Let the Games Begin: Lacrosse is Coming to D228

Lacrosse players, fans and parents in Bremen High School District 228, rejoice!

After more than two years of pushing, pulling and prodding, .

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Although the district signed off on the letter and will sponsor the sport, Oak Forest Park District Commissioner Joe Conway, who helped spearhead the latest efforts to get lacrosse into District 228, said the sport will be a co-op club activity, led by parents, players and coaches.

“The district is on board, they're happy,” Conway said. “We met at a common level and now we're going to have a lacrosse club.”

Initially, Conway said that the district had 14 points of contention in signing the letter, the two major ones being insurance again player injury and a fear that the district may have to end the program after only a few short years. He said the first issue was addressed when the club took out a $2 million insurance policy, while the latter is proven moot by the strong number of players in the lowest grade levels of the Oak Forest Fury lacrosse program.

Previously, Conway said that the cost for the program could run anywhere between $300 to $350-per-student, but he said that price tag is going to stick to the low end of the scale.

“We're sticking with the $300 cost for players,” Conway said. “That will cover everything from travel to insurance. If a player needs to rent equipment, it'll cost $25 for a helmet and $25 for shoulder pads, that's the only additional cost.”

This year, the club will be only field a boys JV team, although next year the hope is to field both a boys and girls team and up to four teams total if students show as much interest as expected.

“It's going to just be a boys team this year, but the hope is that next year, we'll have a boys and girls team,” Conway said. “It all depends on how many players we have sign up, we could go up to four teams, two boys and two girls.”

With the signed letter in hand, the club is already practicing three days a week, behind Arbor Park Middle School, Conway said. Although the club is now sponsored by the district, Conway said he or other adults associated with the program cannot go pitch the sport to potential players, because the adults are not district employees.

For students or parents who are interested in lacrosse, sign ups are currently being held at the Oak Forest Park District, 15601 Central Ave. Questions about the new lacrosse program or the sport can be sent to Joe Conway at jconway@oakforestparks.org.

Check Out Patch's Complete Coverage of Lacrosse Coming to D228:

• Lacrosse Still a No-Go in District 228
• D228 Stuck at Standstill with Lacrosse
• Lacrosse Group Still Pushing to Play in D228

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