Winter 2010 - US Lacrosse

First Sport Sentinel
WIN TER 2010
Inside This Issue:
Sports Science and Safety
See how the US Lacrosse Sport
Science & Safety Committee works to
make the game safe
National Teams
New women’s U.S. senior and U19
national teams selected
National Roundup
A sampling of US Lacrosse programming
from coast to coast
www.uslacrosse.org
St
g
Fir st
T h r o u g h r e s p o n s i v e a n d e ff e c t i v e
leadership, US Lacrosse strives to
provide programs and services to inspire
participation while protecting the integrity
of the game. We envision a future which
offers people everywhere the opportunity
to discover, learn, participate in, enjoy, and
ultimately embrace the shared passion of
the lacrosse experience.
ram
A publication of the First Sport Society for the philanthropic supporters of US Lacrosse
ic k Pr o
US Lacrosse Launches First Stick Program
A child’s first lacrosse stick not only serves
as a means to play the sport, but a symbol
of life-enhancing values such as confidence,
teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership that
can be developed through lacrosse.
The First Stick Program pilot of US Lacrosse
has been established with the assistance of
generous individual donors to supply lacrosse
equipment, coaches’ education and resources,
and life skills training to those who would not
otherwise have the chance to participate.
Inaugurated with a gift of $100,000, the First
Stick Program will enlarge the equipment grant
program of US Lacrosse. This fund will expand
participation in the sport beyond traditional
boundaries and inspire kids to play hard, dream
big and act responsibly within the sport of
lacrosse and the game of life.
“We welcome the opportunity to develop the
First Stick Program to bring lacrosse to nontraditional and diverse communities where the
cost of equipment is a barrier for participation,”
said Steve Stenersen, US Lacrosse president
and CEO.
The First Stick Program will underwrite the
costs of coaches’ training and skill-building
resources to teams that receive its equipment
grants, including access to the US Lacrosse
National Convention and Coaching Education
Program Level 1 Online Course, US Lacrosse
membership resources for coaches, including
Lacrosse Magazine, and programs aimed at
teaching lacrosse and its principles of hard work,
community and responsibility.
The First Stick Program is inspired by the
life journey and experiences of founders, Paul
Meyer, Peter Gibson and Lou Delligatti, who
were teammates and friends at Oceanside
High School (NY). Grateful for the way sports
shaped their lives in positive ways, they decided
to initiate the First Stick Program to provide
opportunities for young people to receive similar
benefits through lacrosse.
Meyer grew up in difficult circumstances
of addiction, abuse and instability. By age
15, he was living on his own, while attending
Oceanside High School. At Oceanside, he was
introduced to the game of lacrosse, the positive
benefits of the high school athletic community,
and the Martin Bernstein family, who adopted
him during his junior year in high school.
Gibson, Delligatti and Meyer all played
football at Oceanside under legendary head
football coach Roy Kessenich, father of ESPN
lacrosse announcer Quint Kessenich. Coach
Roy Kessenich provided a safe, encouraging
support system and reliable mentoring for the
three young athletes and many others as they
journeyed from adolescence to manhood.
Coach Kessenich personally took Meyer
under his wing when he arrived alone at
Oceanside High School, and encouraged
him to join the athletic community, where he
played football and lacrosse. As teammates and
through athletic competition, players Gibson,
Delligatti and Meyer discovered they could
achieve their personal goals, and learned about
commitment, character and community.
Through lacrosse, Meyer was also introduced
to the Bernstein family by teammate and friend
Scott Bernstein. The Bernstein family and its
continued on page 4
•2•
First Sport Sentinel www.uslacrosse.org
Chairman’s Perspective
Michael R. Wilcox, Chair, US Lacrosse Foundation
As most of the
country experiences
a change in climate,
this change of season
also signals a change
in leadership and
structure of the US Lacrosse Foundation Board.
I am honored to have served on the USL
Foundation Board for six years. During this
time, lacrosse has seen dynamic growth in all
levels of participation, and I am privileged to
have been in a position dedicated to providing
and attracting the resources necessary to
manage the safe and responsible growth of
the sport.
I am pleased to welcome Ed Calkins of
Naples, Fla., as chairman-elect who will
assume the lead of the USL board in 2011.
Ed, partner and CEO of RGM Capital,
has been involved with lacrosse since he
first started playing at the age of seven in
Ithaca, N.Y. He went on to start four years at
Princeton, culminating with the 1992 NCAA
Championship, and continued with intramural
leagues while attending business school at
Cornell. Ed has been on the board of the
Collier County Lacrosse Association, Florida
Interscholastic Associates Lacrosse League
and has coached youth lacrosse and hosted
youth camps. Ed has also been active with
the Cancer Alliance of Naples, Habitat for
Humanity, Youth Haven and the American
Cancer Society.
In addition, we welcome Jim Birle, J.
Gordon Cooney, Jr., Doug Corrigan, Henry
Kim, Dan Murray, Ed Nordberg, and Jim
Soran as recent additions to the US Lacrosse
Foundation Board.
The addition of these enthusiastic
individuals dedicated to the mission of US
Lacrosse will greatly complement the existing
board leadership. Made up of talented and
motivated individuals with a range of personal
and professional expertise and lacrosse
involvement, the US Lacrosse Foundation
Board leads efforts in the areas of fundraising
to benefit and support the programs and
activities of US Lacrosse. As we strive for the
USL Foundation Board to reflect the game
with representation of men and women from
across the country, we seek individuals who
not only demonstrate an interest in lacrosse,
but also the capacity to support the sport at
financially elevated levels as an example to
attract the support of others.
