Joey Payeur
Canada’s official national summer sport is being brought to local youth thanks to a new venture by the United Native Friendship Centre.
Terry McMahon, co-ordinator for the UNFC’s Urban Aboriginal Healthy Living Program for Kids, is running weekly lacrosse instructional sessions for those aged seven-14.
The hour-long get-togethers each Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. (ages seven-nine) and 5:30 p.m. (ages 10-14) on the Muskie football field stemmed from McMahon’s experience playing the sport two years ago.
“I spent some time with the ‘Right to Play’ organization, where we would go to low-income communities and give youth the opportunity to play,” he noted.
“I got to play lacrosse, which was my only experience with the sport up to that point.
“When I got this job at UNFC, which is focused on providing exercise and nutritional programs for kids, it was the perfect chance to start something,” McMahon added.
“It’s something new for the area—something for the kids to try that’s not soccer or baseball.
“It’s a good carryover for hockey players going into the winter but it’s not just for hockey players,” he stressed.
McMahon said inactivity is a huge problem with children these days.
“We’ve got to give them as much for them to do as possible outside,” he remarked.
“We’ve got to get them off the couch and outside; get them off the Xbox.”
Three weeks into the program, McMahon said the feedback from the players has been positive, although their competitive juices are starting to flow.
“The kids are digging it,” he noted.
“We’re trying to teach them the basic skills right now, but they want to play games and do all kinds of fancy lacrosse stuff.
“That’s like trying to play Sidney Crosby when you don’t know how to skate,” he added.
“But we’re close to starting games; hopefully this week.”
McMahon, meanwhile, is getting plenty of help in teaching the game.
Local resident Derek McLean, who played lacrosse in university, “runs the practices” (in McMahon’s words).
Travis Enge and Carter Brown, captain of the Muskie boys’ hockey team last season, also are lending a hand.
“We do competitive drills and do [drill] games to keep them interested,” McMahon said.
With both age groups averaging 16 players each week from a pre-set capacity of 20, McMahon said there’s still room for new players to come out before the program wraps up in the second week of August.
Anyone wanting more information, or to register for the free program, can contact McMahon at the UNFC (274-8541).
