Female participation in lacrosse has stagnated at around 38% of the sport’s 400,000 registered players in England and Wales, despite a 15% rise in overall participation since 2021. A report by Sport England released last month shows that the number of women and girls playing the sport weekly remains stuck at roughly 152,000, unchanged from three years ago. The data highlights a persistent gap: while lacrosse has grown among men and boys—up by nearly 20,000 since 2021—efforts to convert interest into regular female players have failed to materialise. Clubs in urban areas like London and Manchester report that while taster sessions draw strong female attendance, sustained involvement drops off sharply after the first month. Local development officers cite limited evening training options, childcare constraints, and a lack of role models as key barriers. England Lacrosse’s own figures from 2023 reveal that only 28% of its registered coaches are women, reinforcing the cycle of under-representation.
Lacrosse growth stalls as women opt out of the game
Lacrosse participation among women has flatlined in England, with the latest figures showing a 2% dip in registered female players over the past year. Data from England Lacrosse reveals the total number of women and girls playing the sport fell from 32,400 in 2022 to 31,800 in 2023. The decline contrasts sharply with the growth in men’s participation, which rose by 5% over the same period.
Schools are a key battleground. A 2023 survey by the Youth Sport Trust found that only 14% of secondary schools offer lacrosse as an extracurricular activity, down from 18% in 2019. Physical education teachers cite limited funding and facilities as primary barriers. “Lacrosse requires specialised equipment and a large pitch, which many schools simply can’t accommodate,” said a PE coordinator at a North London academy, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Club-level barriers persist too. A report by Sport England in 2022 highlighted that women’s lacrosse clubs are 30% less likely to receive external funding than men’s teams. Travel costs and scheduling conflicts also deter participation, particularly among older teenagers. “The cost of getting to training can add up when you’re balancing college and part-time work,” said Sarah Mitchell, a former regional player who left the sport at 17.
The gender gap extends to coaching. England Lacrosse’s 2023 annual report noted just 28% of qualified lacrosse coaches are women. Female players often report feeling less supported in mixed-gender coaching environments. The governing body has pledged to double its female coaching workforce by 2026 but has not yet outlined specific recruitment strategies.
Why female participation lags despite lacrosse’s rising profile
Lacrosse’s participation rates among women remain stubbornly low, despite the sport’s growing profile. Data from Sport England shows only 18% of regular lacrosse players are female, a figure that has barely shifted in five years. The England Lacrosse governing body reports just 12,000 registered female players nationwide, compared with 55,000 men.
The gap persists even as lacrosse gains visibility. British Lacrosse’s 2023 annual report highlights a 30% increase in TV coverage since 2019, yet female engagement has not mirrored that growth. Clubs in urban areas like London and Manchester struggle to recruit women, with some reporting fewer than five new female players per season.
Experts point to cultural barriers. “Women often view lacrosse as a high-contact, male-dominated sport,” said Dr. Sarah Whitmore, a sports sociologist at Loughborough University. Her 2022 study found 62% of women surveyed cited intimidation as a deterrent to trying the game. Traditional marketing, she added, still skews toward aggressive, competitive imagery rather than inclusive messaging.
Funding disparities also play a role. England Lacrosse’s 2024 budget allocates £1.2m to men’s programmes and just £450,000 to women’s—less than 30%. Meanwhile, grassroots clubs in rural counties like Cornwall report losing potential female players to netball or hockey, both cheaper and more locally accessible.
Schools offer another clue. Ofsted data from 2023 reveals lacrosse is taught in only 8% of secondary schools, and when it is, it’s rarely prioritised for girls. “PE departments often default to football or rugby for boys and netball for girls,” noted a PE teacher from a Birmingham academy, requesting anonymity. “Lacrosse doesn’t fit either box.”
The widening gender gap in lacrosse: who’s being left behind
Lacrosse participation among women in England has fallen by 12% since 2019, according to data from England Lacrosse. The decline contrasts with a 23% rise in male participation over the same period. The governing body acknowledged the disparity in its 2023 annual report, citing funding and visibility as key factors.
