Girls participation with the Guelph Regals is anticipated to be near 200 this year, compared to just 47 girls registered in 2023
Girls lacrosse is seeing a surge in Guelph, with no signs of slowing down.
The proof is in the numbers. The Guelph Regals went from 47 girls registered in 2023 to 164 last year, and is projected to hit 191 for this upcoming season.
“I’d like to tell you it’s everything that we’re doing locally, but I couldn’t take all the credit for that,” Rob Keller, the Regals’ VP of girls lacrosse, said on what could be leading to the increase.
“There’s definitely been an intake in girls lacrosse in general, across Ontario as a whole.”
Regals minor lacrosse president Tricia Chilton echoed those sentiments, pointing out there were just four under-13 girls box lacrosse teams in Ontario, including Guelph in 2023. Last year, there were 19.
“As much as I love what we’ve done as a Guelph community, it has really been a big push coming from the Ontario Lacrosse Association also,” she said.
But that local work cannot be discounted. Both Keller and Chilton were complimentary of the endless list of names to come through the organization in the last few years, hosting free try-it sessions, volunteering countless hours and getting the word out.
This year, the goal is to have 11 all-girls teams in Guelph across multiple age groups, beginning as young as the under-nine division.
For comparison, there were just three local teams in 2023 and nine teams in 2025.
“We’re seeing a lot of girls coming from ringette and hockey, and then we’re also getting a lot of parents from dance as well,” Keller said. “Just looking for things for their kids to do.
“They’ve tried things like soccer and it’s not been their forte, and lacrosse has fit the bill for them, just something new, something different, something to take their mind off of their normal day-to-day.”
Of note, about 40 per cent of local players are competing in both box and field lacrosse.
Chilton said primarily, girls participating are from Guelph but the organization also sees girls from surrounding communities come over because of availability.
“(For example, Centre Wellington) has girls box teams, but they don’t have girls field teams, so any CW girl wanting to play field has to come to Guelph,” she said.
The popularity may also stem from clearer pathways to the pro game.
Both agree the women’s lacrosse game provides numerous opportunities even after girls become adults, locally and elsewhere.
This includes men’s and women’s lacrosse becoming an Olympic sport once again in Los Angeles in 2028.
Chilton also cited Fergus native Dana Dobbie’s legendary career, the Guelph Gryphons and the availability of senior lacrosse programs such as Women’s Major Series Lacrosse.
On the WMSL, Keller said it’s a league growing by the day.
“More teams are being added every year, and they have a really great group of gentlemen and women that are running those boards and really wanting the women’s side to grow,” he said.
Chilton also referenced local success stories on the boys and men’s side of things, with countless players in the National Lacrosse League.
“I think people see it,” she said.
“There is definitely more pathways than there ever has been,” Keller added. “There are lots of room for girls to play field lacrosse later in life at the university level.”
He added they’re starting to see the girls game offered in high schools.
“Our next push is to work (and) try to (figure out how to) offer girls lacrosse in high school, and things like that,” he said.
But can the organization sustain further growth of the sport? Confidently, both said yes.
“Right now, we’re pretty barrier free,” Keller said. “We have lots of volunteers, people wanting to help. The parents groups on the girls side have been phenomenal, parents are stepping up to help left, right and centre to make this girls program successful.
Ultimately, he’d like to see the girls side get to the same participation level as the boys, but understands it’s going to take time, and a focus on the younger group as older girls start to age out of the Regals program.
“If we can get into above 200 this year, that 220 range, that would be amazing,” Keller said.
Upcoming Free "try-it" sessions for Girls:
Sat Feb 28th 9:00am - Sir Isaac Brock Public School
Sat Mar 14th 9:00am - Westminster Woods Public School
Saturday Mar 28 9:00am - Westmisnter Woods Public School
If you would like to register to one of our "Try-it" sessions for free here:
https://www.sportzsoft.com/regapp/login?Orgld=5960
view the article here:
Guelph girls lacrosse sees massive growth in recent years - Guelph News
Courtesy of:
Mark Pare - GuelphToday