OMAHA – Lacrosse, often dubbed the fastest sport on two feet, is gaining traction in the Midwest, and there’s a strong drive to bring it to high school sports in Nebraska. A recent survey revealed that 27 states offer boys lacrosse and 28 states have girls lacrosse as a high school sport. Locals are working hard to ensure Nebraska joins this growing list.
Fifteen-year-old Brooke Hempel is one of the enthusiastic supporters of this push. With about five years of experience in lacrosse, she shared, “I just kind of heard of it randomly and I thought maybe I should try it. It’s really fun. It’s a good way to interact and try new things.” Although her school lacks a club team, Hempel plays for another school and dreams of playing at the collegiate level in the future.
Mel Meier is at the forefront of the effort to elevate lacrosse to a varsity sport in Nebraska. “It’s a 24/7 thing,” Meier stated. “Even if I’m not actively in meetings, I’m thinking about things. I probably send about at least 50 emails a week. I would say at least 10 hours a week, and sometimes over 40.” Currently, the goal is to classify lacrosse as an ‘emerging sport activity’. This designation would allow schools a three-year period to assess interest in the sport.
According to NSAA associate director Jeff Johnson, “It can be a long process because a lot of it is education and getting the word out on how does it look, how does it operate.” The proposal must pass through four levels of voting, with a conclusion possibly reached by June, following a similar pathway that girls wrestling took to secure varsity recognition.
Players and parents are hopeful about the future of lacrosse in Nebraska. Brian Hempel, Brooke’s father, remarked, “It gives the students in high school just more opportunities to play another sport that’s different. And it is growing. I think if it’s sanctioned, that exposure, their ability to come out and play grows tenfold.”
Brooke Hempel added, “For it to be an actually known sport—I didn’t know it until I was in seventh grade. So it’d be really fun to see it grow more.” In a significant note, if athletic directors vote in favor of making lacrosse an emerging sport, schools won’t be required to adopt it, but it would enable other schools to offer the sport.
There is also a proposal in consideration that would allow student-athletes to participate in two sports during one season, something currently not permitted. This change could significantly impact the growth of lacrosse if approved.
