Teaching a New Next Generation of Athletes

By DEREK PERRI

Last spring children could be seen playing an up and coming sport at the Washingtonville Middle School each day. From the visible smiles and audible laughter it was obvious that these athletes were having the time of their lives. However, over 100 youth lacrosse players were soon left shocked when they learned they would have no place to play in the spring.

Lacrosse is a growing sport in the Washingtonville area, so it is no surprise that when the Washingtonville Youth Lacrosse League shut down, it was a shock to many parents and kids in the area. Luckily for the concerned parents, there was a new lacrosse program that started.

Josh Salisbury, modified boys lacrosse coach, Elaine Perri, and Erin Mahar, varsity girls lacrosse coach, teamed up with Blooming Grove Recreation to help create a new youth lacrosse program Blooming Grove Youth Lacrosse. Salisbury, Perri, and Mahar have also enlisted the help of some of Washingtonville's best varsity lacrosse players to help coach the next generation of lacrosse players. The boys have seven players coaching across the three boys teams. The girls have four players coaching the 2 girls teams.

This spring season is the first time that varsity players have coached youth lacrosse teams in Washingtonville. Many parents were left with skepticism and worry about whether or not the high schoolers could handle coaching a team on their own. Luckily, the program on both the boys and girls side has seen success and results largely in part to the varsity players. The boys have been particularly impactful on this young group of kids, even encouraging their teams to come support Washingtonville’s own varsity team at games.

Varsity Captain, Alfie Bockemuhl, explained how rewarding it can be “seeing the growth in the players from when we started coaching and where they are now.”

Many parents have also expressed another positive that has come from the program: seeing how the younger boys feel like they have players to look up to and aspire to be like.

Parent Kerre Walsh gave her opinion on how the boys have been doing, admitting, “I definitely was unsure about the boys coaching, but now seeing the relationship between coach Derek and my son John, I stand corrected.”

The impact has not only been on the kids, the impact has also been on the coaches. Many coaches have expressed how they feel like they have benefited from this experience. They have learned skills that can be taken and applied to their everyday lives.

Bockemuhl added, “I feel like I have learned a lot about planning and preparing just from doing simple things like making practice plans, and looking at what went well last practice and what needs to be improved upon.”

There is no doubt that these players have had a huge impact on the program. Blooming Grove Recreation is hoping to keep this program going, and have more players coach next year. With the help of the varsity players, the Blooming Grove Youth Lacrosse League has a bright future ahead.