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Students and parents urge WJCC to fund high-school lacrosse program
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Summary
Multiple students and a parent asked the board to make lacrosse a VHSL sport at all three WJCC high schools and to include startup funding in the budget; a $225,000 startup figure was cited and questioned by speakers.
Three student speakers and a parent coach used the public comment period to press the Williamsburg-James City County School Board to fund varsity lacrosse across all three high schools.
"My name is Collins Warfield, and I'm a freshman club lacrosse player at Warhill High School this year," student Collins Warfield told the board, describing that club teams lack VHSL recognition and school support. Olivia Brown and Maximus Ashby, both club players, said the absence of VHSL status limits practice time, travel and college recognition for players.
Parent and coach John Flanagan asked the board to include lacrosse startup funding in the coming budget cycle and questioned an estimated startup cost of $225,000 that he said had been presented previously. "We have about 400 plus students that play lacrosse in James City County from kindergarten through twelfth grade," Flanagan said. "We have the facilities. We have the numbers of players. We have the parent support." He asked how the $225,000 figure was calculated and urged the board to find a way to put the program into the budget.
What the board said: Trustees thanked the speakers and several members said they support exploring funding options. Multiple trustees noted the division has already approved JROTC and that athletics remains a board priority; at least one trustee urged including lacrosse in the budget discussion.
Next steps: Public comment concluded without a vote. Board members discussed budget timelines during trustees' remarks and several urged staff to continue work on options for funding lacrosse during this budget cycle.
