Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport among American youth, which is why it's no surprise that it's also the fastest growing youth sport in Little Rock (if you go by the number of new leagues formed in the last year).

One of these leagues is through Life CHAMPS, which will debut children’s lacrosse at 6 p.m. March 27 at D1 Sports in Little Rock. Because the sport is new to the organization – and new to many people in the Little Rock area – this first session will be an equipment fitting and overview of the sport.

The first three weeks of sessions to follow will be an introductory clinic for players and coaches to learn the fundamentals and rules of lacrosse. These clinics will be held each Wednesday evening and Sunday afternoon at the fields next to Fellowship Bible Church, 1401 Kirk Road, Little Rock.

The following six weeks of league play – including practices and games – will start Sunday, April 17 and run through Sunday, May 22. Practices will be held on Wednesday evenings and games will be played on Sunday afternoons at the Fellowship fields.

Here are some important details and dates to note:

• Each player must register individually online for both the introductory clinic and the season of games. Each registered player will participate in the three weeks of clinics grouped by age and coached by master lacrosse coaches who will teach them the fundamentals, conduct drills and scrimmages and get players ready to play.
• After the first three weeks, teams will be assembled by age groups (7-9 years, 10-12 years, 13-15 years and 16-18 years) based on the number of players and number of coaches who have been trained to lead the teams. The teams will then participate in the six week season.
• Both girls' and boys' teams will be available if enough children sign up.
• The cost is $160 for the entire season, including the three-week clinic.
• Registration is going on now; the last day to register is March 23.

There’s another lacrosse group – The Little Rock Lacrosse Club – which introduced the sport to central Arkansas this past summer in the July issue of Little Rock Family.