Though I prepare to step down in the
chairman’s capacity, I will remain loyal and
committed to support the Foundation and
attract others to contribute to the sport’s
continued and healthy development. In the
meantime, I thank all donors and members
for their continued and generous support
to ensure safe and positive lacrosse
experiences for all.
US LACROSSE
FOUNDATION
Executive Committee
Michael Wilcox, Chair
Larry Berger, Secretary
Ed Calkins, Chair Elect
Kevin Dooley, Philanthropy
Kristen Garlinghouse, At Large
Andy Kraus, Treasurer
Johnny Magwood, At Large
Board Members
Larry Berger
Jim Birle
Ed Calkins
Max Caulkins
J. Gordon Cooney
Doug Corrigan
Kevin Dooley
Kristen Garlinghouse
Miles Harrison
Barclay Kass
Henry Kim
Andy Kraus
Johnny Magwood
Mark McKinley
Dan Murray
Edward Nordberg
Mike O’Rourke
Jim Soran
John Towers
Michael Wilcox
US Lacrosse Contacts
Steve Stenersen
President & CEO
[email protected], x101
Deloris Mabins-Adenekan
Associate Director of Development
Michael R. Wilcox
Chair, US Lacrosse Foundation
[email protected], x128
Brenna Davis
Fundraising Associate
[email protected], x125
Debbie Franklin
Donor Relations Manager
[email protected], x121
Christina Gibson
National Teams Coordinator
[email protected], x127
The leaders of the First Sport Society are committed to
communicating the mission of US Lacrosse and the US Lacrosse
Foundation to its supporters. The First Sport Society is comprised
of individuals, companies and foundations who support the US
Lacrosse Foundation with gifts of $1,000 or more annually.
US Lacrosse
National Headquarters
113 West University Parkway
Baltimore, MD 21210
P: 410-235-6882, F: 410-366-6735
www.uslacrosse.org
www.uslacrosse.org
First Sport Sentinel
•3•
Getting Your Head Out of the Game
Sports-related concussions have made
recent headlines and have been a primary area
of focus for the US Lacrosse Sports Science
& Safety Committee for several years. Donor
support has helped US Lacrosse to fund and
collaborate on research to better understand
the mechanisms and frequency of concussion
injuries in both men’s and women’s lacrosse
and how appropriate rule adherence and
coaching and officials education can be
implemented to potentially lessen the instance
and severity of concussions, as well as to raise
awareness of the serious nature of the injury
throughout the national lacrosse community.
One such Sports Science & Safety
Committee study has been an ongoing injury
surveillance and tracking system in Fairfax
County (Va.) Public Schools, evaluating over
25,000 high school athletes over a consecutive
11-year period (1997-98 to 2007-08) to examine
the incidence and
relative risk of
concussions in 12 high
school boys’ and girls’
interscholastic sports.
Two certified athletic
trainers at each of
Fairfax County’s 25
public high schools
recorded all injuries
and illnesses in an
electronic medical
record-keeping
program, including
time, location,
mechanism of injury,
body part, nature
of injury, symptoms
and return to play.
The sports included
in the study were
boys’ baseball,
basketball, football,
lacrosse, soccer and
wrestling. Girls’ sports studied were basketball,
cheerleading, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer and
softball.
“The study allows us to look at what’s
going on at a broad level, injury experience
in a particular year, and look at lacrosse in
comparison with other sports,” explained Dr.
Andy Lincoln, US Lacrosse Sport Science &
Safety Committee member and Director of The
MedStar Sports Medicine Research Center at
Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore.
The research found an increased risk of
concussions across all sports over time, not
limited to lacrosse or any individual sport.
Football and girls’ soccer were associated
with the highest concussion rates in the sports
studied. The increases in concussion incidence
may be attributed to a variety of on-the-field
factors, including improved player athleticism
leading to more forceful play, but also influenced
by improved concussion recognition, diagnosis
and documentation. The committee is currently
challenged to evaluate and appropriately
decipher the role that each of these factors has
as contributing injury elements.
Another Sport Science and Safety
Committee study has used video analysis to
identify common scenarios of concussions in
high school boys and girls lacrosse games.
The study followed 5,000 male and female
high school lacrosse players in Fairfax County
(Va.) public schools over two seasons in
2008 and 2009. Injury surveillance data was
collected by certified athletic trainers using a
computer-based injury management system, in
conjunction with digital video documentation of
all game injuries.
The footage was further broken down to
identify and classify incidents of concussions
by several factors, such as type of contact
(body contact, intentional or unintentional stick
contact, etc.), player activity (catching, passing,
shooting, loose ball, etc.), where on the face
or head the injury occurred, whether or not a
penalty was called, and much more.
US Lacrosse plans to use the findings to
evaluate rules, coaches, officials and participant
education, and enhance concussion awareness
to minimize risk in the sport. In the meantime,
US Lacrosse is proactive in developing
resources and messaging to raise symptom
awareness and recommend treatment for
concussions in the sport.
Within the men’s game, in order to remove
or reduce serious and deliberate head-to-head
contact from lacrosse, the NCAA and NFHS
have accepted US Lacrosse’s recommendations
to establish specific rules to severely penalize
a player who uses his helmet or arm to make
contact with an opponent’s helmet.
