DORCHESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - Kids in Boston are giving lacrosse a shot. More than 300 kids learned to scoop, pass and score at a free clinic Thursday.
Local leaders teamed up with Harlem Lacrosse, a nonprofit youth service organization, to give Boston city kids an opportunity to learn the sport.
“Growing up in Dorchester and Roxbury, there were two sports. There’s basketball and there’s football,” state Rep. Christopher Worrell said. “So we’re teaching inner city kids, kids of the fifth Suffolk, how to play lacrosse to give different avenues of different sports.”
Kids also went home with a free lacrosse stick.
“This is an avenue to higher education, something new to develop identity, their confidence and a real sense of team and community,” said state Rep. Simon Cataldo.
It’s a personal cause for Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden, who was a collegiate lacrosse player. He passed on his love of the game to his kids, one of whom helped coach at the clinic.
“Using lax as a vehicle and tool for leadership development, for teaching kids good values and giving access and opportunity to other resources,” Hayden said. “We want to expand and grow this sport in our city to give our young people options to stay active, to stay healthy in school and involved in sports and in school.”
Clinic organizers hope the clinic is just the beginning for these kids and the future of Boston lacrosse.
“This is not a one and done opportunity. This is going to be a continuous thing. We’re trying to build a league, trying to see how many kids after today have an interest in lacrosse,” Worrell said.
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