SARANAC LAKE — A local lacrosse coach pushed for the creation of a modified girls team at the Saranac Lake Central School District board meeting last Wednesday.

“All these other programs we play have modified teams,” said John Burth, coach of the Tri-Lakes Youth Lacrosse girls team. “It puts us at a disadvantage.”

Burth’s youth team has fifth-, sixth- and seventh-grade girls. He said the program is really only supposed to accept fifth and sixth graders, but so many seventh graders expressed interest and the team allowed it. He said the team has caught some flak from other teams for allowing older students.

Currently, Saranac Lake has youth and varsity girls lacrosse teams, which are both made up of students from Saranac Lake and Lake Placid, but no modified program. However, there is a boys modified team.

“How can there be a boys modified team, but no girls team?” he asked.

Burth has twin daughters on the youth team, and said he would like to see their lacrosse careers continue onto a modified team. He also said he plans on speaking at the next Lake Placid school board meeting.

School board President Aurora White said this has been an ongoing discussion for about a year, and in the past, the cost has been a major factor in not having a modified team. In a phone interview Thursday, school Superintendent Diane Fox said a shortage of interested students also played a role in not having the team. She mentioned that one year the varsity team didn’t have enough players for alternates, so every player had to always be on the field.

Board member Mark Farmer agreed with Burth’s cause and said he hopes a modified girls team can get formed before the season starts in April. He said that gap between youth and varsity lacrosse can keep girls from continuing the sport and puts the varsity team at risk.