by Tyler Piester, Cronkite News
July 17, 2026

IRVINE, Calif. – Every field at Great Park in Irvine, California, was filled.

Dozens of games unfolded as whistles echoed across the sports complex. Players carrying netted sticks hurried from one field to another while parents searched for shade underneath their pop-up tents.

Lacrosse, long viewed as an East Coast sport, has quietly and quickly established itself across the western United States. 

Colorado and California lead the way with deeply entrenched high school programs and the highest concentration of NCAA and club talent in the region. Utah has experienced some of the fastest growth in the country over the last several years, driven largely by the Utah High School Activities Association officially sanctioning the sport. 

The Pacific Northwest states of Oregon and Washington have strong, dedicated high school leagues that have traditionally operated as club-varsity hybrids outside the main state athletic associations.

In Arizona, participation is heavily concentrated in the major Phoenix metro area, but organizers hope the sport can take another step via strong grassroots efforts, potential sanctioning by the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) and the return of the sport to the Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles.

Arizona Lacrosse League commissioner Bryan Petillo believes that the issue isn’t convincing kids to play lacrosse. It’s making sure they know it exists.

“One of our biggest challenges is introducing the sport to communities where there currently aren’t any programs,” Petillo said. “If you’re a student in Buckeye, Queen Creek or another rapidly growing area without a lacrosse program, it’s difficult to even discover the sport.”

California leading the charge

The Pacific Lacrosse Festival, held June 20-21, was organized by Buku Events, a lacrosse event company dedicated to growing the sport. 

“We’ve seen the growth of lacrosse on the West Coast firsthand, especially in Southern California,” said Austen Lison, sales and field operations manager for Buku. “When I first started, the company hosted around 10 events. Now we’re up to about 17 events throughout Northern and Southern California, along with an event in Las Vegas.”

In the 2024-25 school year, 20,016 high school students participated in lacrosse according to the California Interscholastic Federation. By comparison, 15,259 students participated during the 2014-15 school year. 

Parents who have watched the game evolve say the difference is hard to miss.

“I grew up on the East Coast, and obviously it’s more popular over there,” said Chris Pretto, whose kid plays for the Huntsmen Lacrosse club program in Irvine. “But out here it’s really grown a lot. The skill level has improved, the kids are getting better and the sport is getting more recognition here in California.”

For coaches, the growth has been just as dramatic.

“I feel like over the last five years, the sport has really boomed,” said Leann Rosales, a girls coach with Harlem Lacrosse at Compton High School. “Growing up, I didn’t even know what lacrosse was until I got to high school, which is when I started playing.”

Now children are beginning to play at a younger age.

“I’m seeing kids start as young as third grade and continue playing year-round,” Rosales said. “We’ve seen so much talent come through our programs.”

The scene in Irvine shows just how far the sport has come in California.

Arizona is still trying to reach that point.

Arizona’s ambitions

The Arizona Lacrosse League has overseen high school competition since 2000, while operating independently through a partnership with USA Lacrosse. 

Petillo, originally from Long Island, New York, played lacrosse at Tufts University outside of Boston before moving to Arizona in 2019. 

“Coming from New York, where lacrosse is such a major sport, I saw what I thought was tremendous potential for growth here in Arizona,” Petillo said.

That growth hasn’t come as quickly as he initially thought.

“Unfortunately, I think the sport’s growth has stalled a little over the last several years out here,” Petillo said. “There is still a lot of enthusiasm in communities where lacrosse has traditionally been established and where schools have strong support systems around their programs.

“However, overall we haven’t seen the growth in terms of new teams and player participation that I would like to see.”

Last season, the Arizona Lacrosse League featured 28 varsity and junior varsity teams, with more than 550 players participating, but the sport still is not sanctioned by the AIA. 

Petillo believes that supporters need to rebuild the connection between youth and high school programs.

“If your youth leagues aren’t thriving, your high school programs won’t thrive either,” Petillo said. “At some point, I think those two levels became disconnected.”

There are other independent lacrosse leagues in Arizona such as the Ahwatukee Lightning, Arizona Girls Lacrosse Association and Youth Lacrosse of Arizona, but the most recent statistics show that in 2023, about 1,000 high school students were registered with USA Lacrosse in Arizona. 

When it comes to collegiate lacrosse, Arizona has just one NCAA Division I program: Arizona State’s women’s lacrosse team. 

ASU, the University of Arizona, Grand Canyon University and Northern Arizona University all field men’s and women’s club lacrosse teams.

Relatability

Supporters say the appeal of lacrosse comes from it having similar elements to other sports.

