Reimagining How a Travel Club Should Be

Posted 6/9/2026

Circle City Lacrosse Club was founded in 2015, and as our club reflects on the past years, we find ourselves looking forward where we must reimagine what our club means to the community we serve here in Indiana.

Over the past few years, the youth sports landscape has undergone massive changes, particularly as private equity has consolidated ownership of clubs, leagues, facilities, tournaments, and technology platforms. Youth sports are currently a $40 billion industry. With that private equity investment has also come political and regulatory scrutiny (The Let Kids Play Act).

As a girls-only lacrosse club in a sports-rich state, we must continue to grow each season, both in opportunity, participation and skill development. We believe a club sports program should serve the community in which it is located—not the other way around. As we look ahead and consider what we want this club to be, we want to share the plans and goals we have for it moving forward.

A background on the club as it stands today, it was founded with the goal of developing players’ skills, providing opportunities to play outside the traditional spring season, and helping players pursue opportunities to play in college. Over the past 11 years, more than 1,000 players have participated in our club, and we have helped more than 65 players continue to play in college.

Opportunity –

·         Create balance between our travel teams to meet the needs of our highest-skilled and motivated players through recruiting exposure and high-level coaching, while also providing new and developing players with opportunities to compete on age- and skill-appropriate teams.

·         Provide more training and development opportunities that help develop players’ skills outside the pressures of tournaments and showcases.

Programming –

·         Expand high school and youth programming beyond travel teams to include out-of-season leagues, academies, Learn to Play programs, and skill development clinics.

·         Provide an introductory program that allows players of all levels and ages to be introduced to the sport.

·         Provide local and affordable options for players and families at all levels.

Cost –

·         Work with local sponsors to help reduce costs for participants in our programs. This will lead to an across-the-board reduction in player costs and fees for our teams and programs starting with the 2026–2027 club season.

·         Expand our affordable program offerings in addition to our travel teams, providing players and families with multiple options to play lacrosse.

·         Create a 501(c)(3) foundation fund to provide grants to local players, support their ambitions, and help partner with local rec programs to help continue their development and growth.

Our goal is to make the lacrosse community in Indiana more accessible, affordable, and welcoming to anyone who wants to play.

We live here, we raise our families here, and we want to grow the lacrosse community here. We believe the best way to do that is to remain a community-owned and community-run lacrosse club.

See you on the fields!

Nick Estey

Circle City Club Director