The sport of lacrosse has grown in popularity across all demographics. Lacrosse is a sport that is enjoyed by both men and women, which contributes to its popularity. Lacrosse is played in a variety of ways. According to the NCAA, lacrosse is the fastest growing sport, with over 36,000 collegiate athletes participating. The most popular form of the game is box lacrosse, but stick ball is also widely played. Lacrosse's increasing popularity is seen by statistics provided by the United States Lacrosse Association (USLA). In 2001, there were more than 1 million registered players in the United States. That number has increased nearly every year since then, with 6 million people playing in 2004. Women make up about half of the total number of lacrosse players. There are many factors that have helped bring about this increase in popularity. One factor is the ability to play box lacrosse while being active and having fun. The sport combines running, jumping, catching, throwing, and shooting into one game. This is different from other sports such as football or basketball, where these activities are separated into different games. Another factor is the diversity of the teams that play lacrosse. There are currently over 2,000 high school boys' and girls' clubs in the United States. These clubs help bring together students from different socioeconomic backgrounds who would not otherwise meet. Last, but not least, is the fact that box lacrosse is easy to learn.