OUR IMPACT
Who we serve
Each year, MetroLacrosse offers free, year-round sports-based youth development and education programs to more
than 700 youth and teens in Boston's urban communities.
Starting in 3rd grade and continuing through 12th grade with an active Alumni community, MetroLacrosse serves youth and teens throughtou the cities of Boston and Chelsea.
Our Community
MetroLacrosse is proud that its programs reflect the racial, ethnic and socioeconomic diversity of Boston’s
neighborhoods as a whole. A common interest in lacrosse and sports-based learning brings players, families,
volunteers, donors and staff together in powerful and intentional ways. Since the sport of lacrosse has not
traditionally been played in urban areas, MetroLacrosse has seized an opportunity to provide access to a sport
that would otherwise be unavailable to its participants. Today, MetroLacrosse is the largest and most comprehensive urban lacrosse and
youth development program in the United States.
The demographics of MetroLacrosse participants reflect the diversity of their communities (36% African-American,
21% Latino, 24% Caucasian, 3% Asian, and 16% bi-racial/other). Unlike typical lacrosse programs, MetroLacrosse
draws participants from low-income neighborhoods and more than 91% of participants attend public schools. While
most MetroLacrosse youth speak English, more than 24% speak another language at home including Arabic, Chinese, Creole,
French, Spanish, Somali, Portuguese, and Vietnamese.
Why MetroLacrosse?
Since its origin, MetroLacrosse has been focused on providing youth development and educational opportunities through sports.
This concept addresses a number of significant community-wide needs including the rise in childhood obesity, teen
violence, and a shortage of affordable opportunities for youth and teens. In particular, MetroLacrosse programs aim to provide:
- Caring Community Environment: As members of a positive and encouraging community, youth have the opportunity
to cultivate relationships that play an essential role in their development through adolescence into adulthood.
MetroLacrosse’s year-round program offers youth a consistent community of peers and adult role models who practice
and encourage the values of R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Additionally, with programs starting in the 3rd grade and continuing
through high school, the MetroLacrosse community is open to youth during the toughest years of growth. Even after
their high school graduation, participants are encouraged to return as summer camp counselors and stay connected to
the organization.
- Prevention and Intervention: Urban youth are significantly more likely than suburban youth to be victims of, or
witnesses to violence. The number of youth involved in shootings in Boston began to climb in 2005 to 341 versus 268
in 2004. By 2006, the number was approaching 600 (The Boston Globe, 7/2/06). Youth who are exposed to violence are
more likely to develop behaviors that are destructive to themselves and others. MetroLacrosse programs help prevent
youth from engaging in such behaviors by providing them with positive role models, a supportive environment, and fun
and healthy activities.
- Physical Activity: In recent years, nearly 31 percent of students in Massachusetts
described themselves as overweight (Action of Healthy Kids—State Profile on Nutrition and Fitness). Youth residing in Boston
have only one-third the opportunities for after-school physical activities offered in suburban communities. At MetroLacrosse,
players not only engage in a range of physical activities, they also have fun while learning to take care of their bodies.
The Team Environment
The team sports environment provides a unique opportunity to address cultural differences and to bridge social gaps.
For example, during the spring season, participants engage in community-based settings and team competition allows for play
between neighborhoods. During the summer, however, participants are intentionally divided into groups where 2-3 youth from
each neighborhood are combined together on a single team.
Not only does this intentional integration provide ample opportunity for kids from different neighborhoods to get to
know one another, it creates a citywide MetroLacrosse community that links youth, families, volunteers and donors in ways
that they may not encounter elsewhere. Each year, when the neighborhood based teams play each other in the spring season,
the players greet each other with exclamations like, “Hey! I remember you from camp!” It is a unique sense of camaraderie
in Boston that spans across neighborhood affiliations, race, gender, age and socio-economic status.
Focus on the Future: Academic and career success through lacrosse
MetroLacrosse aims to close the gap between opportunities available for suburban kids vs. urban kids and leverage the
lacrosse community to gain access to academic and career opportunities.
MetroLacrosse offers 8th and 9th grade participants access to a Scholastic Placement Program to help them explore
their high school options both within and outside of the Boston Public School system.
In addition, MetroLacrosse provides a comprehensive high school internship and summer job program, SSAT and SAT test
preparation and guidance throughout the college exploration process. Finally, year-round mentoring relationships develop
for participants, staff and volunteers, often based on special interest areas among participants.
