Article Contributed on: 4/27/2009 3:12:14 PM
By
Caitlin Fisher
Chilly temperatures did little to dampen the enthusiasm of dozens of budding lacrosse players last Saturday. "MLK Lacrosse Day" was held at the Martin Luther King Recreation Center in Northeast Park Hill, with four "City Lax" teams playing host to other youth teams from around the state.
Two years ago, a Denver lawyer,
Rod Allison, and a Denver schoolteacher,
Erik Myhren, met and put the first City Lax team on the field. That initial group of 20 fifth graders has now expanded to almost 90 boys and girls playing on teams between third and seventh grade.
Most players are from Denver public schools and from neighborhoods that have never known lacrosse.
"I didn't know the game," said
Patrick O'Malley, a seventh grader at Smiley Middle School. "It's like basketball on a field," Patrick continued, describing the sport he has now played for two years.
City Lax is trying to teach the young participants not only how to play a new sport, but how to have a winning attitude. When asked what he likes about lacrosse, Patrick's younger brother
Steven, a fifth grader at Park Hill Elementary, does not hesitate in saying, "Everything, and winning on other people's fields."
On a day like MLK Lacrosse Day, it is apparent the kids are also winning off the field. Numerous seventh graders arrived hours early to their game in order to cheer on their younger counterparts and make a day out of barbecue, camaraderie and lacrosse.
Says Allison, "City Lax has been a great ride so far - the kids, the families and the community. It's always a wonderful experience to be part of anything new."
Lots of people have helped Allison and Myhren make that happen. "The Colorado lacrosse community has opened their arms to support our program," says Allison. "But City Lax is driven by the kids themselves, and our coaches that volunteer their time. Once you coach a City Lax team it's hard not to get hooked."
Those coaches include
George Moore,
Karl Wimer,
Mac Freeman,
Brad Johnson,
Ryan Zordani,
Gregory Crichlow,
Brett Koll,
Ben Cole and
Bailey McHugh.
"I've met a lot of quality coaches within the youth lacrosse community and we are lucky to have nine of them," says Allison. "All our coaches are well known in lacrosse circles, and every one of them has something strong to offer the kids."
City Lax continues to make plans for the future, and this year was recognized by U.S. Lacrosse as an official BRIDGE program, standing for Building Relationships to Initiate Diversity, Growth and Enrichment.
"Lacrosse is a sport about 'giving back' and City Lax is honored to be part of a group of programs trying to do that," notes Allison.
City Lax is back on the fields at Martin Luther King Recreation Center again this Saturday, May 2. Stop by and enjoy a game.