Injury research and evaluation has also lead
to significant modifications to the women’s
game over the past 10 years in order to address
concerns regarding player safety, including
changes in the parameters of the legal pocket,
goalie helmet standards, mandating of eyewear
and more.
Most recently the US Lacrosse Board of
Directors approved new women’s lacrosse
rule changes and clarifications for the 2011
season that are endorsed by the NFHS, WDIA,
and youth play at all levels under the age of
15, as well as recommendations made to the
NCAA. The recommendations demonstrate a
comprehensive approach to penalizing unsafe
and dangerous play by increasing the severity
and accountability for major fouls that will impact
not only a reckless player or coach, but also the
team as a whole.
US Lacrosse also has taken a leadership role
in concussion awareness and education. US
Lacrosse has partnered with the Centers for
Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC)
to produce lacrosse
specific concussion
awareness fact sheets
for coaches, parents
and players. These
resources, including a
“concussion tool kit for
coaches” titled, Heads
Up: Concussion in
High School Sports,
contain a variety of
practical, easy-to-use
printed, online and
video information.
US Lacrosse is also
one of 14 national
governing bodies
selected to provide
access to a poster
made by the National
Football League’s
(NFL) Head, Neck and
Spine Medical Committee, the CDC and the
NFL Players Association. The poster, available
for display in locker rooms, gymnasiums and
schools nationwide, hopes to let young athletes
know concussions are serious and provides a
list of concussion signs, symptoms and steps
they should take if they think they have a
concussion.
In addition, in partnership with ImPACT
Applications, Inc. (ImPACT), US Lacrosse
continues to promote the importance of
establishing a formal Concussion Management
Program for lacrosse programs that offers
player baseline testing, participant and parent
education, awareness, and links to local
participating neurocognitive testing facilities.
To access all US Lacrosse Sports Science
& Safety resources, learn more about
recent rule changes and participate in US
Lacrosse education opportunities, visit www.
uslacrosse.org.
•4•
First Sport Sentinel www.uslacrosse.org
www.uslacrosse.org
U.S. Women’s National Team Selected
Earn It: The Values of Lacrosse
Nearly 250 athletes, plus coaches,
evaluators and staff descended on the
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
(UMBC) campus in August for six days of
drilling and scrimmages designed to select
the U.S. women’s senior team, followed by
the U.S. under-19 women’s national team.
Over 80 players were evaluated before the
new 36-member U.S. women’s senior team
was announced. In 2009, the United States
captured its fifth Federation of International
Lacrosse World Cup championship when
it defeated Australia 8-7 at the last world
event in the Czech Republic. The U.S. has
won either gold or silver in all seven world
championships conducted since 1986.
Thirteen members selected for the new
team were on the 2009 U.S. World Cup
championship team, including all-world
selections Sarah Albrecht, Amber Falcone,
Kristen Kjellman and Lindsey Munday.
“What we wanted to accomplish was
gather 36 players that we felt made up the
best group as opposed to looking at the most
individual talent,” Team USA and Georgetown
Gregg Mitchell, Managing Director, US Lacrosse Foundation
coach Ricky Fried said. “Who played well
together, worked well and competed on a
consistent basis? It was a competitive tryout,
the most competitive I’ve seen in my four
years here… We had some hard decisions
to make, in a good way, and we feel lucky to
have the group that we have for this year.”
Once the senior team was selected, more
than 165 girls from 25 different states were
whittled down to the 24-player roster for the
2011 U.S. U19 women’s national lacrosse
team set to compete in the Federation of
International Lacrosse (FIL) U19 World
Championships in Hannover, Germany,
August 3-13, 2011. In 2007, Team USA won
the gold at the quadrennial event, beating
Australia 18-3 in Peterborough, Ontario.
“We’re really excited about the talent of
this group,” said Krystin Porcella, head coach
of the U.S. U19 women’s national team.
“The level of play - physical and mental and the athleticism of these girls was truly
unbelievable all week. We can’t wait to get
to work this fall putting all of the pieces
together.”
Head Coach: Ricky Fried
Assistant Coaches: Amy Bokker, Carol Cantele, Michele DeJuliis,
Bowen Holdenm, Liz Robertshaw, Jessica Wilk Strosberg,
Manager: Wendy Stone
Athletic Trainer: Michael Cantele
Kelly Berger during U.S
Women’s senior team tryouts
at UMBC this summer.
..First Stick Program continued from page 1
patriarch, Martin B. Bernstein, embodied the
spirit of generosity and compassion. They took
Meyer in and made him part of their family.
Meyer, now a successful businessman,
husband and father, lives in Georgia. He
coaches lacrosse at Greenbrier High School, a
program he helped start, and participates in the
local YMCA lacrosse program.
Co-founder, Peter Gibson played football,
baseball and basketball at Oceanside High
School. He was the quarterback for Coach
Kessenich’s 1977 county championship
team. Gibson, a successful businessman and
beloved father, is working to help develop the
Rutgers University student athlete Life Skills
program. He is active in other charities such as
the Trenton Boys and Girls Club and Catholic
Charities of New Jersey and also helps coach
his son’s lacrosse team.
