CLEVELAND, Ohio – A number of student-athletes from the Cleveland State University lacrosse team, along with head coach Dylan Sheridan, took part as US Lacrosse unveiled its national development model in Cleveland Friday afternoon at the Urban Community School in Ohio City.
The Vikings hosted a skills demonstration for dozens of students in conjunction with Friday's event that served as the launch of Lacrosse Communities Project–Cleveland. During the event, a new, small-sided lacrosse field was unveiled at the Urban Community School. After conducting a skills demonstration, Viking players instructed and taught the basic principles of lacrosse while interacting with the UCS students.
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US Lacrosse, the sport's governing body, launched Lacrosse Communities Project to develop and create opportunities for children in underserved urban populations to participate in lacrosse from grade school through adulthood.
Cleveland, and the Ohio City neighborhood, was the second pilot site nationally selected for the Lacrosse Communities Project. Cleveland State will continue to support the missions and objectives of the Lacrosse Communities Project with additional programming at University Community School this fall.
Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson, US Lacrosse President and CEO Steve Stenerson and US Lacrosse North Coast Ohio Chapter President Drew Roggenburk were present for the event along with a number of local politicians and community and neighborhood leaders.
"We believe that lacrosse is a vehicle for enrichment and has the ability to change the trajectory of a child's life, and we are committed to working with our trusted community partners Ohio City and the surrounding Cleveland region to help grow accessibility and opportunity for kids of all socioeconomic backgrounds," Stenerson said.
The goal of Lacrosse Communities Project is to make the most racially, ethnically and economically diverse neighborhoods in cities across the country focal points for growing lacrosse. They become the place where "the rock hits the pond," from which the sport ripples out as newly-trained players, coaches and officials share their knowledge.