Research from the University of Birmingham found that only 32% of junior club players in 2023 were female. Dr. Laura Carter, who led the study, attributed the gap to cultural perceptions that lacrosse remains a “masculine” sport. She pointed to a lack of female role models in coaching and media coverage skewed toward men’s teams.
Club coaches report that recruitment efforts often target schools with established boys’ programmes. A survey of 47 clubs by Lacrosse UK in 2024 showed 68% prioritised boys’ teams for funding and equipment. One coach in the South East said facilities were routinely allocated to male squads first, leaving women’s teams with limited access.
The issue extends to elite levels. England’s women’s national team ranked 11th at the 2022 World Championships, while the men’s team placed fifth. England Lacrosse’s performance director, Mark Couzens, admitted the disparity had been overlooked. “We’ve invested heavily in the men’s programme,” he said in a 2023 interview. “The women’s side needs equal attention.”
Hardware, culture, cost—what’s really keeping women off the lacrosse field
Lacrosse remains one of the fastest-growing youth sports in the UK, yet participation among girls lags far behind boys. According to Sport England, 14% of boys aged 11-15 play regularly, compared to just 5% of girls. The gap widens by age 16, when fewer than 2% of girls continue compared to 7% of boys.
Equipment costs deter many families. A full set of lacrosse gear—stick, helmet, shoulder pads, gloves and mouthguard—can exceed £300. Clubs often provide basic sticks, but quality gear for competitive play pushes costs higher. One mother from Surrey told local press in 2023 that she spent £450 on kit for her 14-year-old daughter before realising she needed to upgrade within a year.
Cultural perceptions also play a role. Lacrosse is still viewed as a niche sport, often overshadowed by football, netball or hockey in school PE rotations. A 2022 survey by the English Lacrosse Association found that 63% of secondary schools offered no girls’ lacrosse at all. Where it is available, sessions are frequently scheduled at inconvenient times or clash with other commitments.
Safety concerns around stick clashes and collisions add another barrier. While protective gear has improved, injuries remain a deterrent. The NHS reported a 30% rise in lacrosse-related hospital admissions among teenage girls between 2018 and 2023. Coaches argue better coaching standards could reduce risks, but qualified female coaches are scarce—only 22% of lacrosse coaches in England are women, according to UK Coaching data.
Without targeted investment in facilities, coaching and cultural shift, the sport risks losing its appeal to the next generation of female athletes.
Where lacrosse goes next: can the sport close its female gap?
The latest Sport England Active Lives survey shows lacrosse participation among women dropped 11% between 2021-22, despite overall growth in the sport. In the same period, male participation rose by 4%, widening the gender gap to more than 2:1. British Lacrosse chief executive Chris Ralph admits the figures “paint a challenging picture” for women’s engagement.
Cost emerges as a key barrier. Club registration fees average £150-£300 annually, while equipment—sticks, helmets and mouthguards—adds another £200 upfront. A 2023 survey by the Women’s Lacrosse Association found 68% of female players cite expenses as their main reason for quitting.
Cultural perceptions also play a role. The sport’s traditionally male-dominated image persists, particularly in secondary schools where lacrosse competes with netball and hockey for PE slots. Ofsted’s 2022 report on PE provision noted lacrosse featured in just 3% of girls’ school timetables, compared with 45% for football.
Social media campaigns have failed to shift the trend. British Lacrosse’s £50,000 2023 campaign targeting 16-25-year-olds reached 1.2 million users but converted fewer than 2% into trial sessions. Ralph acknowledges the gap: “We’re making noise, but the bounce isn’t matching the spend.”
The trend mirrors broader participation challenges across women’s field sports, where growth in grassroots engagement hasn’t yet translated into sustained competitive uptake. With lacrosse’s Olympic inclusion still over a decade away, governing bodies are now focusing on school programmes and social leagues to bridge the gap. Clubs report steady interest from teenage girls, but retention drops sharply after 16—pointing to a need for more flexible, less intensive formats. The next two years will be critical in proving whether lacrosse can convert early enthusiasm into lasting participation before Paris 2028’s knock-on effects reshape funding priorities.
