Laguna Beach High considers adding lacrosse and wrestling to its athletic mix

Laguna Beach High School officials are considering adding two sports to its slate of CIF-sanctioned athletic programs: lacrosse and wrestling.

Athletic Director Lance Neal briefed Laguna Beach Unified School District trustees earlier this week about the results of a survey that asked students to indicate which sports the school offers that they like and whether they are interested in lacrosse and wrestling.

Neal received responses from 1,800 students who will enter grades 6-12 through next fall.

Neal reported that 179 boys and 178 girls are interested in lacrosse, while 90 boys and 30 girls are interested in wrestling.

“The data was shocking,” Neal said of the near identical number of responses from boys and girls regarding lacrosse. “I thought we would have a lot more boys.”

The school board directed Neal to return at a later date with cost estimates and more information about facilities use, including field space.

Trustees also wondered whether adding lacrosse and wrestling would lead to students switching sports within the same season.

Neal told the board he does not foresee an issue.

“When we did the survey football players were the ones who said they would like to wrestle,” Neal said.

Football plays in the fall while wrestling is a winter sport.

“In my experience, and what we’ve seen countywide, it has not had a major impact on other sports,” he said.

Neal mentioned Laguna’s two elementary schools as possible lacrosse practice sites, if field space at the high school becomes an issue.

Board members were supportive of adding wrestling and lacrosse.

“I can’t tell you how many people I know have sent their kids elsewhere because we don’t have lacrosse,” trustee Ketta Brown said.

Parent Joe Miller said his eighth-grade son has played lacrosse for the last three years.

“We’re probably going to send him to Santa Margarita [Catholic High School],” Miller said. “We’d love to have a local option. I love the sport. It’s really fun to watch.”

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