US Women’s Senior Team
Sarah Albrecht *
M
Northwestern ‘06
Amy Altig
G
James Madison ‘05
Casey Ancarrow
A
James Madison ‘13
Kelly Berger
M
James Madison ‘07
Sarah Bullard *
M
Duke ‘11
Jillian Byers
A
Notre Dame ‘09
Caroline Cryer *
A
Duke ‘08
Katrina Dowd
A
Northwestern ‘10
Michi Ellers
M
Georgetown ‘04
Amber Falcone *
D
North Carolina ‘09
Katy Fitzgerald
D
North Carolina ‘11
Corrine Gandolfi
M
Hofstra ‘10
Kim Griffin
D
James Madison ‘09
Kathleen Hertsch
D
Hofstra ‘11
Megan Huether *
G
Duke ‘06
Kristin Igoe
M
Boston College ‘11
Ashby Kaestner
M
Georgetown ‘10
Alyssa Kildare
D
Johns Hopkins ‘12
Kristen Kjellman *
M
Northwestern ‘07
Erica LaGrow *
M
North Carolina ‘08
Kendall McBrearty
G
Virginia ‘08
Caitlyn McFadden * M
Maryland ‘10
Holly McGarvie
A
Princeton ‘09
Lindsey Munday *
A
Northwestern ‘06
Colleen Olsen
D
Dartmouth ‘10
Brittany Poist
D
Maryland ‘11
Mallory Poole
M
C.W. Post ‘08
Katie Rowan *
A
Syracuse ‘09
Jennifer Russell
D
North Carolina ‘10
Lauren Schmidt
M
Stanford ‘11
Katie Schwarzmann M
Maryland ‘13
Lauren Schwarzmann M
Johns Hopkins ‘08
Danielle Spencer
M
Northwestern ‘10
Michelle Tumolo
A
Syracuse ‘13
Acacia Walker *
M
Maryland ‘05
Paris Waterman
D
Brown ‘11
Devon Wills *
G
Dartmouth ‘06
Laura Zimmerman
M
North Carolina ‘12
* Players who were members of the 2009 World Cup team
Those of you who
have interacted with
me during my time
with US Lacrosse
know that I often
sp e a k a b o u t th e
values of the sport,
including teamwork, discipline, physical
fitness, courage and tradition.
I speak about these values often because
I think lacrosse – when played well under the
guidance of outstanding coaches and officials
– is an outstanding youth-development
activity.
The value of the sport in offering lifelessons became clear when I observed the
slow-start of my son’s team at St. Paul’s
School for Boys, a team with great promise,
but which needed determination, discipline
and hard work to achieve its potential.
After an underwhelming victory early in the
season, coach Tom Brocato took the boys
aside and urged them to understand that their
reputation as a promising squad mattered
little – if at all. They had to earn it, every day
in practice and on the field.
The phrase “earn it” became an informal
motto for my son during his senior year and it
was an idea that lived in his class as a whole,
noted in the remarks of the headmaster
during his commencement address.
At different times since then, I have
had occasion to speak to my son about a
challenging situation and how to confront it.
Because of the life-lessons learned on the
lacrosse field, I have been able to say two
words and little else. “Earn it.” The message
is clear and the satisfaction of achievement,
derived from the concerted effort of a united
team of individuals, is empowering and
motivational.
When thinking about the values of lacrosse,
I also think about the words of Cookie
Krongard, a Hall of Fame goalie, who has
played at a high level for six decades. Cookie
told me that being a goalie was a particular
value to him.
He said, “When I have done camps
or work with young goalies, I have tried to
communicate some of the mental parts of
being a goalie. I’ve always told them that
when a ball goes by you in the goal, a point
goes up on the scoreboard for everyone to
see. That point is there and there is nothing
you can do about that.”
“When you rake that ball and give it to the
referee, that has got to the end of that shot
and that play. If you continue to focus on that
play, sure enough the next shot will hit you
in the throat. You have to learn to overcome
adversity, to put it behind you and to keep
striving for the next play. That was a great life
lesson for me,” he concluded.
Earn it. Overcome adversity. Strive for the
next play. Work together.
I want to comment about another value
of lacrosse that is particularly important to
me. I support lacrosse because it requires
its participants to strive to be and maintain
physical fitness. It is a great antidote to the
sedentary lifestyle of all too many young
people today.
First Sport Sentinel
•5•
For me, it has been a special privilege to
work with US Lacrosse to promote positive
growth of a great sport. Only a special
challenge would take me away from my role
with the USL Foundation. I will be leaving
my post to accept a challenge to serve as
Senior Vice President for the Heinz Center
for Science, Economics and the Environment.
The opportunity is an outgrowth of my past
work in land and wildlife conservation.
I will work to find bipartisan solutions to
environmental challenges based on solid
science and economics.
Though I am accepting a new professional
challenge, I will remain active with the
Foundation as a volunteer. Thank you for
the opportunity to work for lacrosse as a
professional and know that I remain steadfast
in my support of America’s first sport.
2011 Women’s U-19 Team
Louis Delligatti, a two-sport athlete in high
school where he excelled at lacrosse, played
collegiate lacrosse for Towson University.
Delligatti played 10 years as a professional
indoor lacrosse player, coached by Steve
Stenersen. He currently resides in Augusta,
Georgia, where he is the Regional Sales
Manager for SignCo and maintains close ties
with Paul Meyer and family.
“I want other young people to have destinychanging experiences by having access
to a sport that requires teamwork, discipline,
determination and physical fitness” said
co-founder of the First Stick Program, Paul
Meyer. “A lacrosse stick is more than just a
piece of sporting equipment. It symbolizes an
opportunity to work hard, achieve your goals
and share your gifts.”
