This article appears in the Western Mid-Atlantic version of the July/August edition of US Lacrosse Magazine. Don’t get the mag? Join US Lacrosse today to start your subscription.

Each spring, as the final lacrosse games are played and the last assignments for the school year are turned in, student-athletes — especially those who are graduating — reflect on their years on and off the field. Many look back with fond memories of championships won and teammates turned friends. There are a select few, however, that can look back and can see the profound impact they’ve left both on the field and in the hearts of those they serve.

Grant Alexander, a recent graduate of Seneca Valley Senior High School in Harmony, Pa., is one of those select few.

At Seneca Valley Senior High School, a graduation requirement for the senior class consists of planning and completing a project of their choosing and design. Although many students chose to serve meals at homeless shelters or give back to their school community, Alexander found his inspiration last summer, when he helped conduct a lacrosse presentation at Haine Elementary School for campers with special needs.  

As a member of the Raiders’ varsity boys’ lacrosse team and US Lacrosse, Alexander decided to plan and implement an adaptive lacrosse clinic for children ages 6-14 with physical or intellectual disabilities in western Pennsylvania.

Unsure of how to start this process, Alexander reached out to his local US Lacrosse regional manager, Mark Eissele, for insight on to how to design a program.  

“It was truly impressive to see a high school senior undertake such a challenging and potentially complex project,” said Eissele, who helps deploy US Lacrosse initiatives in the Western Mid-Atlantic region. “I immediately wanted to find a way to help support his efforts, and I knew that I should connect him with other adaptive lacrosse programs so he could get the best advice possible. The fact that Grant was successful in his efforts speaks to his character and to the power of the sport to draw out the best in people.”

Eissele connected Alexander with Jim Long, founder of the Howard County Adaptive Lacrosse Program in Maryland.

“It was great for Grant to take the initiative to develop and start an adaptive lacrosse clinic in his community,” Long said. “It was obvious with my initial conversations with him that he cared very much about the game of lacrosse and how he could help the special needs individuals by offering a fun lacrosse clinic. We need more volunteers like this to organize adaptive lacrosse clinics in their communities.”

Alexander found another terrific resource in Mt. Lebanon (Pa.) High School coach Michael Ermer, who is also the Western Competition Director for the Special Olympics in Pennsylvania. Ermer provided Alexander with insight from his many years of coaching lacrosse and working with kids with special needs.

With the help of the Special Olympics, the Seneca Valley School District’s special education department and other local groups, Alexander was able to market the clinic to children throughout western Pennsylvania.  

On April 8, in the Cranberry Township municipal gym, participants from all over the Pittsburgh area attended Alexander’s adaptive lacrosse clinic. He enlisted help from teammates and coaches. The kids learned how to pass, catch and shoot during the hour-long clinic. At the end of the day, they shot at a piñata to break it open and left with smiles on their faces. 

Although the clinic was free for all participants, Alexander requested volunteer donations from participants and families, all of which would be donated to the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania to help continue to provide year-round sports training and competition for children with disabilities.  

“I had as much fun showing and teaching them as they had learning from us,” Alexander said. “I thought it would be a great idea to spend more time sharing my love and knowledge of lacrosse with kids with special needs and designed my senior project around that idea. I hope this clinic, and the interest it showed, could possibly lead to something in Pittsburgh like there is in the Baltimore area.” 

Locally Grown

Virginia

The Loudoun County and Fauquier County school systems worked with US Lacrosse to conduct professional development workshops for physical education teachers, training them how to instruct the sport of lacrosse to their students. The PE Workshop grants include sets of soft stick equipment and an approved curriculum.

Maryland

As many leagues and town programs across the state began another spring of lacrosse, the Prince George’s Youth Lacrosse League kicked off its inaugural season with the help of a US Lacrosse First Stick Grant. Approximately 200 players took part in the season and had a great time learning the game and competing locally.

Pennsylvania

To keep up with the growth of the sport and to provide future opportunities to newer players, the Central Pennsylvania chapter will host the inaugural Central Pennsylvania Prospect Day for boys (Nov. 11) and girls (Nov. 18) at In the Net in Palmyra, Pa. The event’s purpose is to acquaint students and high school coaches with the recruiting process. 

Picture This
Lax For Love

The Southside Lacrosse League in Norfolk, Va., supported the One Love Foundation and honored the late Yeardley Love by participating in the 2018 Lacrosse for Love games on April 14.  The event aims to keep Love’s memory alive while raising awareness of relationship violence and providing funding for programs that promote service and strength of character.

My USL Rep
Mark Eissele, Western Mid-Atlantic

Eissele joined US Lacrosse in August 2014 and oversees development and growth efforts in the Western Mid-Atlantic Region, including parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. Mark’s US Lacrosse experience started many years earlier, when his kids began playing and he found himself coaching. He took advantage of the Coach Development Program to become a certified coach in both games. Now his kids both play in high school, so he can be found in the stands cheering or trying to keep up as he plays for two “old-man” club teams.

How can US Lacrosse help develop the sport in your area? Contact Mark at meissele@uslacrosse.org or 410-235-6882, extension 169.