I had never heard of MCLA lacrosse before I came on board with ILWT. Natural curiosity led me to do some investigation into why I had recently learned there were hundreds of college varsity lacrosse programs and approximately 30 percent are NCAA sanctioned.
Repeatedly, lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the world. The question in this instance is not what is keeping the NCAA from sanctioning MCLA teams. The evidence I found points more towards the dynamics keeping MCLA teams from competing in the NCAA.
I would like to insert this quote as a summarizing argument I will elaborate on:
“Most MCLA teams are striving for a balance between a varsity experience and a traditional club lacrosse experience. The term “virtual varsity” has been used to describe this mix, although that term shouldn’t be used loosely. The only real differences between club and varsity lacrosse are official recognition as a varsity team by that school’s athletic department, which qualifies the team for NCAA competition, and the restrictions the NCAA has placed on the varsity recruiting process. Beyond that, the line becomes (very) fuzzy. Varsity teams run the range from fully funded, big-time programs like Johns Hopkins, Duke, Virginia, Maryland, and Syracuse that offer the maximum allotment of 12.6 scholarships, well-paid full-time coaches, and the support of a big-time athletic complex, to programs with part-time coaches, limited budgets, no scholarships and limited support. Some varsity teams even charge player dues or have the players fund raise to help offset costs, much like club teams.”
The quote comes from a Google search result blog that unfortunately does not provide author name or origin. www.experts123.com
Therefore, it is not to be taken as a set-in-stone explanation, but a pivoting point for argument.
The NCAA, as an organization, is willing to accept any varsity athletic program as long as they are officially recognized by their school and can provide themselves funding for necessities: travel/arrangements, gear/uniforms, and a full-time coaching staff.
Unfortunately, lacrosse is not yet established enough for all schools to make said recognition. In southern states of the US and those on the historical western frontiers the sport is still runner-up to more traditional games like football, baseball, and basketball. Those areas tend to be more conservative/traditional in culture.
The average coaching salary for collegiate lacrosse that I could find was around $120,000 a year. In comparison to huge football programs that pay their coaches multi-million dollar contracts lacrosse salaries are minimal. When put into perspective of a young program affording that coach, fundraising alone won’t cover that.
When I was a sophomore in college at SUNY Oswego, I founded the Men’s Lacrosse Club Team along with two others. As executive board members we were in charge of team equipment orders, and everything from the team was 100 percent out of pocket expenses.
Therefore, we only made two purchases mandatory: uniforms and gas money for travel. Sicty players worth of custom uniforms at $60 apiece came to $3,600. We provided brand new Warrior T-IIs jet black shell and green-chrome facemask for $110 a bucket. Approximately 15-20 players were able to afford that on their own.
An advantage to club leagues, particularly the one we participated in (NCLL), we would play in tournaments and not individual games, making travel less of a hinderance. At the end of the season, the average paid out-of-pocket by one of 60 players was $300-500.
When looking at the figure on paper/computer screen, it does not seem like much. When you are a college students funding your own way, working two minimum wage jobs, probably a social life to one extent or another, etc., it is expensive.
A school’s athletic department cannot afford to hand out money as they are provided annual budgets, so to throw out $500,000 between coach, bus, hotel, field arrangements and maintenance without the support to be reimbursed (ticket sales, fundraising, merchandise, etc.) is a definitive road block.
Being a participant of the NCAA can require mass amounts of travel to different states, tournaments, and events. When being publicized to such a media extremity, schools want their players and teams well-represented in campus attire. Texas A&M could create a young varsity NCAA-sanctioned program but due to popularity levels would need to travel to Baltimore, New England, etc. Just look at U. Denver.
Even I, a lacrosse fanatic, would not allocate such funding as a Texas A&M board member knowing football runs the culture down south. (**Texas A&M is used for a hypothetical situation/college)
Let’s apply that to MCLA teams who are making one of the biggest sacrifices in growing the medicine game. Many teams such as University of Central Florida, Michigan State, Pittsburgh University and many more afford coaches, uniforms and gear through loads of fundraising, some assistance from student-club-campus-organizations, and possibly loads of out-of-pocket expenses. They are battling on the tough front line of lacrosse growth, so shouldn’t they be allowed to compete in the NCAA?
All the holes in funding also leaves hanging a large contributor to NCAA-programs’ success: scholarships. Let’s be honest, that’s unfeasible without athletic department funding, and the big schools that do afford it acquire the most talented players, increasing their competitive natures.
It’s common sense and human instinct to go where the support is. America’s top high school recruit will obviously choose a school where his efforts and skills are rewarded with everything paid for and great publicity versus an MCLA school that requires him paying his own lacrosse contributions.
With all this investigated, stated and being common sense, the next question is can MCLA teams truly compete with NCAA teams?
The answer is quite obvious after all that explanation. However, as an optimist of the growing influence lacrosse has on America’s (and the world’s) youth I think there could be a possible middle ground.
On a Division-III level, athletic teams are not allowed “athletic scholarships.” Everyone knows they get other incentives like “academic scholarship” and free gear, but one thing they won’t accumulate is top-notch D-I players.
However, that means D-III programs that want to have a larger, more prominent role in the sport’s growth could offer to play some MCLA teams. They already play non-conference games, and the MCLA and NCAA would need to meet to agree to terms that the weight those matches would carry.
MCLA teams may still get squashed by the NCAA programs as the latter are used to playing a high caliber game. In order to grow, your opponents and sport must do the same, as well. The MCLA teams would eventually evolve and adjust to the level of competition, thereby increasing their support and financing for program strength.
Lacrosse continues to grow and the MCLA will follow suit. The MLL has just moved a team from Hamilton, Canada to Florida (Launch). College programs in the south are popping up everywhere. In July, Denver, CO will be host to the FIL World Championships in which worldwide countries will participate. Based on the results of those games, lacrosse could very well become an Olympic Sport, increasing its influence that much more exponentially.
Grab your stick, a bucket of balls, and helmet/gloves. We’ve all got work to do if we are to keep the sport alive and strengthening.
