as well. Usually, the high schoolers work with the Level 1/2 players during the season, but they also run clinics in the summer with the same nine-year-old athletes.
“When we had the high school kids come down and help coach in the youth program, the kids really listened to the high school players,” said Chip Brooks, who is a Youth U15 Select Coach and father of two lacrosse players at Medway High. “They come down
in their high school varsity jerseys and give the kids instructions and those kids really look up to them. I think that makes them want to go play [in high school]. To the greater extent, creating that bridge between the youth program and high school team, you can create that culture where the [high school athletes] want to go back and help the younger kids out.”
It does not stop here, either. Medway Youth Lacrosse has also gone out and recruited players who graduated from the high school program and played in college. These adults receive quality instruction from the coaches throughout the league and at the same time they learn what it is like to be a lacrosse coach.
Ryan Lapham, a former Medway High School player who went on to play at Husson University, is one of several former players that has returned to the program. There was no youth program when Lapham was growing up, so he spent a lot of time playing baseball as a kid. However, by the time he got to high school, he said he was “burnt out” of baseball and was eager to try something new. When Lapham learned that Medway High was getting a lacrosse program, he jumped on the opportunity and never looked back.
Now a JV coach at the high school and U15 Select Coach, Lapham credits the relationship between the youth league and high school team for strengthening the sport in the town. He also believes that with both programs being so successful, kids are more likely to stay in the program through high school instead of going to play at a private institution or vocational school.
When Lapham finished college, he knew he wanted to get back in the game somehow. When he got the chance to help coach a U15 Select Team with Soule, he jumped on the opportunity and never looked back, much like his younger self. After growing up without a youth league to play in, Lapham is now doing a tremendous job as he helps reinforce the game at both the youth and high school levels.
With so many high school players and coaches assisting in the youth league, it helps the young athletes become familiar with the high school program in several areas. Obviously, knowing the coaches and some of the players is a big help because sometimes taking the field for your first high school practice can be overwhelming, especially if you do not know anyone.
Moreover, the youth athletes will be well groomed by the time they reach high school. As Harvey said, the high school coaches have passed on practice and drill ideas to the youth coaches. This gives the youth players an early look at what
goes on in high school, but it also gives them a lot of time to learn the drills. Remember, some of these youth players first see these drills at nine-years-old, when they are still roughly five years away from high school. They spend years learning the ins and outs of the game as they prepare for high school.
When the youth athletes finally do reach high school, they know the coaches, some of the
12 The Scoop / Spring '18
Chip Brooks and Peter Soule coaching Medway U15 Select
Chip Brooks, former MYL president, has two boys at MHS
Medway U11 playing against Northborough-Southborough