Many of the American Indian Tribes played Lacrosse over 500 years ago in the Southeastern part of what was to later become the United States. They called it "Baggataway" which means "Little Brother of War". Games were played over several miles and were used to settle disputes and to train warriors. Jean Debreuf, a French settler, thought the sticks used by the Indians looked like "Croziers" carried by Bishops of the Church and coined the name La Crosse when witnessing a game in 1636.

The mid and late 1800's saw many settlers playing Lacrosse but the game took a big step toward the game as we know it today wehn a dentist named George Beers set down the first rules of the game in 1867. There were hunderds of men playing on club teams when in 1877 NYU established the first college team. The Philips Exeter and Andover Prep Schools, in New England, started Lacrosse teams in 1882. Rosabelle Sinclair started the first girls team at Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore in 1926.

Today there are over 750 college lacrosse teams and lacrosse is played in over 3000 high schools along with hundreds of Youth Leagues throughout the country. Lacrosse is now played in over 21 countries including the US; England; Canada; Australia; Japan; Ireland; Wales; Scotland; Czechoslovakia; Poland and is rapidly spreading around the world.

Lacrosse is not a new sport to South Carolina. It was played over 400 years ago by many American Indian Tribes who roamed the Area.

Modern Lacrosse was first played in South Carolina in the early to mid 1970's when a mens club team was formed by a group of ex college players living on Hilton Head Island and stationed at nearby military bases. The team disbanded in the early 1980's. Clemson University, also, had a men's club lacrosse team in the mid 70's. The Clemson Tigers were a founding member of the SELC (Southeastern Lacrosse Conference) in 1988 and won the first conference Championship. USC, Furman and The Citadel also had men's club teams off and on, in the mid 1970's.

A second Hilton Head men's Lacrosse Club was formed in the late 1980's and played teams from out of state. This team played sporadically and disbanded in 2001.

The early 1990's saw Lacrosse continue to establish a stronghold at the college level as club teams were formed at Limestone College, and Wintrhop University. Limestone College, in Gaffney, became an NCAA Div II program and won two national championships in 2000 and 2002. They were runners up in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2005. Presbyterian College, in Clinton, fielded Men's and Women's teams in 2005 and became an NCAA Div I program in 2007. Coastal Carolina University began men's club team play in 2007.

Hilton Head High School became the first high school to field boys and girls lacrosse teams in the state in 1999 under the leadership of Dr. Bill Harner and Scott Sharp.

The Hilton Head / Bluffton Lacrosse Association was incorporated under the leadership of Rich Thomas in December 1998.

David Steele, a Mt. Pleasant Veterinarian, tried to spread enthusiasm for the sport in 1998, by expanding the activities of the Charleston "Hurricanes" Men's Lacrosse Club. After an initial surge the effort fizzled and the Charleston Men's Club remained the only viable remnant of Lacrosse in the Charleston Area. Meanwhile, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, in Columbia, formed a boys team in 2000 under the enthusiastic direction of a teacher at the school, George Scouten. They became the second high school in the state to field a boys team. Heathwood added a middle school boys team and a girls team in 2002 and they became varsity sports at the school in 2003. The boys game between Heathwood Hall and Hilton Head High in 2000, was the first high school level game played in the state.

Further up the coast John Reyelt, Hal Ness, John Monahan, and Tom Jackson formed the Myrtle Beach Lacrosse Club (MBLC) in December 1999 as a 501C3 Corporation. They fielded boys and girls high school age teams and introduced women's lacrosse to Coastal Carolina University. Along with Camden Military Academy, who fielded a team in 2001. The state now had 4 High School age teams.

US Lacrosse, The National Governing body of the sport, selected Myrtle Beach as the location for the Headquarters of the South Carolina Chapter in 2000. The Chapter is a 501C3 Corporation and conducts Lasrosee business with a board made up of representatives from all parts of the state.

Ridgeview High, in Columbia, with the efforts of Pat Lynch, fielded a girls team in 2001 and a boys team in 2004. The Columbia Youth Lacrosse Program has fielded a Middle School Boys Team since 2001 under the direction of Jamie Walker. After a Lacrosse presentation at Fort Dorchester High School by Hal Ness, in 2003, The Charleston Area put together both boys and girls high school teams.

The S.C. Chapter initiated the "SCLL" (South Carolina Lacrosse League) in 2001 and held the first state tournament in Myrtle Beach in 2002. The 2003 tournament was held in Hilton Head.

Hal Ness was invited by Dr. Bill Harner, Superintendent of Greenville County Schools, to make a lacrosse presentation to the principals of the Greenville County High Schools in October of 2003. The result of this opportunity was that seven of the schools field both boys and girls lacrosse teams in the Spring of 2004.

They were Eastside, Greenville Senior High, Hillcrest, J. L. Mann Academy, Mauldin, Riverside, and Wade Hampton. A girls team was formed at Clinton High School in 2004 as well as boys teams at White Knoll and A.C. Flora in Columbia. This gave the state 16 boys high school level teams and 15 girls teams.

The 2004 SCLL Tournament was held at Presbyterian College, in Clinton S.C, the added competition brought much excitement to the SCLL Tournament and the excitement was multiplied when a new team, Greenville High Boys Team, made it all the way to the final game.

Bluffton High School initiated both boys and girls lacrosse teams in 2005.

The 2005 SCLL Tournament was a tremendous success with the top eight boys teams and top eight girls teams representing the East and West divisions fighting it out at Bluffton High School on April 30th and May 1st. Hilton Head boys and the Ridgeview girls took home the crowns.

The first SCLL All Star Games were held on May 7, 2005 at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, in Columbia. The girls high school All Stars from the west eked out a 2 goal victory. The boys middle school All Star game went into overtime before the South beat the North and unbelievably the boys high school game also went into overtime with the West beating the East. The evenness of the competition was remarkable.

2006 saw the introduction of Lacrosse at Socastee High School, in Myrtle Beach, as they field both boys and girls teams. The 2006 season had 18 boys high school teams and 15 girls high school teams competing for the state lacrosse championship.

The 2006 SCLL Tournament held at Heathwood Hall School, in Columbia, produced two new champions as J.L. Mann girls team and the Greenville High School boys team captured state titles. The 2006 SCLL All Star Games were held at Presbyterian College on May 13th. With the boys and girls West Division teams being victorious again.

Boys Lacrosse programs were started at Woodmont, Beaufort Academy, and Fort Mill in 2007 as well as a boys and girls program at Wando.

The 2007 SCLL Tournament, held in Greenville, produced repeat champions by the Greenville boys and the J.L. Mann girls.

The 2007 All Star Games held at Heathwood on May 12th saw the West continue it's dominance over the East.

There were four men's post collegiate Lacrosse clubs int he state in 2007. They are the Myrtle Beach Lacrosse Club "Waves", The Charleston "Hurricanes", the Greenville Area Lacrosse Club and the Colmbia Lacrosse Club.

The South Carolina Chapter of US Lacrosse will continue to present the opportunity to all of the Youth of the State to experience the fun and excitement of the great game of lacrosse. We will encourage and demand that good sportsmanship and respect for opponents is practiced by players, coaches, and parents. We honor the game!!!!!!!!!