Bronx Lacrosse Serves as a Community Lifeline

Growing up in the Bronx, the harsh realities of Muhammed Krubally’s environment included violence, gangs and crime. The opportunities and temptations to go down the wrong path were easy and plentiful.

If not for a chance encounter with former Tufts University player Dan Leventhal when Krubally was 11 years old, he might have fallen victim to those realities.

“It was during recess when I was in the sixth grade and Dan was playing wall ball,” Krubally recounts. “Dan saw in me what others overlooked — my potential as a student and an athlete.”

Krubally’s connection to lacrosse was born that day on the playground. Now 18 and college bound, he is grateful for the alternatives that Leventhal, the Bronx Lacrosse founder, offered.

“Bronx Lacrosse gave me something I didn’t realize I was missing,” Krubally said, “a sense of belonging and purpose. For the first time, I was a part of a team that looked out for me, not just on the field, but in school and life. Bronx Lacrosse taught me the value of an education.”

More than just introducing lacrosse to youth, since 2016 Bronx Lacrosse has been committed to providing the same type of life opportunities that Krubally experienced through the help of Leventhal’s non-profit organization.

Today, Bronx Lacrosse serves about 300 middle school and high school students through a year-round academic & sports-based development program. With partnerships to four middle schools and two high schools, the mission is to improve educational opportunities and life outcomes for underserved students. Demographically, 63 percent of the participants are of Hispanic/Latino heritage, with another 34 percent identifying as Black.

“Muhammed is a great embodiment of what this program is and what it can do for kids,” said Nick Leffler, director of programs and partnerships for Bronx Lacrosse.

The proof is in the numbers, and it goes well beyond the lacrosse field.

Bronx Lacrosse students have a 100 percent graduation rate from high school, and a 95 percent average school attendance rate. Due to its rigorous tutoring program, 61 percent of Bronx Lacrosse students pass the Algebra Regents exam — an essential milestone for graduation in New York — a rate that’s 23 percent higher than other students in Bronx District 9.

“At our middle school level, in order to participate in Bronx Lacrosse, you have to attend two tutoring sessions per week where we do algebra readiness tutoring,” Leffler said. “That is specifically designed to have our kids ready to pass the Algebra Regents in either eighth or ninth grade.”

The extra tutoring that Bronx Lacrosse provides, about 60 hours per student, is critical in supporting academic success. Leffler estimates that the organization’s reach now extends to students representing about 20 different schools throughout the community. Based on their track record of success, Leffler says that many of the schools initiate the outreach to Bronx Lacrosse to welcome the support.

“We have a lot of students who are bilingual or are English language learners,” Leffler said. “So, we’re able to slow down and go through some of the more core steps of math in order to get them up to those elevated levels. We can meet kids where they’re at and then help push and accelerate them. It’s a pretty intensive tutoring program. Then in high school, we do a college and career readiness program that helps them explore the college process.”

Despite the success, there are obstacles. Basketball, baseball, soccer and football are still the top draws in the Bronx. Attracting students to lacrosse and having the resources to support their involvement is a constant challenge.

“Recruiting kids is always one of the tougher things for us,” Leffler said. “It can be tough to sell a kid on a sport they’ve never heard of and to get them to try it out.”

A partnership with USA Lacrosse helps with resources, but there’s always a need for more.

“Having enough quality equipment is an ongoing issue,” Leffler said. “Even something like getting new cleats can be a struggle. We play year-round, and kids just wear through them. During the summer, we take our teams to some big tournaments, and having the same quality equipment as the other clubs is important. It’s something that our boys and girls notice, and it’s a feeling of validation for them.”

But for every challenge and frustration faced, there’s also a heartwarming impact story, like Krubally’s, that helps sustain Leventhal, Leffler and other members of the organization.

“Bronx Lacrosse is a lifeline in our community,” said Krubally, who is headed to Skidmore College as a member of the lacrosse team. “They have created a family of like-minded people that strive to achieve goals, both on and off the field. The doors that lacrosse has opened for me have forever changed my life, and I’m forever grateful.”