Lacrosse players from Collegiate and Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership play pickup games.
Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership players take in a clinic at the University of Richmond.
Lacrosse players from Collegiate and HLL scrimmage on Grover Jones Field.
Collegiate and HLL players work on their game on a beautiful fall day.
The group gathers for a photo.
Student-athletes visit Randolph-Macon College for a clinic.

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Collegiate Hosts New York Lacrosse Players

10/24/2016

This past weekend, 15 Collegiate School families hosted 27 players from Harlem Lacrosse & Leadership (HLL) as they participated in lacrosse clinics, played pickup games with Collegiate athletes and visited two local colleges in the Richmond area. Last year, Collegiate lacrosse players visited Charlottesville to engage with HLL.

HLL is a nonprofit organization that uses lacrosse to engage at-risk children from low-income areas of New York City. HLL’s mission is to provide a safe, structured environment for children to compete, learn and develop into future leaders in their communities. HLL reverses declining academic performance and disruptive behavior with a holistic, sports-based program that promotes hard work, dedication, leadership and teamwork.

“The experience of spending time in the Collegiate host families’ homes and on campus is truly transformative for our student-athletes,” said Owen Van Arsdale, HLL program director. “Showing the kids firsthand the opportunities that exist at the prep school and post-secondary levels affirms their belief that they can use the sport of lacrosse to better their lives.”

The players arrived Friday night and met with their host families. On Saturday, they visited the University of Richmond for a lacrosse clinic and a campus tour of classrooms and facilities. That afternoon, HLL and Collegiate lacrosse players teamed up for several hours of informal games on Grover Jones Field.

As much as lacrosse has grown in the last 10 years, it’s still a small sport and a close-knit community, says Andrew Stanley, Collegiate lacrosse coach.

“The most important part of lacrosse, and probably sports in general, is the relationships you develop on and off the field,” he said. “Having the opportunity for our lacrosse players to meet and have fun with players from a different part of the country reinforces the idea that sports are a valuable vehicle to build bridges and broaden your perspective.”

On Sunday after saying goodbye to their host families, the HLL players traveled to Randolph Macon College to tour the campus and facilities, meet the lacrosse coach and grab some lunch before heading home.

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