US Lacrosse: No drawbacks to being a member

US Lacrosse is the national governing body of men's and women's lacrosse. Founded in 1998, US Lacrosse has done an incredible job of increasing participation and elevating the overall level of play. They have helped develop knowledgeable lacrosse players and have trained thousands of coaches and officials. Memberships can be purchased for youth, high school, and adult level participants, and a year-long membership costs $50 or less. Members receive many benefits including official referee training and certification, a subscription to the US Lacrosse newsmagazine, funding for developmental lacrosse programs, financial aid for startup programs, player injury insurance, coaches' training and associations, and more.

US Lacrosse membership provides player, referee, and coach insurance for all supervised practices and games. As the cost of insurance is included in the membership fee, many youth lacrosse leagues require their players to be insured through US Lacrosse due to liability concerns. Members also receive a subscription to Lacrosse Magazine, which includes news on all levels of the sport around the country. Members receive access to the US Lacrosse online coaches' directory and are offered discounts on lacrosse gear.

US Lacrosse has enormous amounts of useful information including tips, reports, and events available to anyone. Lacrosse coaches, parents, and officials use the site to access relevant information on all aspects of the sport.

US Lacrosse and the growth of lacrosse

Since 2001, the organization has released detailed annual reports on the growth of lacrosse across the country. Their most recently published survey from 2008 states that there are over 326,000 men's lacrosse participants (youth through the professional level). According to their statistics, men's and women's lacrosse has an average annual growth rate of 11% per year, every year between 2001 and 2008.

Youth lacrosse is growing at an exceptional level in areas that have traditionally offered the sport and also in regions of the country just beginning to play lacrosse. According to the 2008 US Lacrosse Participation Survey, there were 168,768 boys' youth lacrosse players, an 8.3% increase from 2007. Furthermore, men's and women's youth lacrosse combined for a 7-year participation growth increase of 112.2%, totaling over 265,000 players.

High school lacrosse is growing at a faster rate than youth lacrosse and there is enormous potential for the sport to grow even quicker at this level. Men's lacrosse at the high school level grew 9.4% between 2007 and 2008 with over 131,000 active men's participants at the high school level. Men's and women's high school lacrosse has combined for participant growth of 116.8% between 2001 and 2008, totaling over 218,000 players. Some of the top high school players have come from states that are not traditionally known for lacrosse. States like Florida, Texas, California, and North Carolina are more and more often producing Division I collegiate lacrosse players as the sport grows and players continue to improve in those states. Currently 18 states have sanctioned or officially recognized the sport of lacrosse.