West Coast lacrosse history is in the making! The Las Vegas Desert Dogs, in partnership with USA Lacrosse and Nevada State Senator Fabian Doñate, announced on March 17, 2025, the introduction of Senate Bill 305 (SB 305), a legislative effort “revising provisions relating to interscholastic activities,” officially sanctioning lacrosse as a sport in the state of Nevada.
As per summaries provided by USA Lacrosse and the Desert Dogs, Senate Bill 305 would “require the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) to create and enforce regulations that officially recognize lacrosse as a sanctioned sport in Nevada.” The passage of this bill would make Nevada the 28th state to officially sanction the Medicine Game, following the Kentucky and Tennessee decisions to codify our sport beginning in the 2024-2025 season.
This seven-section proposal aims to provide more opportunities for student-athletes at the state level, “enhancing the infrastructure supporting the sport, and aligning Nevada’s high school sports system with the [Las Vegas Desert Dogs].” SB 305 requires the NIAA to create rules for athlete eligibility, participation standards, competition guidelines, and season structure while implementing and maintaining safety protocols for student-athletes. A dedicated Pipeline Infrastructure Fund will also be established upon the bill’s passage, with the sole purpose of supporting the development and upkeep of fields, amenities, and facilities for approved lacrosse programs.
Las Vegas Desert Dogs on March 21, 2025 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. Las Vegas Desert Dogs @ Buffalo Bandits. (Caroline Sherman/NLL)
In the three short seasons since their inception in 2021, the Las Vegas Desert Dogs have quickly become deeply ingrained in their community, helping to foster the growth of the sport in their home city and across the state. As lacrosse is still in the process of becoming a sanctioned sport in Nevada, the Desert Dogs organization has worked tirelessly to improve accessibility to the Medicine Game for student-athletes of all ages. “We’ve already seen such a growth not only here in Las Vegas, but within the state, all without being a sanctioned sport,” said Kayla Morrow, Marketing and Communications Manager for the Las Vegas Desert Dogs. “We wanted to finally get that accessibility for high school students and make it more accessible for kids to be able to play.” Through community outreach programs like Camp 99 and Sticks for Success, as well as instructional clinics and equipment donations, the Desert Dogs have cemented themselves as a driving force in the expansion of the sport’s reach.
The Desert Dogs have taken a front seat in advocating for the community impact sanctioning lacrosse would have in Las Vegas and beyond, as it would allow student-athletes across the state to travel for tournaments in neighboring markets, such as California and Utah. This, in turn, would bring more people to Las Vegas, as the team would be able to host tournaments as well. The eventual sanctioning would lead to a more structured sports system, with a formal season, competition guidelines, and safety protocols, ensuring that lacrosse would be both enjoyable and safe for everyone involved.
History in the making 🥍
SB 305 is paving the way for lacrosse to be officially sanctioned in Nevada 😁
Read here to see how you can help: https://t.co/ZhIdvX4wrw pic.twitter.com/j7SWc3D9nj
— Las Vegas Desert Dogs (@vegasdesertdogs) March 22, 2025
The announcement couldn’t have come at a better time, as there had been growing concerns within the community regarding the governance of athletics by the Nevada Interscholastic Athletics Association (NIAA). The Reno Gazette Journal reported that members of the High Sierra Lacrosse League, headquartered in Northern Nevada, had experienced consistent pushback from the NIAA over the years. According to local testimony, the NIAA had developed “no clear process to get a sport sanctioned,” and had “made no effort to sanction lacrosse in the 10 years the coaches and players have requested it.”
Senator Doñate recognized the need for transparency and a fair process for how sports were managed statewide, ensuring that constituents’ concerns were properly facilitated and not ignored. As a result, Doñate stepped in to address the issue, with the aim to not only address lacrosse, but to set a precedent for other non-revenue sports in Nevada to gain recognition and more effective administration.
Doñate’s involvement in SB 305 began close to two years ago, when a member of the governor’s office and friend of the Senator’s mentioned that lacrosse was not recognized as a high school sport and could only be played in clubs. Though he had no personal attachment or previous exposure to lacrosse, Doñate originally joked about running the bill in passing, and over time, the idea grew into a serious initiative. Inspired by the passionate support from local advocates, as well as lobbying from the Desert Dogs organization, SB 305 aims to elevate the game at the state level, and further position Nevada as a hub for professional and even Olympic-level competition, contributing to the state’s socioeconomic growth.
More importantly than the bottom line, the bill also aims to support student-athletes at the ground level. “[Sports teach students] about resilience, it teaches them about how to be a good leader,” said Doñate. “All the critical life skills that we ultimately needed to teach at a young age.” In addition to laying the framework for new players, SB 305 will provide wrap-around services for student-athletes involved in their school’s lacrosse programs, offering access to the same tutoring and academic support services as their revenue sport counterparts. “The ultimate goal is to ensure that athletes have the ability to continue in school and continue to excel academically,” Doñate explained. “We want to grow our own, but we also want to make sure [students] are equipped with the right resources.”
Though exciting, sanctioning is only the first step. Sen. Doñate conceded that the upfront costs of sanctioning lacrosse as a high school sport would initially be shifted to public schools, placing the burden of purchasing equipment and securing field space on individual athletic departments. Over time, as the Senator explained, the sport’s growth can lead to increased opportunities for grants and financial assistance. “I start with the mentality that we should do everything we possibly can to foster participation in any of our sports,” he said. “Especially those that have professional sports teams already here in our city.” Dońate also sees the passing of SB 305 as a way to continue to compete with other states, attracting teams to Las Vegas for tournaments, benefiting the tourism and hospitality markets, and promoting the continued growth of the game in Nevada.
𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦: The Las Vegas Desert Dogs, in partnership with USA Lacrosse and State Senator Fabian Doñate, has introduced Senate Bill 305, a game-changing initiative to officially sanction lacrosse as a sport in Nevada.
If you would like to support the bill, please… pic.twitter.com/reiynWETs3
— Las Vegas Desert Dogs (@vegasdesertdogs) March 17, 2025
Alongside Sen. Doñate, the Las Vegas Desert Dogs are proud to support Senate Bill 305 and are committed to collaborating with state legislators, USA Lacrosse, and the community to ensure its successful passage.
If you would like to support the bill, please write a letter of support and send it to [email protected]. Another way to support is to visit HERE and choose SB 305 from the drop-down and fill out the form with your support for sanctioning lacrosse in Nevada.
