Number of Participants: 14
Hours Donated: 2
Value of Time Served: $237
Event Type: Children & Youth
Sport: Lacrosse
Date: November 12, 2014
Location:
300 Carleton Avenue Central Islip
New York 11722, United States
About:
WASHINGTON, DC- Over the past few months, the University of the District of Columbia women’s lacrosse team put their lacrosse skills and knowledge to very good use and helped teach the sport of lacrosse to underprivileged kids in conjunction with the Winners Lacrosse program. Through after-school programs and weekend clinics, Winners uses lacrosse to teach life skills to inner city and underprivileged youth in the Washington D.C. area.
Once each weekend starting September 28 all the way through October 26th, groups of three or four Firebird lacrosse players volunteered and helped teach various lacrosse skills, such as cradling, shooting, and catching, to young women in the first through eighth grade attending the weekly clinic. According to Winners Executive Director Matt Breslin, the girls at the clinic were very receptive to the advice and guidance the student-athletes were able to provide.
“Our girls absolutely loved learning from the UDC players and getting to know them,” commented Breslin.
Assistant Coach Kaitlyn Pasko felt that the kids really enjoyed learning from the student-athletes, and also noted that the Firebirds also got a lot out of the experience.
“The kids were definitely receptive. We had multiple kids that wanted to spend more time with our student athletes,” said Pasko, adding, “It was also a great experience for our players because they got to teach a skill and then see the players actually follow through and do what they just taught them. I think our girls really enjoyed it because the younger players are so enthusiastic about learning a new sport.”
The Winners program relies heavily on support from volunteers, and Breslin was overjoyed that Firebirds lacrosse was able to help out.
“We could not have had such a great fall clinic series without the help of the UDC women’s lacrosse team,” said Breslin, “Coach Brown and Pasko were so helpful in spreading the word to the UDC women’s team about this opportunity and the UDC players were simply fantastic teachers of the game and mentors/role models for our WINNERS girls. We hope to see them again and I know our girls will be cheering on the Firebirds this spring.”
