Professional players from the Albany FireWolves are hoping interest in lacrosse takes flight this week among Menands School students.
Players Sam Firth, Will Johansen and Dyson Williams are leading a weeklong clinic for students in the Pre-k through 8th grade school.
“It’s pretty cool. We go into schools all across the Albany area and it’s fun to see the reactions when the kids learn a new skill,” said Will Johansen, who plays defense for the box lacrosse team.
Physical Education teachers Shirah Bettinger and Ryan Ahl said the sport is not very well known among young students. By bringing professional players in, they said, it helps to add star power to the lessons.
“It’s a great opportunity for the students to learn about the sport, which most of them don’t know about,” said Bettinger, who played Lacrosse for Siena and Russell Sage College.
Ahl estimated that less than 5% of the Menands students have “played lacrosse or even picked up a lacrosse stick outside of school.”
Students said they are enjoying the lesson.
“It’s great. I think I would like to play it,” said fifth grade student Lason Keith.
Classmate Nila Saravanan agreed.
“It’s pretty fun, but it’s also hard,” she said while taking a break from a ball-handling drill.
FireWolves players said they understand that lacrosse is not as popular as other professional sports, but they also remain hopeful that outreach efforts like they are doing this week in Menands will help the sport – and the Firewolves – take flight.
“If we can get just one kid to become a fan, then we have accomplished something,” Johansen said.