Lacrosse advocates in Gwinnett County will press the Board of Education on Thursday for speedier endorsement of the sport at the highest level.

At issue is making lacrosse a Georgia High School Association-sanctioned sport countywide. The meeting comes two days before the start of the GHSA's state playoffs.

An expected audience of 400 —- which will include representatives from area high schools and the county's youth leagues —- is expected to attend the meeting, 6 p.m. at the Board of Education's central office, located one mile east of I-85 on Old Peachtree Road.

No public school lacrosse team in Gwinnett is GHSA-sanctioned, and thus none is eligible for the playoffs. They compete as "club" teams apart from the rest of the state.

"GHSA organizes, runs and administers all state high school lacrosse programs, but it can't [sanction county teams] without the county's approval," said Scott Hall, president of the Peachtree Ridge lacrosse booster club. "To make this happen [in Gwinnett County], it's time for parents and supporters to unify and show the county and its athletics department our passion for the sport."

GHSA officially sanctioned lacrosse for boys and girls statewide in 2002. Although it failed to designate lacrosse as a championship sport, teams did compete in a tournament championship.

Three years later, in 2005, GHSA recognized lacrosse as a full-fledged championship sport.

There are 48 high schools throughout metro Atlanta —- including those in Cobb, Fulton and Forsyth counties —- that have GHSA-sanctioned boys and girls lacrosse teams. Gwinnett County's high schools that support lacrosse have teams that play at the club level only.

An estimated 350 lacrosse players —- fourth grade through eighth grade —- play in the county's lacrosse youth leagues.

US Lacrosse, the sport's governing body, estimates there are 200,000 high school lacrosse players nationwide.

At the Peachtree Ridge-Norcross girls lacrosse game and the Peachtree Ridge-Collins Hill boys North Georgia Lacrosse League championship game held in late April on the Lions' football field, everyone was encouraged to sign a petition directed toward making lacrosse a GHSA-sanctioned sport for all Gwinnett County high schools.

"We had 1,300 sign the petition that day," said Mike Hannon, owner of Bagataway Lacrosse and a coach for six years in the North Georgia Lacrosse League who plans to attend Thursday's meeting. "Hopefully, our large presence [at the meeting] will allow the board to see how its lack of action is affecting kids, ages 7 to 17, who play lacrosse."

The benefits of making lacrosse a GHSA-sanctioned sport in Gwinnett County are numerous, added Hannon, who also coaches the Collins Hill boys lacrosse team in the NGLL.

"Lacrosse represents another activity for a ... college resume," he said. "Competing in the state playoffs and winning a state championship brings recognition to both the county and to the school. College scholarships will be offered to athletes who excel at the sport. And it is a revenue-maker for each competing school."

From Mike Emery's perspective, though, the sport of lacrosse is not being ignored in Gwinnett, but much has to be considered before it becomes a GHSA-sanctioned sport —- which wouldn't happen until 2009-10 at the earliest.

"This is a work in progress," said Emery, the county's athletics director.

"From our standpoint, we are looking at a sport that has to be supplemented by the school system and a sport that involves coaches, facilities and the proper equipment."

Emery said the board will respond to all issues raised pertaining to lacrosse.

"The bottom line is, we will work toward having lacrosse become a GHSA-sanctioned sport in Gwinnett County," he said.

"Before that happens, we have to make sure that it's fair and equitable for every high school."

Emery's perspective was clearly understood by Jay Watt, GHSA's coordinator for boys and girls lacrosse. "It's a different story for every school system," Watts said. "Monetary issues. Field availability. The worry about lacrosse taking athletes away from already established sports. All of which are easily understandable. At the same time, I feel that Gwinnett County is already late to the dance, so to speak. It is the only county in metro Atlanta that does not have GHSA-sanctioned lacrosse teams."

A lack of knowledge was the major reason provided by Tim Higgins, Mill Creek's boys lacrosse coach, for the sport's late arrival.

"I've come across people who are unaware of the number of high schools outside the county that have GHSA-sanctioned lacrosse teams," Higgins said. "The more we make people aware of this fast-growing sport, the better our chances of having GHSA-sanctioned lacrosse teams in Gwinnett County."