Broward County High School Athletics- Lacrosse

IA League

April 2008 FHSAA will conduct the 1st Lacrosse State Championship.  Site to be announced.


September 2007  BCAA conducted an informal survey of the AD's of conference schools to determine their interest level in offering lacrosse as a school sponsored Varsity sport.  An informal inquiry by our sources has determined there was sufficient support from the AD's.  It is now a matter of time before we know whether approval will be granted in time for the Spring 2008 season.  We encourage all parents and students to indicate your view to your respective AD.  The sooner South Florida schools get behind lacrosse, the quicker we can demonstrate the tremendous athletes we have from Florida.  

Broward County has many fine schools, both private and public. The two main athletic organizations in Broward County High School Varsity sports are the Broward County Athletic Association ("BCAA") and the Florida Council of Independent Schools ("FCIS"); and at the High School Club level the conferences/leagues are sport specific.

"Varsity High School" status falls within the jurisdiction of the FHSAA. While Club Varsity status is determined by third party organizations and not by the sanctioning body of high school sports in Florida, i.e. FHSAA. Although club sports do not fall under the jurisdiction of the FHSAA, club organizations look to the FHSAA to write rules for their sport and follow them in hope that FHSAA will recognize and ultimately sanction the sport at the high school level. 

At the Varsity level, the Broward County Public School system operates a comprehensive interscholastic athletic program at the middle and high school levels. The school system has designated the Broward County Athletic Association ("BCAA") as the governing body for high school sports.

The BCAA oversees 15 different sports for its members and is comprised of 28 public schools, two private schools and one charter school.

The BCAA also directs the operation of the public school system’s middle school interscholastic sports programs known as Middle School Athletic Association ("MSAA"), which consists of 40 public middle schools.
 

Lacrosse has not been sanctioned by the BCAA at this time, although the FHSAA has recognized the sport and has approved a State Championship for Spring 2008. Table II shows the school members of the BCAA schools and the status of lacrosse at their schools.  It is widely expected that the BCAA will sanction lacrosse for Varsity once ten (10) schools adopt both girls and boys lacrosse.   As of 9/2007, there are eight (8) BCAA schools offering lacrosse; two Varsity and 6 club. 
 

At the Varsity Level, the Florida Council of Independent Schools ("FCIS") with school members such as Pine Crest, North Broward Prep, University School and others offer many different sports including lacrosse. Because they are not bound by an athletic conference like BCAA they are free to add any sport they wish.

In Miami-Dade County, the Greater Miami Athletic Conference (GMAC) oversees High School Varsity Sports for all public high-schools and one private school.  The Miami Dade County Public School systems oversees the GMAC.  At present there are a limited number of Miami Dade Schools offering club lacrosse. We expect this number to dramatically increase when the BCAA announces lacrosse as a conference sport.   Either way, the number of schools in Miami-Dade County offering lacrosse will increase this season.