Haddonfield to add boys', girls' lacrosse

Haddonfield High is adding boys' and girls' lacrosse to its athletic program, athletic director Lefteris "Lefty" Banos announced yesterday.

The programs will start next spring, and they were approved as pay-to-play sports, Banos said, explaining that most of the costs will be paid by the students.

"We hope to start a booster club that will have fund-raisers to help offset the students' costs," Banos said.

The costs will include the coaches' salaries, transportation, officials, uniforms and equipment.

Haddonfield will play an independent schedule next year and hopes to join the Olympic Conference the following season, Banos said.

The athletic director said he has had numerous inquiries about starting a lacrosse program and added that half of the players in the Cherry Hill Lacrosse League are from Haddonfield. "The interest is there," he said.

In its first season, Haddonfield will probably play just a junior varsity schedule "and perhaps add a second JV team, depending on how much interest there is," Banos said. Seniors will be permitted to play on the JV level, he said.

In South Jersey, there are 27 boys' lacrosse teams and 32 girls' teams.