“I think lacrosse takes the best parts of several different sports and combines them into one,” Petillo said. “You mix elements of football, basketball, soccer and hockey together, and I think you end up with a really exciting game.”

Huntsman coach Nick Henry sees the same appeal.

“It’s easy for families to find a commonality between the sports that they already play,” Henry said.

The climate out west also helps. Blake Wozniak, a California native, left home to play lacrosse at Southern New Hampshire University. He believes the weather may create an advantage for West Coast teams over those on the East Coast.

“With the sunshine, you’ll always be able to play,” Wozniak said. “You can keep the stick in your hand and continue to work and get better over time.

“Soon we’ll be miles ahead of them.”

Sanctioning

Seth Polansky, the AIA Director of Sports Information, said that the sport was close to being sanctioned more than a decade ago.

“About 11 years ago, one of the executive board members planned to bring forward an action item to have lacrosse added under the AIA umbrella,” Polansky said.

The proposal never reached a vote however, as the board member passed away the week of the meeting.

“As a result, what was supposed to be an action item became a discussion item, and eventually the entire issue was tabled and never came back before the board again,” Polansky said.

Despite this, interest remains.

“Has there been discussion about lacrosse? Yes,” Polansky said. “Has the AIA been approached about adding lacrosse since that effort 11 years ago? Also yes.”

Still, getting a sport sanctioned is a lengthy process.

“We don’t just decide to add a sport,” Polansky said, “It has to go through the proper channels, which is either an athletic director at a member school proposes it through their conference rep on the board or a board member decides to do it on their own.

“Basically it has to come about when a majority of schools are on board with it all together.”

Looking ahead

Petillo believes that lacrosse in Arizona is poised for a period of growth, especially with the return of the sport to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles after a 120-year absence.

“Our partners at USA Lacrosse have a lot of plans to take advantage of the Olympics and the exposure it will bring,” Petillo said. “Any time people get to watch something that’s exciting and compelling on that big of a stage, they’re naturally going to ask, ‘How can I do that?’”

The issue will be making sure interested kids have somewhere to play.

“That’s where we come in,” Petillo said. “We need to make sure those kids have opportunities to play on a team in their neighborhood and with their friends.”

In the short term, Petillo said organizers will focus on creating a more competitive environment while helping new programs develop.

“We’re continuing to evaluate our conference structure to make sure competition is as balanced as possible,” Petillo said. “We also want newer programs to have opportunities to grow without immediately facing the strongest teams and getting blown out.” 

Long term, Petillo said his goal is simple.

“We want to introduce lacrosse to new communities and continue growing in areas that don’t currently have many opportunities,” Petillo said. “Right now, we have three teams in Tucson. I’d love to see even more teams develop there so we can create a stronger regional schedule instead of requiring schools to travel long distances.

“I’d also like to see lacrosse expand into other parts of Arizona where there currently aren’t any programs. If we accomplish this, I think that the sport will continue to grow throughout the state.”

