Raynham – Young athletes in Raynham will soon have a new option when it comes to spring sports. From now on, kids will be breaking out their lacrosse sticks along with their baseball mitts and soccer balls when the snow starts melting. Raynham Youth Lacrosse will embark on its inaugural season this spring.
Ted Largey, Director of Raynham Youth Lacrosse, played lacrosse in high school and college and was passionate about starting a program in his hometown.
“Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the country,” Largey said. “It has taken about five years to get this thing off the ground but I have to say it’s been a labor of love. A love for the game and a love for the history of the game.”
A strong case can be made that Lacrosse is truly the American game. Native Americans were playing a version of the sport centuries before Abner Doubleday laid out the first baseball diamond or Dr. Naismith nailed his peach basket to a pole.
“Algonquin tribes called the game ‘baggatway,’ ” Largey said. “It means ‘little war,’ only it wasn’t about killing, it was about conflict resolution. Games lasted for days and were played by hundreds or even thousands of men on fields that were miles long. The competition taught courage, strength, endurance and skill. The sport still teaches these timeless qualities today.”
The league is open to kids from first grade through eighth, and stresses the concepts of respect, integrity, community and honor over winning.
“We don’t keep standings and we don’t have championships,” Largey said. “This ensures that all players get equal playing time regardless of ability. Aside from teaching the game, we’re dedicated to instilling life lessons in our athletes. We insist that these ideals are employed in practice and during games.”
The concepts extend beyond the playing field. Largey expects the athletes in his league to be involved in the community. Players are required to serve time at the town-recycling center.
“Through a partnership with The Raynham Giants and the Town of Raynham, we collect redemption bottles and cans as a fundraising program,” Largey said. “The money raised by this program goes right back to our game field which we share with football. This fundraiser also shows our community we are wiling to work for the funds.”
Largey also brings a large change container to each practice and urges parents and kids to fill it with whatever they find in their pockets or between couch cushions.
Largey’s passion for the sport is matched only by his desire to get kids to become more involved in their world.
“Ten percent of whatever we collect over the course of the season will go to a local food pantry or to senior fuel assistance,” Largey said. “We’re teaching kids to be an active part of the community.”
In an effort to increase interest in the sport at the grass-roots level, Largey, through the Mass Bay Youth Lacrosse League, obtained 100 Lacrosse sticks and donated them to three local schools, LaLiberte, L.B. Merrill and the Raynham Middle School.
“This would give each school approximately 33 sticks,” Largey said. “Enough to cover a large phys.ed class.”
The sticks were purchased by the primary sponsor of Raynham Lacrosse, Rick Mastria, owner of several auto dealerships in Raynham.
“This just goes along with what Mastria is all about,” Largey said. “They get involved with their community.”
The league is still seeking to raise money and has unique program set up for potential sponsors.
“We have a ‘Directory of Sponsors’ on our website,” Largey said. “Customers can download coupons from various vendors on the site that when presented will drive money back to the league. For example, Mastria will donate 10% of your service bill or $100 for every vehicle purchase to Raynham Lacrosse when you present a coupon from our site.”
Largey’s own business, Great Dane Cabinet Company, will provide up to three hours of personal kitchen design consultation, after which you be provided with working drawing that you can take to any kitchen dealer to get pricing. Largey asks that in return for this service, you donate $100 to Raynham Lacrosse.
This approach, says Largey, is more practical than knocking on doors each winter, trying to strong-arm businesses into sponsoring the league.
“You don’t have to have a kid in the league to take advantage of these offers,” Largey said. “This is another way of completing the circle. We support the community and the community supports us. Hopefully, this will provide us with long-term relationships with our sponsors.”
Raynham Lacrosse is holding a fundraising dinner Saturday, Feb. 9 at the American Legion Hall in Raynham. The evening will include a meal prepared by Chef Stephen Scaife, associate professor at Johnson and Wales University. Each course will be paired with a wine chosen by sommelier Stephen Donohue.
“It’s about 75% sold out but there are still tables available,” Largey said. For reservations email Tad Largey at raynhamlacrosse@comcast.net
The league will run from April to mid-June with practices three days a week. All games will be held on Sundays at Bettencourt Field in Raynham.
“We want to work together with Raynham Little League so we can co-exist,” Largey said. “We don’t want to force kids and parents to make a choice between the two sports. We’re also inviting kids from Taunton to play in our league this year. They’re trying to get program going over there and we want to give them a head start.
Largey is counting the minutes until opening day.
“It’s a great sport,” Largey said. “Anybody can play. It’s not body specific. There’s no perfect body for Lacrosse. All I know is, you put a lacrosse stick in a kids hand and pretty soon you see a huge smile.”
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of Raynham Lacrosse or are looking for more information, please contact Tad Largey, (508)-509-0551 or go to www.raynhamlacrosse.com.
Source:http://www.wickedlocal.com/raynham/sports/high_school/x469087259
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