Imagine this scenario. Your assistant coach pulls a player out of the game, and upon getting to the sidelines, the player angrily lashes out at the coach and flings their equipment on the sideline. As the head coach, you certainly don’t want to condone that behavior, but how do you acknowledge your athlete’s emotions when you don’t agree with their actions?

Sports can bring out the highest highs and the lowest lows, so it is a fertile ground for young athletes to experience emotion, understand their feelings, manage relationships, and practice emotional regulation.

SPARKS, Md. – Participation trends are shifting, youth sports are evolving, and the broader landscape of sport and physical activity in the U.S. is changing. Join USA Lacrosse for a free “State of the Sport” Webinar on Wednesday, March 25 at noon (Eastern) to explore what the data reveals about the future of the game.

The top nine teams remain unchanged at the top of the latest USA Lacrosse WCLA Division I Top 20, including No. 1 UC Santa Barbara, which improved to 15-0 with another victory over a ranked team, downing No. 11 San Diego State, 16-6. The Gauchos are one of six undefeated teams in this week’s ranking.

No. 2 Florida (10-0) strengthened its lead in the SWLL with divisional wins over Florida State and Alabama. Michigan remains in the third position, while defending champion Boston College Club and Clemson are tied for fourth this week.

Some days, Elena Furrow feels like she has two full-time jobs.

As a family medicine physician, she has her hands full with patient care for many hours every day. Then during evenings and weekends, she transitions into her second role as president of the Zootown Lacrosse Club in Missoula, Montana – a role that she loves but one that demands almost every extra hour that she has.

Undefeated UC Santa Barbara retains its hold on the top spot in the WCLA Division I Top 20 this week after adding another impressive win to its resume, defeating No. 11 Cal Poly 13-10. The Gauchos now have 10 victories over ranked opponents this season.

No. 2 Florida Club also picked up a pair of wins over ranked teams this week, defeating No. 14 Central Florida and No. 15 Auburn to raise its record to 8-0. Defending champion Boston College Club, Michigan Club and Clemson Club round out this week’s top five.

The grind. The sacrifices. The sleepless nights and early mornings. The U.S. Men's U20 National Team fought through the toughest competition in the world to reach the ultimate stage — a gold medal rematch with Canada at the World Championship.

Episode seven of Behind the Shield, a seven-part docuseries on the U.S. Men’s U20 National Team, wraps up with the leadup, action and drama from last summer’s world championship game against its archrival in South Korea.
 

Episode six of Behind the Shield, a seven-part documentary on the 2025 U.S. Men’s U20 National Team, gets deep into the on-field action from the World Lacrosse championship in South Korea.

Footage and highlights from pool play games against the Haudenosaunee Nationals and Australia lead into the first playoff game.

But there’s more going on off the field with sights and sounds from the team around Jeju Island. For one player, Jeju Island is a homecoming of sorts.

Last year, Kayleigh Page of Georgia was named the WCLA’s attacker of the year and was also winner of the Amtahcha Award as the WCLA’s national player of the year. As a two-time All-American, Page returns for her senior season this spring hoping to lead the Bulldogs in their pursuit of a national club championship. USA Lacrosse recently spoke with Page about the 2026 season.

Developed by USA Lacrosse, LaxFit® is a science-informed training program designed to reduce lower-body injury risk and improve athletic performance. This comprehensive curriculum targets key areas like core strength, balance, and proper landing mechanics — all critical in preventing ACL tears, ankle sprains, and other common injuries.

Hot starts are becoming the norm in Santa Barbara.

Last year, UC Santa Barbara started the season by winning 12 of its first 13 games, eventually advancing to the WCLA national tournament and finishing sixth in the nation with a 15-6 final record.

This spring, the Gauchos are perfect through 13 games and this week, they have taken over as the new No. 1 team in the national Top 20. Their resume certainly justifies their selection, with nine wins against ranked opponents, including No. 5 UCLA, No. 7 Georgia, No. 9 Virginia and No. 10 BYU.