FSU must leverage its position in the South and in the ACC to take advantage of the fastest growing sport in America - lacrosse - in the fastest growing state in America - Florida - and get those athletes and their donation dollars here.
The sport will pay for itself. Donors will line up to support the two teams. FSU is losing so many Floridian wealthy families to out of state schools, and missing the opportunity to enroll wealthy families from out of state schools. This advantage won’t last long - there are currently 19 DII Florida lacrosse schools and 4 DI schools.
Once again history repeated itself and as FSU waited the University of Florida showed strategic strength and started a DI women’s team in 2010. The Gators made it to the NCAA elite 8 last weekend, but lost to an ACC team.
The ACC men’s teams are Virginia, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Syracuse and Duke. Four ACC men’s teams played in the NCAA elite 8 this year. Three will play in the final 4 this weekend. If you like football, watch the games this weekend. Many believe that lacrosse is a tougher sport than football.
The ACC women’s teams are Louisville, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Syracuse, Duke, and Boston College. Five ACC women’s teams were in the NCAA elite 8 this year. Three will play in the final 4 Friday.
Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in America and the fastest growing collegiate sport. Men’s lacrosse experienced a 61% increase over the 15-year time period, fielding 380 teams by 2018. The number of women’s lacrosse teams nearly doubled between 2003 and 2018, rising 97% from 256 to 505.
In youth club lacrosse tournaments in PA, MD, Mass, NY, CT, Midwest and west coast states and now Florida, there are hundreds of thousands of kids playing and loving the sport. It is by far the fastest growing sport in America and it is putting little league baseball out of business.
Having teams at FSU will also keep Florida’s own elite players in the state. Those numbers are growing every year. There are so many high school teams in Florida now playing that the FSHSAA just created a new playoff class - 1A and now 2A.
The best Florida players now must leave the state and develop their loyalties at other schools. Florida players this year committed to Stanford, Georgetown, North Carolina, Syracuse, Ohio State, USC, etc.
We keep losing these families, and the numbers are growing bigtime. There is a reason that Bobby and Schnellenberger focussed on recruiting in Florida in the 1970s. The best athletes in the nation are here. Fifty years later history is repeating itself in a different sport that is sweeping the country.
Another example of the sport’s growth in Florida and FSU being left behind and missing this opportunity - there are 10 men’s DII schools in Florida. Three Florida schools offer women’s D1 lax. Nine Florida schools offer DII lax.
Only one school in Florida offers D1 men’s lax - Jacksonville University. FSU should beat UF and be the second.
There is also synergy in the ACC - Syracuse, UNC, Duke, UVA, etc have elite men’s and women’s teams. Since we are not leaving the ACC we should engage it’s strengths and use it to our advantage. They are getting the best student athletes, and I do mean the best overall, in the nation to play lacrosse. These athletes go on to get top jobs, and then become top donors. If you don’t believe me you should do some research about the lacrosse pipeline to high paying jobs.
FSU should be the first mover and figure out a way to start Men’s and Women’s lax ASAP, it will pay for itself and more. UF got a head start and now fields a top national women’s team. It’s time for FSU to be less provincial and more strategically aggressive.
Lacrosse was started by Indians and the Seminoles should own this college sport.
The sport will pay for itself. Donors will line up to support the two teams. FSU is losing so many Floridian wealthy families to out of state schools, and missing the opportunity to enroll wealthy families from out of state schools. This advantage won’t last long - there are currently 19 DII Florida lacrosse schools and 4 DI schools.
Once again history repeated itself and as FSU waited the University of Florida showed strategic strength and started a DI women’s team in 2010. The Gators made it to the NCAA elite 8 last weekend, but lost to an ACC team.
The ACC men’s teams are Virginia, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Syracuse and Duke. Four ACC men’s teams played in the NCAA elite 8 this year. Three will play in the final 4 this weekend. If you like football, watch the games this weekend. Many believe that lacrosse is a tougher sport than football.
The ACC women’s teams are Louisville, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Syracuse, Duke, and Boston College. Five ACC women’s teams were in the NCAA elite 8 this year. Three will play in the final 4 Friday.
Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in America and the fastest growing collegiate sport. Men’s lacrosse experienced a 61% increase over the 15-year time period, fielding 380 teams by 2018. The number of women’s lacrosse teams nearly doubled between 2003 and 2018, rising 97% from 256 to 505.
In youth club lacrosse tournaments in PA, MD, Mass, NY, CT, Midwest and west coast states and now Florida, there are hundreds of thousands of kids playing and loving the sport. It is by far the fastest growing sport in America and it is putting little league baseball out of business.
Having teams at FSU will also keep Florida’s own elite players in the state. Those numbers are growing every year. There are so many high school teams in Florida now playing that the FSHSAA just created a new playoff class - 1A and now 2A.
The best Florida players now must leave the state and develop their loyalties at other schools. Florida players this year committed to Stanford, Georgetown, North Carolina, Syracuse, Ohio State, USC, etc.
We keep losing these families, and the numbers are growing bigtime. There is a reason that Bobby and Schnellenberger focussed on recruiting in Florida in the 1970s. The best athletes in the nation are here. Fifty years later history is repeating itself in a different sport that is sweeping the country.
Another example of the sport’s growth in Florida and FSU being left behind and missing this opportunity - there are 10 men’s DII schools in Florida. Three Florida schools offer women’s D1 lax. Nine Florida schools offer DII lax.
Only one school in Florida offers D1 men’s lax - Jacksonville University. FSU should beat UF and be the second.
There is also synergy in the ACC - Syracuse, UNC, Duke, UVA, etc have elite men’s and women’s teams. Since we are not leaving the ACC we should engage it’s strengths and use it to our advantage. They are getting the best student athletes, and I do mean the best overall, in the nation to play lacrosse. These athletes go on to get top jobs, and then become top donors. If you don’t believe me you should do some research about the lacrosse pipeline to high paying jobs.
FSU should be the first mover and figure out a way to start Men’s and Women’s lax ASAP, it will pay for itself and more. UF got a head start and now fields a top national women’s team. It’s time for FSU to be less provincial and more strategically aggressive.
Lacrosse was started by Indians and the Seminoles should own this college sport.
