COLUMBUS, Ohio — While winning a game is hard work, it’s even harder for those in underserved communities to get the chance to compete or have access to a sport.
What You Need To Know
- The inaugural season of the Urban Lacrosse League gets underway
- Its mission is for children from underserved areas in Central Ohio to be given the opportunity to play lacrosse
- To enroll your kid, go to UrbanLacrosseAcademy.com
But one program changing that is the Urban Lacrosse Academy, and it gets players like Gabriel Davis, started young.
Davis is only 10-years-old, and if you ask him, losing is not an option.
“Yeah, we’re gonna win today,” said Davis.
Davis is among the 120 kids in the Urban Lacrosse Academy.
The Academy in Columbus comprises members from the Ohio Hispanic Coalition and Ethiopian Social Services After-School programs.
But while they’re playing to win, Program Director Jeremy Schocken said it’s so much more than that.
“The reason behind Urban Lacrosse Academy is to make lacrosse a more accessible and sustainable sport,” said Schocken.
A big part of their mission is inclusivity.
“A lot of times kids don’t see it in inner city like they do out in the suburbs,” said Schocken. “We want to expose kids to the sport. Really change the culture from the inside out here.”
As they train all-season-long, they learn valuable lessons about teamwork and new possibilities.
“Lacrosse affords a ton of opportunities at the D1 or D2 level,” said Schocken. “There are plenty of scholarships you can get. So, the network and the opportunities for post-grad are pretty immense with the sport.”
While competition can be fierce, players like Davis will tell you it’s all fun and games.
“This time we’re gonna win or lose. It doesn’t matter. If we lose, we’re going to have fun today,” said Davis.
Though the season is already underway, you could still enroll your kid on UrbanLacrosseAcademy.com.
