CHSAA High School Lacrosse in Colorado Explained

Spring is lacrosse season in Colorado, and for high school players it means one thing: CHSAA competition. The Colorado High School Activities Association governs interscholastic lacrosse across the state, running separate boys and girls programs each spring. If your student is playing — or thinking about playing — here's how the system works.

The Spring Season

Boys and girls high school lacrosse both run in the spring, roughly from March through May. Teams play a regular-season schedule against other schools in their classification and region, then the top teams advance to the state playoffs.

The season is short by Colorado standards — around eight to ten weeks of regular-season games before postseason begins. That makes every game count, especially for teams on the playoff bubble.

Boys and Girls Programs: Different Rules, Same Season

CHSAA sanctions both boys lacrosse and girls lacrosse, and the two programs run on different rule sets.

Boys lacrosse follows field lacrosse rules with full stick and body contact within set parameters. It's a physical game that rewards athleticism, stick skill, and team coordination.

Girls lacrosse is a different sport in important ways: contact rules are much more restrictive, protective equipment requirements differ, and the officiating calls a different style of play. Players switching between the two need to relearn what's legal.

Both programs hold separate state championships. Results, schedules, and brackets for both are tracked at chsaanow.com.

Classification: 5A, 4A, 3A and Beyond

Colorado high schools compete in classifications based on enrollment — 5A is the largest, 4A is mid-large, 3A is mid-small, and so on down. Teams play their regular season largely within their classification and region, then qualify for a classification-specific state bracket in the playoffs.

This matters for Boulder County families: a 5A school like Boulder High competes against other large-enrollment schools across the state, not against smaller programs. It also shapes recruiting — college coaches generally scout 5A and 4A programs most heavily, though standout players at any classification get noticed.

Boulder County Schools

Several Boulder County high schools field lacrosse programs. Schools within the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) include:

• Boulder High School — one of the longer-running programs in the county
• Fairview High School — consistently competitive at the 5A level
• Monarch High School — fields both boys and girls programs

Other local schools in the area have also developed programs in recent years. Check chsaanow.com for the current list of registered programs, schedules, and standings by region — it's updated throughout the season and is the authoritative source for who is playing whom and when.

Playoffs and the State Tournament

After the regular season, CHSAA runs a regional qualifying round followed by a state tournament. Brackets are posted at chsaanow.com as soon as they're set.

The state championship games draw strong crowds and are often held at established athletic complexes on the Front Range. For parents and players, it's worth attending a state semifinal or final even if your team isn't competing — the level of play is a significant jump from regular-season games and gives younger players a concrete goal to aim for.

High School Play and College Recruiting

CHSAA competition is the primary stage college coaches watch when evaluating Colorado players. A strong high school season — consistent stats, team success, and film — is the foundation of any recruiting conversation.

USA Lacrosse maintains recruiting resources on its website, including guidance on how to contact college coaches, what information to include in a recruiting email, and a general timeline for the recruiting process by year in school. Their resources are free and worth bookmarking early in a player's high school career.

If you're new to lacrosse itself and want to understand the field game before diving into the CHSAA season, start with our overview at what is field lacrosse.