The Hart School District is proud to announce that the Governing Board officially adopted lacrosse as a high school sport during the Oct. 17 regular meeting. Lacrosse will be instituted at West Ranch High School as a financially self-sustaining interscholastic sport.

Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing team sports across the United States and in Southern California with more high schools offering lacrosse as another spring team sport option for students. West Ranch High School will be the first school in the Hart District to offer a lacrosse program for the 2012 /2013 school year with the season beginning in February 2013.

“The student response to lacrosse at West Ranch has been tremendous,” Bob Vincent, Principal, said. “We will have both a varsity and junior varsity team in this inaugural year as a result of the number of students that want to play lacrosse.”

“Lacrosse is the first new sport added to the extensive list of athletic programs since boys volleyball was added in 1988 and we are excited to have West Ranch High School be the first school with this new program,” Vincent added.

The sport of youth and club lacrosse has roots extending nearly a decade in Santa Clarita with now over 300 participants. “All high schools in the Hart District are eligible to offer a lacrosse program in the future assuming that our new sport and self-funded guidelines are met,” Greg Lee, Director of Human Resources and Equity Services, said.

“We have worked in cooperation with the Hart District and the WRHS high school administration for nearly two years to make this vision a reality,” Tony Palma, President of the WRHS Lacrosse Foundation / Booster Club commented.  “This is yet another example of the progressive culture that exists in Santa Clarita to benefit the students of our community.”

“While West Ranch will be playing in a select high school league this first year, we anticipate having a lacrosse Foothill League in the coming years as more high schools chose to add this sport,” Rob Gapper, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, commented.