directors as they search for available fields for spring practices.
In any sport, consistent practice is essential to the development of individuals and the improvement of a team’s performance. Take a team of young lacrosse players who have very little to no experience with the game and the importance of practice time is magnified
exponentially. This is especially true when these urban teams who are struggling to secure practice times are facing teams from the suburbs. The suburban programs often have more field space and practice time flexibility, allowing for more consistent practice opportunities. With the lack of field resources, urban coaches are forced to make do with what they have and take advantage of every practice opportunity available to them.
Regardless of where lacrosse is being played, it’s an expensive sport. Equipment costs and registration fees alone usually run up a bill of hundreds of dollars. Due to the economic diversity of many urban areas, the urban programs have to overcome the obstacles associated with the high costs of playing lacrosse.
Downs has noticed this as another challenge in his newly formed Cambridge program. The cost of play, travel, field space, and uniforms are great deterrents for potential players to join the team. Downs explains that the Cambridge program has been extremely proactive in limiting the costs as much as possible for its players and their families: “To overcome this we have raised money, received a first stick grant from US Lacrosse [for full gear for 25 players] and also connected with the city to attain free field space. We are also offering some scholarships to players on a need basis. We believe that lacrosse should be accessible to all and are working hard to make that possible,” said Downs. Although Downs and Heyworth continue to do all they can to minimize playing costs, they both realize that costs will continue to be a large obstacle that not only Cambridge, but any urban program will continue to face.
Over in Charlestown, the program faces a very similar challenge. “Some families just can’t commit the finances, especially when they are unsure if their kid will actually stick with the sport,” explained Catlin. Like the Cambridge program, Charlestown has taken action to help support those with financial difficulties. “To deal with the economic diversity, we do offer scholarships for kids in need and we have implemented a ‘sponsor-a-player’ option during registration where families that have the means can pay the registration for another in need,” said Catlin.
Heyworth also uses a similar system to assist families with the many costs associated with lacrosse. According to Heyworth, sparking the interest of the young athletes is one challenge, but once the program has a perspective new player, financial assistance is the next challenge to tackle. “The challenge then becomes retaining these families given what some consider prohibitive barriers to entry: equipment costs, league fees, US Lacrosse membership, and travel expenses. As a startup, we simply do not yet have the ready supply of loaner equipment that established programs such as football or hockey may have.”
As a new program, Heyworth and the Cambridge program rely strongly on donations to the program’s scholarship fund, community partnerships, and national funding from programs such as US Lacrosse’s “First Stick.” The Lacrosse First Stick Program provides
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