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As California becomes lacrosse powerhouse, Arizona hopes to be next <p>Tyler Piester, Cronkite News<br /> July 17, 2026 <p>Cronkite News offers an audio version of this story using an automated voice created by AI. Errors in pronunciation, pacing and intonation may occur. If you notice an error please contact cronkitenews@asu.edu.IRVINE, Calif. – Every field at Great Park in Irvine, California, was filled. <p>Dozens of games unfolded as whistles echoed across the sports complex. Players carrying netted sticks hurried from one field to another while parents searched for shade underneath their pop-up tents.<div class="mvp-post-ad-wrap"><span class="mvp-ad-label">Advertisement</span><div class="mvp-post-ad"> </div></div> <p>Lacrosse, long viewed as an East Coast sport, has quietly and quickly established itself across the western United States.  <p>Colorado and California lead the way with deeply entrenched high school programs and the highest concentration of NCAA and club talent in the region. Utah has experienced some of the fastest growth in the country over the last several years, driven largely by the Utah High School Activities Association officially sanctioning the sport.  <p>The Pacific Northwest states of Oregon and Washington have strong, dedicated high school leagues that have traditionally operated as club-varsity hybrids outside the main state athletic associations. <p>In Arizona, participation is heavily concentrated in the major Phoenix metro area, but organizers hope the sport can take another step via strong grassroots efforts, potential sanctioning by the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) and the return of the sport to the Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles. <p>Arizona Lacrosse League commissioner Bryan Petillo believes that the issue isn’t convincing kids to play lacrosse. It’s making sure they know it exists.<div class="mvp-post-ad-wrap"><span class="mvp-ad-label">Advertisement</span><div class="mvp-post-ad"> </div></div> <p>“One of our biggest challenges is introducing the sport to communities where there currently aren’t any programs,” Petillo said. “If you’re a student in Buckeye, Queen Creek or another rapidly growing area without a lacrosse program, it’s difficult to even discover the sport.” <p>California leading the charge <p>The Pacific Lacrosse Festival, held June 20-21, was organized by Buku Events, a lacrosse event company dedicated to growing the sport.  <p>“We’ve seen the growth of lacrosse on the West Coast firsthand, especially in Southern California,” said Austen Lison, sales and field operations manager for Buku. “When I first started, the company hosted around 10 events. Now we’re up to about 17 events throughout Northern and Southern California, along with an event in Las Vegas.” <p>In the 2024-25 school year, 20,016 high school students participated in lacrosse according to the California Interscholastic Federation. By comparison, 15,259 students participated during the 2014-15 school year. <div class="mvp-post-ad-wrap"><span class="mvp-ad-label">Advertisement</span><div class="mvp-post-ad"> </div></div> <p>Parents who have watched the game evolve say the difference is hard to miss. <p>“I grew up on the East Coast, and obviously it’s more popular over there,” said Chris Pretto, whose kid plays for the Huntsmen Lacrosse club program in Irvine. “But out here it’s really grown a lot. The skill level has improved, the kids are getting better and the sport is getting more recognition here in California.” <p>For coaches, the growth has been just as dramatic. <p>“I feel like over the last five years, the sport has really boomed,” said Leann Rosales, a girls coach with Harlem Lacrosse at Compton High School. “Growing up, I didn’t even know what lacrosse was until I got to high school, which is when I started playing.” <p>Now children are beginning to play at a younger age.<div class="mvp-post-ad-wrap"><span class="mvp-ad-label">Advertisement</span><div class="mvp-post-ad"> </div></div> <p>“I’m seeing kids start as young as third grade and continue playing year-round,” Rosales said. “We’ve seen so much talent come through our programs.” <p>The scene in Irvine shows just how far the sport has come in California. <p>Arizona is still trying to reach that point. <p>Arizona’s ambitions <p>The Arizona Lacrosse League has overseen high school competition since 2000, while operating independently through a partnership with USA Lacrosse. <div class="mvp-post-ad-wrap"><span class="mvp-ad-label">Advertisement</span><div class="mvp-post-ad"> </div></div> <p>Petillo, originally from Long Island, New York, played lacrosse at Tufts University outside of Boston before moving to Arizona in 2019.  <p>“Coming from New York, where lacrosse is such a major sport, I saw what I thought was tremendous potential for growth here in Arizona,” Petillo said. <p>That growth hasn’t come as quickly as he initially thought. <p>“Unfortunately, I think the sport’s growth has stalled a little over the last several years out here,” Petillo said. “There is still a lot of enthusiasm in communities where lacrosse has traditionally been established and where schools have strong support systems around their programs. <p>“However, overall we haven’t seen the growth in terms of new teams and player participation that I would like to see.”<div class="mvp-post-ad-wrap"><span class="mvp-ad-label">Advertisement</span><div class="mvp-post-ad"> </div></div> <p>Last season, the Arizona Lacrosse League featured 28 varsity and junior varsity teams, with more than 550 players participating, but the sport still is not sanctioned by the AIA.  <p>Petillo believes that supporters need to rebuild the connection between youth and high school programs. <p>“If your youth leagues aren’t thriving, your high school programs won’t thrive either,” Petillo said. “At some point, I think those two levels became disconnected.” <p>There are other independent lacrosse leagues in Arizona such as the Ahwatukee Lightning, Arizona Girls Lacrosse Association and Youth Lacrosse of Arizona, but the most recent statistics show that in 2023, about 1,000 high school students were registered with USA Lacrosse in Arizona.  <p>When it comes to collegiate lacrosse, Arizona has just one NCAA Division I program: Arizona State’s women’s lacrosse team. <div class="mvp-post-ad-wrap"><span class="mvp-ad-label">Advertisement</span><div class="mvp-post-ad"> </div></div> <p>ASU, the University of Arizona, Grand Canyon University and Northern Arizona University all field men’s and women’s club lacrosse teams. <p>Relatability <p>Supporters say the appeal of lacrosse comes from it having similar elements to other sports. <p>“I think lacrosse takes the best parts of several different sports and combines them into one,” Petillo said. “You mix elements of football, basketball, soccer and hockey together, and I think you end up with a really exciting game.” <p>Huntsman coach Nick Henry sees the same appeal.<div class="mvp-post-ad-wrap"><span class="mvp-ad-label">Advertisement</span><div class="mvp-post-ad"> </div></div> <p>“It’s easy for families to find a commonality between the sports that they already play,” Henry said. <p>The climate out west also helps. Blake Wozniak, a California native, left home to play lacrosse at Southern New Hampshire University. He believes the weather may create an advantage for West Coast teams over those on the East Coast. <p>“With the sunshine, you’ll always be able to play,” Wozniak said. “You can keep the stick in your hand and continue to work and get better over time. <p>“Soon we’ll be miles ahead of them.” <p>Sanctioning<div class="mvp-post-ad-wrap"><span class="mvp-ad-label">Advertisement</span><div class="mvp-post-ad"> </div></div> <p>Seth Polansky, the AIA Director of Sports Information, said that the sport was close to being sanctioned more than a decade ago. <p>“About 11 years ago, one of the executive board members planned to bring forward an action item to have lacrosse added under the AIA umbrella,” Polansky said. <p>The proposal never reached a vote however, as the board member passed away the week of the meeting. <p>“As a result, what was supposed to be an action item became a discussion item, and eventually the entire issue was tabled and never came back before the board again,” Polansky said. <p>Despite this, interest remains.<div class="mvp-post-ad-wrap"><span class="mvp-ad-label">Advertisement</span><div class="mvp-post-ad"> </div></div> <p>“Has there been discussion about lacrosse? Yes,” Polansky said. “Has the AIA been approached about adding lacrosse since that effort 11 years ago? Also yes.” <p>Still, getting a sport sanctioned is a lengthy process. <p>“We don’t just decide to add a sport,” Polansky said, “It has to go through the proper channels, which is either an athletic director at a member school proposes it through their conference rep on the board or a board member decides to do it on their own. <p>“Basically it has to come about when a majority of schools are on board with it all together.” <p>Looking ahead<div class="mvp-post-ad-wrap"><span class="mvp-ad-label">Advertisement</span><div class="mvp-post-ad"> </div></div> <p>Petillo believes that lacrosse in Arizona is poised for a period of growth, especially with the return of the sport to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles after a 120-year absence. <p>“Our partners at USA Lacrosse have a lot of plans to take advantage of the Olympics and the exposure it will bring,” Petillo said. “Any time people get to watch something that’s exciting and compelling on that big of a stage, they’re naturally going to ask, ‘How can I do that?’” <p>The issue will be making sure interested kids have somewhere to play. <p>“That’s where we come in,” Petillo said. “We need to make sure those kids have opportunities to play on a team in their neighborhood and with their friends.” <p>In the short term, Petillo said organizers will focus on creating a more competitive environment while helping new programs develop.<div class="mvp-post-ad-wrap"><span class="mvp-ad-label">Advertisement</span><div class="mvp-post-ad"> </div></div> <p>“We’re continuing to evaluate our conference structure to make sure competition is as balanced as possible,” Petillo said. “We also want newer programs to have opportunities to grow without immediately facing the strongest teams and getting blown out.”  <p>Long term, Petillo said his goal is simple. <p>“We want to introduce lacrosse to new communities and continue growing in areas that don’t currently have many opportunities,” Petillo said. “Right now, we have three teams in Tucson. I’d love to see even more teams develop there so we can create a stronger regional schedule instead of requiring schools to travel long distances. <p>“I’d also like to see lacrosse expand into other parts of Arizona where there currently aren’t any programs. If we accomplish this, I think that the sport will continue to grow throughout the state.” <p>This article first appeared on Cronkite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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• Sedona, Arizona, has been named one of the best small towns in the USA by Y Travel Blog.
• The city ranked No. 14 on the list of 23 small towns, celebrated for its unique travel experiences.
• The publication also noted the area’s natural vortices and over 300 miles of hiking and biking trails.

