The Korea Lacrosse Association announced on the 24th that it will host the '2025 Youth Club League (hereinafter I-League)' first half U16 and U14 leagues on July 5 at the Gonjiam Team-Up Campus located in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, with support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO).

This league will serve as a stage where young prospects can gain practical experience, featuring a total of 10 U16 club teams for both genders and 2 teams in the U14 institutional sector.

The U16 institutional sector consists of 5 teams in the men's division (Gyeonggi Foreign Language High School, Minjok Leadership Academy, IGNIS, Youth Panthers, SJA Jeju) and 5 teams in the women's division (Gyeonggi Foreign Language High School, Gyeonggi Foreign Language High School IB, Gyeonggi Foreign Language High School OUCH, IGNIS, Youth Panthers), and will be operated in a round-robin format. The league characterized by being club-based rather than school-based allows for more autonomous and diverse participation.

Notably, this year's U16 institutional sector will see balanced participation from both genders, which is expected to enhance performance as well as promote balanced development between the sexes.

The U14 league, taking place on the same day, will feature two teams, Sky Hawks and Calvin Phoenix, providing a valuable opportunity for players at the foundational age group to directly experience a formal match system.

The association aims to enhance players' understanding of the game and teamwork through this league while fostering competitiveness in the sport across different age groups.

KLA noted that 'I-League is a practical opportunity for players responsible for the future of domestic lacrosse to gain real-world experience, going beyond mere participation in leisure sports,' adding, 'We hope this league will be a catalyst for growth for all participants.'

Meanwhile, this league is also linked to international competitions organized by the Asia-Pacific Lacrosse Federation, and KLA plans to continue operating age-based leagues in the second half of the year, making strides to expand its base and foster international exchange.

[Photo] Provided by KLA.

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