To support the USL First Stick Program, go to
https://secure.uslacrosse.org/FirstStick.
Madison Acton
Alyssa Blevins
Tatum Coffey
Jennifer Cook
Dene’ Di Martino
Kelsey Duryea
Christine Ferguson
Cortney Fortunato
Shannon Gilroy
Sally Jentis
Dani Lazo
Erin McMunn
Kelly McPartland
Allie Murray
Mikaela Rix
Anna Salemo
Caileigh Sindall
Brigid Smith
Covie Stanwick
Barbara Sullivan
Sammy Jo Tracy
Kayla Treanor
Taylor Trimble
Rachel Vallarelli
M
D
M
A
M
G
D
A
M
D
M
A
M
G
M
A
D
A
A
D
M
M
M
G
Lincoln Sudbury Regional ‘12
C. Milton Wright ‘11
Toms River North ‘11
McDonogh ‘11
Eastport South Manor ‘12
Governor’s Academy ‘12
St. Paul’s ‘11
Northport ‘13
Northport ‘11
Ridgewood ‘11
St. Mary’s ‘11
Winter Mill ‘11
Farmingdale ‘11
Downingtown ‘11
Garden City ‘11
Heritage ‘11
Good Counsel ‘11
Good Counsel ‘11
Notre Dame Prep ‘11
Garden City ‘11
Fox Lane ‘12
Niskayuna ‘12
Episcopal Academy ‘11
Holy Child ‘11
Head Coach: Krystin Porcella
Assistant Coaches: Carter Abbott, Megan Clark, Jennifer Pfeiffer
Manager: Sarah Aschenbach
Athletic Trainer: Megan Colas
Snapshots from US Lacrosse Foundation reception in San Francisco:
1) (L-R) US Lacrosse board of directors past chair Marti Fessenden with USL associate director of financial development Deloris Mabins-Adenekan
2) Stanford head coach and U.S. women’s senior team assistant coach Amy Bokker with NorCal chapter president Heidi Faith, USL president and
CEO Steve Stenersen and Lax for Life founder Andrew McDonald 3) U.S. men’s national team member Eric Martin with Leslie Maslowski of NBC.
•6•
First Sport Sentinel www.uslacrosse.org
National Scope, Local Impact
A Sampling of US Lacrosse’s
Presence from Coast to Coast
Arizona
US Lacrosse and the Arizona Chapter of
US Lacrosse hosted a Fast Break Initiative
“Super Weekend” at Arcadia High School
in Phoenix, Ariz., Nov. 5-7. The weekend
included 15 free events covering everything
an aspiring lacrosse area would need to
flourish into a self-sustaining organization,
including youth lacrosse clinics for boys and
girls, a coaching education clinic, a men’s
and women’s officials clinic, and a parents’
education clinic, as well as a keynote address
presented by UMBC head men’s coach Don
Zimmerman.
California
The US Lacrosse Foundation headed
west for its fall board meeting and First
Look reception in San Francisco, October
14-16. The USLF events preceded the San
Francisco Fall Lacrosse Classic, featuring
nationally-ranked Johns Hopkins University
and the University of Notre Dame men’s
lacrosse teams, as well as youth and coaches
clinics.
Florida
The U.S. men’s and women’s national
teams will head to the Sunshine State for
the 2011 Champion® Challenge event
in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., January 29-30,
2011. The weekend will include competitions
between some of the top collegiate teams
in the country vs. the U.S. national teams,
parent educational programming, and coach
First Sport Sentinel
and player clinics offered by members of all
the U.S. national teams. In addition, the US
Lacrosse Foundation Board
will be in Orlando for its
January meeting. For more
information about the 2011
Champion® Challenge
please visit www.uslacrosse.
org website.
US Lacrosse was a sponsor
of the Lake Placid Summit
Lacrosse Classic in August
NEW YORK
Maryland
The US Lacrosse National
Convention, presented by
Champion, returns to the
Baltimore Convention Center
t h i s J a n u a r y 2 1 - 2 3 , 2 0 11 .
Billed as “the unofficial start
to the lacrosse season,” this
event annually gathers the best
CALIFORNIA
lacrosse has to offer, and provides
the sport’s largest educational
opportunity, with over 5,000 coaches,
officials, program administrators and
exhibitors in attendance.
MASSACHUSETTS
MARYLAND
ARIZONA
Massachusetts
US Lacrosse hosted its annual Stars and
Stripes weekend featuring the U.S. men’s and
women’s national senior teams, as well as
the U.S. women’s U19 team, in a full slate
of exhibition games at Harvard University in
Boston, on October 9-10, 2010. Exhibitions
included the US men’s team vs. Harvard, the
US women’s team vs. Harvard, Boston College
and Boston University, and the women’s
U19 team against Revolution Lacrosse Club
and Massachusetts Elite Club. In addition,
the national teams hosted instructional
clinics for youth and high school players.
include men’s coaches Jim Berkman
(Salisbury), John Danowski (Duke) and Mike
Daly (Tufts), women’s coaches Janine Tucker
(Johns Hopkins), Cathy Reese (Maryland)
and Jen Adams (Loyola), men’s officials Rich
Tamberrino, Tom Abbott and Jim Carboneau,
women’s officials Patty Daly, Cathy Reese,
Lissa Fickert, Mike Daly, Ericka Leslie, and Jen
O’Donnell, and so many more.
