Women’s lacrosse entered the public school system in St. Mary’s County
during the 1999-2000 school year. With one year of successful
implementation at the high school varsity level, a junior varsity program was
quickly added to the athletic curriculum. The county parks and recreation
department has added numerous summer camps and summer/winter
recreational leagues within the last several years.
In an effort to meet the continued public demand for exposure to the sport,
the St. Mary’s Girls’ Lacrosse League (SMGLL) was formed in 2003 by a
grass roots group of individuals that shared the passion of women’s
lacrosse. SMGLL, a 501(c)(3) organization, is an independent league whose
focus is to provide an opportunity for girls to be exposed to this awesome
sport. The success of our first year has been consistent with the success of
new lacrosse programs that are spawning nationwide. The league was the
proud recipient of the US Lacrosse 2004 Equipment Grant Program, which
offers equipment packages to new leagues. SMGLL was 1 of 24 programs in
the United States to receive this grant and the only program in the state of
Maryland. More recently on April 6, 2006, SMGLL's Board of Directors was
among 21 recipients to receive the St. Mary's County 2006 Public Health Hero
Award. The board was recognized for "their commitment to children by
nourishing the mental, physical, spiritual, and social health of the county's
youngest residents." SMGLL was the only sports organization to receive this
award. The league makes the many aspects of children's health and well-
being a priority in their volunteer activities.
Mission Statement
The mission of SMGLL is to “encourage
and promote the sport of girls’ lacrosse
for the benefit of emotional maturity
and athletic development.” Safety,
instruction, and fun have been our
goals since the league's inception.
These goals continue to be our focus
for each young lady participating with
SMGLL. Our dream is to make the St.
Mary’s Girls’ Lacrosse League
synonymous with the best in the
country. We want to plant the seeds of
success and love of the sport in the
youth so they will one day be in a
position to be involved at another
level, whether it be coaching, summer
instructional volunteers, or officiating.
What happens when you believe
something with all your heart? Belief
fuels enthusiasm and then explodes
into passion.