|
The Philadelphia Lacrosse Association is a non-profit organization and the local chapter of USA Lacrosse—a 501(c)(3) based in Baltimore that serves as the national governing body for the sport. The PLA supports and promotes the game of lacrosse at all levels in its chapter area, which includes Greater Philadelphia, Eastern Pennsylvania and portions of Northern Pennsylvania. The PLA also maintains the Eastern Chapter of the Pennsylvania Lacrosse Hall of Fame, which honors the great players, coaches, officials, promoters and others, both men and women, who have made significant contributions to the game in Pennsylvania and are deserving of the highest recognition.
|
THE LIFE OF THE PLA...
|
|
The PLA was formed in 1985 and earned chapter status under the Lacrosse Foundation, predecessor of USA Lacrosse, in 1992. Since that time, the PLA has grown into one of the largest and most successful chapters of USA Lacrosse. In 1998, the United States Women's Lacrosse Association merged with and into USA Lacrosse, and the USWLA's Philadelphia District, which supported and promoted women's lacrosse in the area, automatically became a part of the PLA. With this and other mergers, US Lacrosse and its chapters have helped consolidate numerous lacrosse constituencies and positioned America's truly native game to break through in the sports world of the 21st Century.
Lacrosse in the PLA's chapter area at all levels is thriving, dynamic and increasingly coordinated. The game is played at the youth level, in middle schools and high schools, at the college level, in post-collegiate clubs and, since 1986, professionally. Lacrosse and its celebrated history as the Creator's Game played by indigenous North Americans is also taught in physical education programs in lower, middle and upper schools in the state. In 1998, after making an impressive debut the previous year as an exhibition novelty, lacrosse became an official sport in the Keystone State Games—the annual summer sports festival that draws the finest youth and high school athletes in the Commonwealth to venues around Harrisburg for the chance to compete against the best in the state. Inclusion of lacrosse in the Keystone Games, which the PLA helped engineer, is just one of the many positive recent developments for the game in Pennsylvania. School boards, athletic directors, youth associations, indoor sports facilities and others are increasingly recognizing the growth and popularity of the "fastest game on two feet."
|
|
The PLA's role is to encourage, foster and sponsor these developments and to serve as a resource to help the game take root and grow. The PLA Board, which includes both a Men's and Women's Division, is comprised of representatives from major lacrosse constituencies in the region—youth, high school, college and club lacrosse, officials/umpires and athletes. This governance structure provides for a forum in which representatives of organized lacrosse meet and share ideas and information about the game, upcoming events and other lacrosse-related matters. Ultimately, the organization fosters the formation and growth of lacrosse networks among the hundreds of coaches, parents, promoters, organizers and volunteers in the area who devote so much of their time and energy for the good of the game at the local level.
Throughout the year, PLA volunteers work to organize youth clinics, coaching seminars and fundraising events (including the annual PLA Golf Outing), award camp scholarships, sponsor area tournaments, support travel team, provide assistance to new programs (through the PLA New Start Program), maintain the Pennsylvania Lacrosse Hall of Fame and conduct numerous other activities to further the mission of the PLA and USA Lacrosse. The PLA Calendar of Events and other pages on the PLA web site are designed to keep the lacrosse community apprised of what is happening in the chapter area. Please refer to these other pages to learn more about the PLA and to obtain specific contact information. Thanks for visiting our site and enjoy the game.
|
|