Other features of this year’s convention
include US Lacrosse Coaching Education
Program clinics and courses, plus a one
day certification package, US Lacrosse and
NCAA Rules interpretation sessions, live field
demonstrations with elite coaches and U.S.
men’s and women’s national teams, autograph
signings with world champion Team USA,
networking events, US Lacrosse technology
booth with gadgets to give you an edge, as well
as US Lacrosse Sport Center with programs,
grants and services US Lacrosse can offer you.
•7•
US Lacrosse Announces Equipment Grant Awards
MAP KEY
FLORIDA
New York
US Lacrosse was a sponsor
of the Lake Placid Summit Lacrosse
Classic in August featuring seven days of
competition with over 100 teams in twelve
club divisions – Boys U15, Boys and Girls
U18, Men’s (I and II) and Women’s open,
Masters, Grandmasters, and Super
Grandmasters. The tournament also featured
an award night which honored those people
who have meant a great deal to the success of
the tournament over the last 20 years.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee To Get The Convention Off To A Running Start
The US Lacrosse National Convention,
presented by Champion, returns to the Baltimore
Convention Center this January 21-23, 2011.
Billed as “the unofficial start to the lacrosse
season,” this event annually gathers the best
lacrosse has to offer, and provides the sport’s
largest educational opportunity, with over 5,000
coaches, officials, program administrators and
exhibitors in attendance.
Gold medalist and four-time Olympian Jackie
Joyner-Kersee, named the greatest female
athlete of the 20th century” by Sports Illustrated,
will get this year’s convention off to a running
start with the keynote address. In addition to her
gold medal performances in the heptathlon and
long jump, Joyner-Kersee also started four years
on the UCLA women’s basketball team.
In addition to Joyner-Kersee, several
prominent lacrosse coaches and expert
speakers will conduct over 80 educational
sessions during the convention. Presenters
www.uslacrosse.org
The event will also feature the EXPO Hall
with over 150 vendors offering discounts,
giveaways and contests. This year’s vendors
include Champion, ESPN U, ESPN Wide World
of Sports, Under Armour, Adidas, Harrow,
Boathouse Sports, Warrior, Sports Her Way,
Sports Authority to name a few.
For more information or to register, go to
www.uslacrosse.org/convention.
= NATIONAL
ROUNDUP
Map is for illustrative
purposes only; not to scale.
The following programs have been awarded
grants for the 2010 cycle of the US Lacrosse
Equipment Grant Program:
Girls’ Team Packages
The Girls’ Packages can include up to 24 eyemasks,
24 field player sticks, one goalie stick, full protective
equipment for one goalie, including helmet.
Capital School District-Central Middle School, Dover, DE
Del Norte High School Nighthawks, San Diego, CA
Eastern Wayne High School, Goldsboro, NC
Kealing Middle School-Girls Lacrosse Club, Austin, TX
Longs Peak Middle School, Longmont, CO†
Mukwonago Lacrosse Team, Mukwonago, WI†
Robinson HS Girls Lacrosse, Tampa, FL
Shawnee Mission Lacrosse, Prairie, KS*
Stanwood Lacrosse (SCJAA), Stanwood, WA
YMCA of Northwest NC, Winston-Salem, NC
Boys’ Team Packages
The Boys’ Packages can include up to 24 field player
sticks, one goalie stick, full protective equipment for 24
field players and one goalie (gloves, arm guards, and
shoulder pads and helmet)
Augusta, GA†
Bellevue Lacrosse, Bellevue, NE
Bloomfield Raiders, Bloomfield, CT†
Boothbay Region YMCA, Boothbay Harbor, ME
Brooklyn Prospect Charter School, Brooklyn, NY†
CISI Larry Hawkins, Chicago, IL
Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Baltimore, MD†
Fairmont Middle Lacrosse, Faimont, WV
Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club, Corpus Christi, TX
George Washington High School, Philadelphia, PA
Highland Hornets, Albuquerque , NM
Ionia High School Lacrosse, Ionia, MI
=
EQUIPMENT
GRANT LOCATIONS
KIPP McDonogh 15 School, New Orleans, LA
Lake Lacrosse Club, Hartville, OH
LBJ/LASA Boys LAX Booster Club, Austin, TX
Neptune City Board of Rec., Neptune, NJ
North Olympic Peninsula Lacrosse Club, Port Angeles, WA
Ozaukee Youth Lacrosse, Cedarburg, WI
Skyline High School Lacrosse Club, Oakland, CA
Soddy Daisy High School Club Lacrosse, Hixon, TN
Spartanburg High School, Spartanburg, SC
Spring Valley High School Athletics, Columbia, SC
St. Petersburg HS Green Devils Lacrosse, Gulfport, FL
Vance Charter School, Henderson, NC
Wausau Wolfpack Pups Youth Lacrosse, Wausau, WI
Woodvalley Lacrosse, Conklin, NY
Boys’ and Girls’ Program Packages
The Program Package can include equipment for boys
including up to 20 field player sticks and one goalie stick,
full protective equipment for 20 field players and one goalie
(gloves, arm guards, shoulder pads and helmets), as well
as girls’ equipment up to 20 field player sticks and one
goalie stick, 20 eye masks, and full protective equipment
for one goalie (including helmet).
