The final stats and figures for USA Lacrosse’s Pick Up & Play clinics have been compiled and clearly reflect another successful National Celebrate Lacrosse Week (NCLW) initiative in 2023.
These clinics, 60-90 minutes in duration, are free introductory events intended for first-time players, ages 6-14, and designed to give kids a chance to try the sport and connect with local USA Lacrosse member organizations. All equipment is provided to the players for use at the clinic, and USA Lacrosse assists all the clinic hosts with local marketing support and resources.
A quick look at the numbers helps explain the breath and scope of the nationwide clinics hosted between November 4-12 by local community volunteers.
▪ 93 total clinics at 76 different host sites across 31 states
▪ 3,074 total participants in 2023, an increase of 306 from 2022, and an increase of over 1,500 registrants from 2021, the inaugural year of the NCLW initiative.
▪ 85% of all participants in 2023 were new to lacrosse.
▪ An increase of 26 clinics over last year and 54 clinics since 2021.
▪ 9 clinic sites offered Spanish speaking coaches/instructors, and one site had Choctaw speaking coaches.
▪ The highest participation numbers, geographically, were for clinics hosted in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest regions, an encouraging sign for the growth of lacrosse in non-traditional areas.
▪ 8 and 9-year-old boys and girls comprised 27% of all participants, and 7-year-olds comprised 15% of the 2023 participants.
“We know from our membership studies that the earlier kids start playing lacrosse, the longer they stay in the game,” said Sarah Forrest, manager of sport growth & participation advancement at USA Lacrosse. “The fact that we have seen the median age of our clinic participants go down over the past two years is a very positive trend.”
Feedback from USA Lacrosse’s post-event participant survey also provided valuable insights about the clinics. Some notable highlights included:
▪ 99% of parents said that their child was excited about lacrosse after attending the clinic.
▪ 84% of parents did not have any previous lacrosse experience.
▪ 69% of parents indicated that they are likely to register their kid(s) into a lacrosse program.
▪ 81% of clinic hosts offered on-site registration for their upcoming season as the next step for participants.
▪ 99% of the clinic hosts indicated that their organization is likely to host at least one additional clinic in the coming months.
“I think the data shows us that we are doing a better job of getting the message out about the Pick Up & Play clinics, and the returning host organizations have a better understanding about the benefits of these events,” Forest said.
“One of the biggest benefits is that we are providing local lacrosse organizations with an avenue to introduce themselves to new lacrosse families. And that’s super important for the growth of the game.”
