Wellington will be home to the largest lacrosse showcase on the globe this weekend. The Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) selected the Palm Beaches as the destination for the IWLCA Presidents Cup and Fall Debut over the next three years. The Palm Beach County Sports Commission will partner with the IWLCA and Corrigan Sports to host the Presidents Cup at the International Polo Club Palm Beach and Village Park in Wellington starting with the 2019 edition taking place Nov. 22-24.
Consisting of 460 women’s high school age lacrosse teams, the IWLCA Presidents Cup and Fall Debut presents the largest collection of lacrosse teams anywhere. Approximately 8,000 athletes, 900 coaches and more than 15,000 total visitors will travel to the area. This event offers several divisions based on the athlete’s high school graduation year, which includes all age groups from 14 to 18. Approximately 1,000 lacrosse games will take place during the three-day span, with each team guaranteed to play a minimum of four games.
IPC, Village Park and Deeridge Farms in Wellington will provide a remarkable setting for this epic lacrosse event. IPC is a robust venue that maintains 248 acres of beautifully manicured land. The Palm Beach County Sports Commission will layout 47 lacrosse fields over eight polo pitches. Village Park is one of Palm Beach County’s premier municipal parks and will provide an additional 10 lighted fields for the tournament. In total, 57 lacrosse fields will be featured during the IWLCA Presidents Cup and Fall Debut. Deeridge Farms, an elite equestrian facility, will accommodate the parking needs.
In addition to the Presidents Cup, the IWLCA will also bring its annual meeting to the Palm Beaches for the next three years. The 2019 IWLCA Annual Meeting will take place Nov. 20-22 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.
The IWLCA Presidents Cup has a storied history in Florida. In 2008, the event relocated to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando. The event enjoyed a tremendous stay in Orlando over the last 11 years and has transformed into one of the largest amateur sports events taking place annually in the United States.
Very few communities have the privilege and ability to host a tournament the size of the IWLCA Presidents Cup, which transforms destinations into a lacrosse centerpiece. In addition to the exciting lacrosse action, the IWLCA Presidents Cup provides enormous tourism benefits. This event is expected to generate nearly 15,000 hotel room nights and more than $10 million in economic impact for Palm Beach County. The event will significantly impact hotel occupancy levels, bed tax revenues and visitor spending during the month of November.
“Winning the IWLCA bid is a historic occasion for Palm Beach County,” said John Smith, president of the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. “Hosting the largest sporting event of its kind for one of the fastest-growing sports in the nation further elevates Palm Beach County as one of the premier sports destinations in Florida.”