Antrim Rec. Department, Antrim, NH
Boonsboro Area Athletic Assoc., Keedysville, MD
Braintree Youth Lacrosse/Braintree Elem., Braintree, VT
Connally High School Lacrosse Club, Austin, TX
Eagles Lacrosse, Dayton, OH
Fort Worth Youth Lacrosse Assoc., Benbrook, TX
Grand Ledge Youth Lacrosse, Grand Ledge, MI
Hamilton Youth Lacrosse (Police Athletic League),
Hamilton, NJ
Hampden Elem./MS #55, Baltimore, MD
Harbor Fire Lacrosse, Gig Harbor, WA
Hillcrest Middle School, Glendale, AZ*
KIPP Renaissance High School, New Orleans, LA†
US Lacrosse is proud to announce the
awardees of its 2010 equipment grants
presented to 103 lacrosse programs and teams
in 31 states, totaling nearly $230,000.
The US Lacrosse Equipment Grant
Program, in its 12th year, is an annual offering
of US Lacrosse. Since the inception of the
Equipment Grant Program, US Lacrosse
has donated equipment to over 400 aspiring
lacrosse programs with the retail value of more
than $1.8 million.
The US Lacrosse Equipment Grant is one of
the most impactful programs that US Lacrosse
offers. It directly supports the growth of lacrosse
across the country, allowing more youth to have
the opportunity to play the sport each year.
“We’re grateful for the generous contributions
of donors and equipment donations from
manufacturers like Adidas, Brine, Harrow,
Onyx, STX, and Warrior, who assist in making
these equipment grants possible,” said Joshua
Christian, US Lacrosse managing director of
sports development. “Building on their support,
this year US Lacrosse is able to award grants
that provide new and safe lacrosse equipment to
over 2,200 boys and girls, literally from head to
toe and coast to coast.”
Lacrosse programs applying for a grant
must meet program criteria by appropriately
demonstrating financial need, and priority is
given to those residing in a state or region
where lacrosse opportunities are currently
limited or absent. Applicants can select
from a girls’ package, boys’ package, boys’
and girls’ program package or a physical
education package.
Little Rock Lacrosse Club, Little Rock, AR
Mashpee Youth Lacrosse League, Mashpee, MA
Max Lax, Charlotte, NC†
Mendez Learning Center, Los Angeles, CA
New Castle Community YMCA, New Castle, PA†
Oxon Hill High School, Oxon Hill, MD
Pikes Peak Lacrosse, Colorado Springs, CO
Springer Middle School, Wilmington, DE
St. Augustine High School, St. Augustine, FL
Teaneck Sports Program, Teaneck, NJ
Temecula Valley HS Lacrosse Booster Club, Temecula, CA
Valencia High School, Placentia, CA
Washington Lacrosse, Washington, ME
Westerly Area Youth Lacrosse, Westerly, RI
Ygnacio Valley High School, Concord, CA
Physical Education Packages
The Physical Education Package includes 30 physical
education soft lacrosse sticks and 30 balls, as well as US
Lacrosse Physical Education Curriculum.
Ahwatukee Lacrosse, Phoenix, AZ
All Saints Catholic School, Spokane, WA
Canyon Creek Elementary School, Austin, TX
Durham Public Schools/Hope Valley Elem., Durham, NC
Excelsior Middle School, Discovery Bay, CA
Fresno Unified School District, Fresno, CA
Keheley Elem. School, Marietta, GA
Nicholson Elem. School, Acworth, GA
St. Charles School, New Middletown, OH
The McGillis School, Salt Lake City, UT
* Fast Break Grants – program was awarded an equipment
grant in conjunction with the 2010 Fast Break program.
† First Stick Grants – program was awarded equipment
grant in conjunction with the First Stick Program
•8•
First Sport Sentinel www.uslacrosse.org
At the Buzzer: Striving for Extraordinary Impact
Steve Stenersen, President and CEO of US Lacrosse
US Lacrosse is
the newest national
governing body
in amateur sport,
established in 1998
to support America’s
oldest team sport. As
we mature as an organization at the start of
our second decade, we strive to continue to
earn your trust, not only on the basis of past
accomplishments, but on the strength of positive
impact that grows with each year.
Unlike our companion organizations in other
sports, which emphasize development of elite
athletes for Olympic competition, the measure of
our organization is a simple but broad metric. We
want to be known for our impact – for building
the sport from the ground up and supporting the
game in ways that make a real difference for
young players and their families.
As we focus on improving services to current
members, increasing educational initiatives,
promoting safety and introducing the game to
new communities, we also inspire participation
through our celebration of excellence through the
U.S. national teams and honor the sport’s greats
through Hall of Fame recognition.
I’m proud to share with you a few recent
organizational initiatives, made possible by the
support of members and donors:
Service – US Lacrosse provides sportspecific league and team management
resources – www.uslaxteams.com and US
Lacrosse Playbook – to programs that support
USL membership. These comprehensive
online tools provide unprecedented support to
league and team administrators in their efforts to
communicate easily and effectively with players,
coaches and parents, schedule officials and
fields, manage team rosters and events, and
more.
Education – The USL Coaching Education
Program (CEP) is the national standard for
lacrosse-specific education and certification of
coaches. In addition, time-crunched coaches
will also have access to Mobile Coach, a US
Lacrosse-developed product that provides
quick access to hundreds of drills created
by our CEP, as well as the ability to access,
organize and share USL videos on the fly.
