History of Lacrosse in Hampton Roads
Lacrosse expanded from its private school origins to grab a wider foothold throughout the Hampton Roads area of Virginia in the late 1980’s. The local youth league affiliated with the Lacrosse Foundation and the United States Women’s Lacrosse Association. As player interest grew, “Hampton Roads Lacrosse” (HRLax) solidified as the driving force behind local lacrosse and traces its recent pedigree to 1995. When the men’s and women’s national groups merged to form US Lacrosse in 1998, HRLax League Leadership founded the Hampton Roads Chapter of US Lacrosse. For eighteen years, the Hampton Roads Chapter oversaw the administration of the HRLax League. The HRlax League has provided and encouraged local lacrosse playing opportunities for the entire Hampton Roads area of South Eastern Virginia stretching from Williamsburg to the OBX, and Suffolk to VA Beach.
The early years saw boy’s recreation teams from Virginia Beach and Norfolk playing on Saturdays with initial expansion into Suffolk and Newport News. A fledgling public High School boy’s program started at four local schools: Menchville, Maury, Cox and First Colonial. Crossing into the new decade, the girl’s recreation and public HS programs followed this established path, and HRLax saw expansion teams for both boys and girls form in Williamsburg, Yorktown, Chesapeake, and the Outer Banks of NC (OBX). During the mid-2000s, the league experienced explosive growth to reach today’s levels; the league’s five divisions encompass more than 2,000 players, 130 youth teams (boys & girls) and 38 public high school teams (boys & girls, varsity & JV).
The early years saw boy’s recreation teams from Virginia Beach and Norfolk playing on Saturdays with initial expansion into Suffolk and Newport News. A fledgling public High School boy’s program started at four local schools: Menchville, Maury, Cox and First Colonial. Crossing into the new decade, the girl’s recreation and public HS programs followed this established path, and HRLax saw expansion teams for both boys and girls form in Williamsburg, Yorktown, Chesapeake, and the Outer Banks of NC (OBX). During the mid-2000s, the league experienced explosive growth to reach today’s levels; the league’s five divisions encompass more than 2,000 players, 130 youth teams (boys & girls) and 38 public high school teams (boys & girls, varsity & JV).