Beginning this season, boys’ and girls’ lacrosse will be an official sport in the lllinois High School Association (IHSA). However, many more athletics are still deemed clubs, causing some to wonder what the differences are between clubs and sports at Central.

Different athletics that remain clubs at Central include bowling, ultimate frisbee and hockey.

The major difference between a club and a sport is finances. A club must finance itself, whereas a sport receives money from the school and priority over a club.

Before lacrosse was taken on as a sport, kids spent about $500 a season, according to Andrew Lutzenkirchen, Central’s athletic director.

In order for lacrosse to become a sport, it had to go through a series of processes to gain the title. The IHSA took a poll of who would be interested in the club becoming a sport. If enough people express interest, the IHSA gives it the title of an “emerging sport.”

Once lacrosse had the title of “emerging sport,” the next phase is to become an official IHSA sport. For an emerging sport to go to an official sport, there must be a state series. In order for a state series to take place, there must be a certain number of Illinois schools who currently have a lacrosse team.

A state series where schools who have won in their division, face off with other teams from Illinois in order to win the state championship title.  

Naperville North first took lacrosse as a sport and Central was soon to follow, adding to the number of schools interested in having IHSA-regulated lacrosse teams.

Now, lacrosse has met the threshold of schools, it will transition from an athletic club to an official sport during the 2017-2018 school year.

Max Feudo, a sophomore on the  team, is happy about gaining a state competition.

“I have a lot positive feelings about [lacrosse becoming a sport],” Feudo said. “Clubs get different treatment than sports, so it’ll be nice to have a state series and regular practice times.”

Adam Kainrath, a senior on the lacrosse team, is aware of large changes from lacrosse’s new title of “sport.”

“We get more school funding [now], and we have more support from the school,” Kainrath said.