Outreach - USL recently announced
equipment grants to more than 100 new teams
in 30 states – an increase of almost 100% over
just two years ago. This is a big step in our
ever-expanding efforts to ensure that the cost of
equipment does not preclude participation.
Celebration – Each year US Lacrosse sends
at least one national team into international
competition. This year, our U.S. men’s
senior team defeated Canada for the World
Championship in Manchester, England, to
avenge a 2006 loss and return the gold medal
to the United States. We’ve already begun
preparation of the U19 women’s national team to
compete next summer in Germany. Our national
teams not only promote international lacrosse
development, but also inspire participation in the
sport and provide training clinics to young players
across the country.
Donors play a key role in enabling us to
offer these and many other programs. Without
growing general support for the ongoing
development of US Lacrosse programs and
services, as well as increased restricted gifts
for our national team and sport development
programs, our efforts would fall short of the
resources our growing sport requires.
The success of any team depends
on the contributions – dramatic or subtle –
of every team member. US Lacrosse is no
exception. To all of our donors and prospective
supporters, thank you in advance for becoming
or remaining such an important part of our
organization’s growth and success.
The US Lacrosse First Sport Society is proud to recognize the following donors of $1,000 or
more to US Lacrosse since January 2010. Thank you for all you do in support of the sport!
Your Opportunity To Support
As we know in lacrosse, a last
second goal or save can make a
difference in the outcome of a game.
As the end of the year approaches,
don’t let the clock run out on your
chance to make a difference in the
game with a tax-deductible gift in
support of US Lacrosse. With the
support of donors, US Lacrosse
strives to provide positive and safe
experiences for all participants from
coast to coast.
Todd and Barbara Albert • All West Lacrosse • David and Bonnie Allan •
Anonymous Donors (various) • Doug Appleton • Baltimore City Foundation,
Inc. • Lawrence and Julie Berger • Jim and Judy Birle • William and Julia
Blanchard • Morton Bouchard • Sandra and Dick Boyce • BTIG, LLC • Buzzy
Budnitz • Roy and Patricia Bumsted • Edward Calkins and Linda Sonders
• Reid and Suzanne Campbell • Cincinnati Lacrosse Club • Christopher
and Angelina Cohan • Harvey and Norma Cohen • Jean and Robert Cole •
Thomas and Kathleen Connor • George and Patricia Conrades • Todd and
Kim Crockett • Gary and Sylvie Crum • John Curran • Cypress-Fairbanks
Lacrosse Association • Lee and Melissa Dutra • Jennifer Eames • Braden
Edwards and Carolyn Feinstein • Eric Evans • Geri Fessler • Robert & Elizabeth Fisher Fund • Kenneth
Fitzsimmons • Kristen and Brad Garlinghouse • Katrina and Terry Garnett • James and Gwenae Garvey
• Jonathan and Rita Gewirz • John and Rina Gibbons • Peter Gibson • Gibson Family Foundation
• Thomas and Mary Gilbane • Bob and Clare Gordon • William Gray • James and Marritje Greene
• Brett and Judy Haire • The Hemenway Family • Richard and Catherine Herbst • Roch and Carol
Hillenbrand • Hills/Elwood Youth Lacrosse • Mary Ellen and Richard Huether • Brian and Laura Hull •
Peter and Katie Innis • Barclay and Dennis Kass • Francis and Janet Kelly • Francis and Gayle Kelly
• Bob Kent • Thomas Klein • KOKARI Foundation • Andrew and Donna Kraus • Lou Ann and James
Landon • Raymond Langhaim • Edward and Barbara Laux • Alexander and Victory Levi • The Long
Island Metropolitan Lacrosse Foundation • Darren and Sierra Lowe • Edith and Bo Lycke • Johnny and
Robin Magwood • Thomas and Robin Mattimore • Dawn McAleese • Dan and Kathleen McCormick • J.
Andrew and Simone McEntire • Edwin and Donna McGuinn • Mark and Karla McKinley • Anne McNulty
• Craig and Debra Messinger • William Miller • Thomas and Joy Mistele • Barton and Elizabeth Mitchell
• Steven Mitchell • Robert and Carol Mongeluzzi • Merritt and Roslyn Nesin • The New Jersey North
Lacrosse Foundation • Edward and Carol Nordberg • Christopher and E. Norton • William and Donna
Oliver • Michael and Donna O’Rourke • David Ott and Jane De Marco Ott • The Philadelphia Lacrosse
Association • Duane and Laurie Phillips • James Potter and Ginna Naylor • Michael and Susan Pressler
• Rockville Centre Select Storm • Henry and Dorothy Rosenberg • Eric and Nancy Rudolph • Robert
and Cynthia Rudow • John J. Schiff, Jr. • Hayedeh and Dale Scott • Jack and Alissa Sebastian • William
and Elizabeth Shea • Donald J. Sherrill • Robert and Julie Skandalaris • Carolyn C. Smith • Frederick
Smith and Venice Paterakis • John and Jan Stalfort • Lee and Debbie Stevens • Thomas Steyer and
Katharine Taylor • Charlie and Ann Stieff • Katherine Tabor • John M. Taylor • John and Margaret Towers •
Thomas and Joan Towers • Diane Ueberle • Thomas and Lisa Vail • Mickey and Nancy Webster • William
Westervelt • Frederick and Anne Whitridge • Peter Worstell • Thomas Zacoi • Ron Zeff