path forward. Now the challenge is to move with purpose, ensuring that the fastest game on two feet enters not just the Olympic spotlight, but its fastest and most inclusive era of growth.
Marc Riccio is the CEO of USA Lacrosse.
