STONY BROOK, N.Y. — Stony Brook Lacrosse, T-Mobile and Brine Lacrosse have partnered to launch "Lax Cares," a grant program that provides underprivileged or up-and-coming lacrosse programs with equipment so local boys and girls can play the sport safely and effectively.
And the deserving inaugural winner of $2,500 worth of gear from Brine Lacrosse goes to the Amityville School District's girls lacrosse program.
"We are humbled and honored to be the inaugural recipient of this generous initiative," said coach Margot Howard, an Amityville High School social studies teacher. "It's no secret that Amityville is home to some incredible talent, especially in the area of athletics. Up until a few years ago, however, the opportunity for this talent to flourish in lacrosse didn't exist."
The Amityville School District introduced girls lacrosse at the club level four years ago, then as a junior varsity team the following season. It hoped to fully introduce a middle school team last year, but COVID-19 trimmed the seasons to only a week.
In the short time the program has existed as an opportunity for the female student-athletes, Amityville has seen tremendous progress in several areas for these players, including improved grades and interpersonal skills as well as physical health. Many athletes on the team have had little or no previous exposure to lacrosse, but picked up the skills quite quickly.
A boys club team is planned for next year.
The goal for Amityville is to expand the program within the next decade to the elementary schools as well.
Clinics were held on weekends last year for students at the elementary level, and they were enamored with the sport.
Prior to this award, all equipment was furnished to the student-athletes through district expenses and fundraising conducted by the team.
The Lax Cares grant will help enable Amityville to continue to meet the needs of its players and help to fulfill its dream of extending its program throughout the lower grades, where the younger siblings of current student-athletes anxiously await their own opportunity to play this incredible game that so many other districts have had the luxury of enjoying for decades.
"Bearing witness to the growth of this program in such a short time frame has been one of my greatest joys, and I am so proud of how far we have come," Howard said. "Receiving this donation will undoubtedly provide a catalyst to help it continue to expand throughout the district, and potentially reach the level of success that other teams on Long Island have enjoyed for quite some time now.
"I extend heartfelt gratitude to T-Mobile and Brine Lacrosse, Stony Brook, our supportive athletic director Evan Farkas, who helped this vision come to fruition, and of course, the wonderful athletes who have been part of this program."
