The hopes of high school lacrosse players across the state of Utah were realized on May 5 when the Utah High School Activities Association (USHAA) officially sanctioned lacrosse as a sport. However, Lacrosse will remain a club until the 2019-20 season.

“I was way pumped and we were way excited as a lacrosse team,” senior Johnny Jergensen said. “We were kind of bummed that it couldn’t have happened sooner for our year but we are excited for the upcoming freshmen.”

The lacrosse players who are freshmen this year will be the first class who have to opportunity to play lacrosse as a sanctioned sport. This also means that the sophomores at school this year missed the deadline by just a year.

“I was glad, but kind of ticked off because it’s the year after I graduate,” sophomore Collin Cook said.

Even though the date is so far from now, the seniors felt like the news was a little bittersweet, too.

“I think it is about time that it should be sanctioned, and it has been growing for a long time,” senior Palmer Brophy said. “It was ready a while ago, so I think it would be nice to see it be sanctioned completely right now.”

Davis has one of the biggest programs in the state right now and while that might be a reason for frustration, it also helps to explain the USHAA’s decision to wait a few years.

“I think it is because a lot of the high schools don’t have the best programs,” Cook said. “Davis is unique because we have a big one and it is very popular.”

One of the focuses of the players now will be to develop into leaders for the classes below them.

“[I will] just work hard and try to help everyone that I can to get better and uphold the Davis name here on the field,” Cook said.

Regardless of which class will have the opportunity to play lacrosse as a sport, all agree that the decision will help the popularity of lacrosse in Utah.

“Having it being sanctioned in high schools will help it become really big, and it’s said to be one of the fastest growing sports in America,” Jergensen said.

The news of lacrosse being sanctioned is coming at a very opportune time. Right now the head lacrosse coach at the University of Utah is trying to get their program to become Division I.

Moving forward, the team is looking to continue to ride with the momentum of the sport and involve as many of the students as possible.

“I think whenever [our games] were on the [football] field we had a good output and a lot of people showed up,” Brophy said. “I think we just need to get out on the field more often and have it be more involved with the school.”