Lacrosse has been one of the fastest-growing sports at the high school level over the last few decades, and there is still room for much more growth. Lacrosse is an officially sanctioned state championship sport for both boys and girls in 25 states with Utah (2021), Wisconsin (2024), Kentucky (2025), Tennessee (2025) and Nevada (2027) the most recent states to add the sport to their championship lineup.

Although the sport is only sanctioned in 25 states, high school lacrosse is played in almost every state in the country by both varsity and club programs. USA Lacrosse works to support high school athletes, both through their scholastic programs and by working with community and club programs around the country

Every serious high school player eventually asks the same question: how far can this take me? For the country's most promising middle and high school athletes, USA Lacrosse built the National Team Development Program (NTDP), a proven pathway to elite competition and future U.S. Youth National Team opportunities for top boys' and girls' players.

NTDP brings those athletes together through a multi-stage identification and training process providing high-level coaching, real skill development, and competition built to test them. It's designed to challenge players in a true national team environment, developing not just better athletes, but the future of Team USA.

Development Program

USA Lacrosse seeks to honor high school players for their accomplishments on the field, in the classroom, and in their community. We also recognize deserving boys' and girls' high school coaches from the various geographic areas around the nation, and support local chairpersons who administer and oversee the awards process in each area.

USA Lacrosse All-American

A boys' and girls' All-American is a player who exhibits superior skills and techniques and possesses exceptional game sense and knowledge. A USA Lacrosse All-American is one of the best players within their respective area of the country, while also embodying excellent sportsmanship.

USA Lacrosse All-Academic

A boys' and girls' All-Academic honoree is a player who exhibits exemplary lacrosse skills, good sportsmanship on the field, and represents high standards of academic achievement in the classroom. 

Jackie Pitts Award and Bob Scott Award

These awards recognize high school seniors who go above and beyond in service to their team, school, and community. These athletes, who truly honor the game of lacrosse, are invested in the development of the game in their town and are exemplary teammates. In addition, they must be outstanding students with high academic achievement and serve as role models within their school community.

Every athlete chasing a college roster spot runs into the same wall: too many pathways and not enough clarity. NCAA, NJCAA and NAIA all field varsity programs, and hundreds of club teams compete through the MCLA, WCLA and NCLL. The question is not whether a path exists. It's figuring out which path is yours, and how to get a coach to notice you.

That clarity starts with seeing recruiting the way coaches do. Every varsity roster gets built the same way: a coach starts with a wide pool of prospects and narrows it down — through letters, evaluations, offers, and signatures — until only the athletes who fit the program are left. Understanding that funnel, step by step, is what turns recruiting from something that happens
to you into something you can work.

These are the typical steps coaches will take to get to their final recruits.
 

• Gather a pool of athletes
•  Send letters to gauge interest
• Conduct an in-depth evaluation
• Extend scholarship offers
• Sign athletes and ensure eligibility

Learn more about the recruiting process in this guide built by NCSA, USA Lacrosse's Official Responsible Recruiting Partner. Not every college lacrosse story starts with a varsity roster, however. Club programs give athletes who love the game a real way to keep playing at schools where a recruiting process is not part of the deal or where the varsity roster is already set. Men's programs compete through the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA), women's through the Women's Collegiate Lacrosse Associates (WCLA), and a growing number of teams through the National Collegiate Lacrosse League (NCLL). There are hundreds of teams in all, often playing a schedule just as competitive as it is fun. For a student picking a school on academics, cost or location rather than a scholarship offer, club lacrosse is proof that doesn't have to mean
giving up the game.

Learn more about opportunities in College and Beyond