Arizona is always making headlines for its breathtaking scenery, top travel destinations and highly ranked cities. Now, another Arizona gem is earning national recognition, with this famous city ranking No. 14 on Y Travel’s list of the 23 small towns in the USA to visit.

Y Travel, also known as Y Travel Blog, is an independent travel publication. The site has built a reputation for publishing firsthand destination guides, road-trip itineraries and family travel advice based on places the couple behind it has personally visited.

The ranking celebrates small towns that offer memorable travel experiences. According to Y Travel, the towns were selected based on their unique character, scenic beauty, walkable downtowns, local culture, history, outdoor recreation, food and the authentic experiences they provide to visitors rather than simply their popularity.

Here’s which city ranked top in Arizona.

Sedona named a small town to visit by Y Travel

Coming in at No. 14, Sedona stood out for its colorful blend of desert landscape, luxury resorts and spas, red rock formations, Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock

The website mentioned how the city has natural vortices and 300+ miles of hiking and biking trails nearby, with lots of outdoor activities to explore.

Got a story you want to share? Reach out at Tiffany.Acosta@gannett.com. Follow @tiffsario on Instagram.

Looking for the best things to do in Arizona? Sign up for our newsletter.

Key Points: 

• Judge considers ballot qualification challenge to anti-DEI ballot measure

• Plaintiffs claim measure illegally combines disjointed constitutional provisions

• Supporters claim stronger anti-discrimination, foes fear free speech violations

A Maricopa County judge is considering whether a measure that would broadly ban diversity, equity, and inclusion in government is legally eligible to appear on the November ballot. 

House Concurrent Resolution 2044, sponsored by House Speaker Steve Montenegro, R-Godyear, and referred to voters by the Republican majority this past session, follows the federal government’s efforts to eliminate state-sanctioned DEI programs.

The measure would amend the state Constitution and cement the existing ban on preferential treatment and discrimination based on race or ethnicity in public employment, education and contracting.  

But it would take a step further in banning institutions from requiring or asking for support of, providing training on, or mandating any courses that teach DEI or the belief that “colorblind” law, policy or institution contributes to racial oppression, injustice or privilege. 

It would also bar all K-12 schools and universities from using public monies to influence the composition of the faculty or student body, and generally bar any public bodies from enacting policy, providing special benefit or mandating training referencing race, ethnicity, sex or sexual orientation. 

In a lawsuit filed June 22, the progressive political action committee Will of the People and an elector sued the state, claiming HCR2044 violates the separate amendment rule, which bars ballot measures from “logrolling” unrelated provisions in the same act. 

Josh Barro, attorney for Will of the People, claims HCR2044 presents a noncontroversial provision already enacted in Arizona – the ban on practicing and spending public money on discriminatory or preferential treatment based on race or ethnicity – but “smuggles in” anti-diversity, equity and inclusion provisions. 

“You have a popular, established right paired with a distinct, controversial policy,” Barro said. 

Barro argued the remaining provisions targeting employee training on race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity or sexual orientation contradict the initial intent of the measure. 

“If you can’t mention race, or you can’t train your employees to be mindful of diversity, or pursue equity in the workplace, you are literally promoting discrimination,” Barro said. 

He told the court the provisions stand directly at odds with each other, rendering the measure insufficiently connected as required by law. 

“On one hand, HCR 2044 aims to prohibit discrimination,” Barro said. “On the other hand, HCR 2044 uses the smuggled content to restrict programs that aim to accomplish the same goal.”

Both the attorney general and secretary of state declined to defend the law. But Kory Langhofer, attorney for the Legislature, claims the provisions in HCR2044 do not replace or continue the original language in the state Constitution as Barro claims. 

He contends that the measure closes a loophole and “builds out specific examples of types of invidious discrimination that are prohibited in state institutions in Arizona.” 

Langhofer contended all components of the measure are aimed at and connected in ending discrimination and governmental bias.

“It’s all going in the same direction,” Langhofer said. 

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Julie Mata took the matter under advisement. 

If the measure does ultimately end up on the ballot, groups are already lined up to offer support and prod opposition. 

The Goldwater Institute, a primary backer of HCR2044, celebrated the measure’s intent to shut down DEI-related offices and training and prohibit the use of diversity statements in employment and education.

Coursework at public universities would fall under fire under the new policy, too. 

In April, the Goldwater Institute released a report claiming that Arizona’s public universities were requiring DEI in a long list of classes but failing to meet academic standards set by the Arizona Board of Regents. 

Classes flagged by the organization included: “Anthropology of American Democracy,” “Surveillance and Society,” “Introduction to Military Studies,” and “Current Issues in National Politics.”

Though HCR2044 may survive litigation challenging its qualification for the ballot, legal challenges to the measure’s substance could come down the line. 

The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona already claims HCR2044 restricts academic freedom in colleges and universities, violates the First Amendment rights of students, teachers and administrators, and targets viewpoints based on race, sex and discrimination. 

“Ideas are not illegal, and there is no ‘government-approved’ speech exception to the First Amendment,” Darrell Hill, policy director for the ACLU of Arizona, said in a statement. “The state cannot adopt a policy or rule that punishes faculty, administrators, or students for expressing their beliefs or prohibits wide scopes of ideas from being debated at universities.”