TRAVERSE CITY— Come the 2024 spring season, girls’ lacrosse will be the newest addition to the TCAPS’ athletics programs.
Traverse City West and Traverse City Central will combine as a co-op team, keeping the TC United name that has already been established at the club level.
The popularity and rapid growth of the sport pushed TCAPS to make the decision.
“We wanted to be able to offer it as a varsity sport in TCAPS. And then we underwent a few facilities upgrades over summer, including turf fields, both here at Central and out at West that allowed us to have adequate facilities to be able to roll it out as well,” Traverse City Central Athletic Director Justin Thorington said.
Lacrosse had been named a varsity sport for TC boys back in 2018. They, too, started as a co-op program. Since the sport became so popular, they are now undergoing a split.
“There was only one team. And now there’s like, 60 kids, and there’s a full youth program. So, it’s grown a huge amount in Traverse City,” Central sophomore Quinn Gerber explained.
Gerber will be a part of the new varsity co-op, and she is excited to watch the show grow just the same for girls.
“I think a lot of girls who don’t play a spring sport, or just don’t play a sport through the high school and want to try a new one [will play]. That’s kind of what lacrosse will be this year,” she said. “It’s super exciting to grow the program so we can all become better players.”
TCAPS will continue to evaluate adding growing varsity sports through the MHSAA. Thorington noted that girls’ hockey, eSports, and rowing have been topics of recent discussions.
The program is currently looking for their first head coach. Interested parties can learn more here.
