Girls holding up their lacrosse sticks at the East Orange Recreation girls' lacrosse clinic.
EAST ORANGE, NJ — The East Orange Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs is offering a free girls’ lacrosse clinic at Columbian Park on Saturdays from 10 to 11:30 a.m. during the month of July.
The clinic’s first day was held on Saturday, July 8. It is coordinated by Livingston High School students, twins Layton Lee and Hunter Lee, who also recruited teammate Aryanna Lennon. The Lees are former residents of East Orange, and all three are girls’ varsity lacrosse players.
East Orange Recreation Director Jamal Pearson said he was contacted by Jarrott Lee on behalf of his daughters, Layton and Hunter, who wanted to offer the clinic through the East Orange Recreation Department. Jarrott Lee is also a USA Lacrosse Women’s Game Level 2 Coach.
Girls in grades 5-8 are welcome to join the clinic. Pearson said he is hoping to continue the lacrosse program on the recreational level for the upcoming school year. He is also hoping it will generate enough interest to form a girls’ lacrosse program at East Orange Campus High School.
“It’s an open door,” said Pearson. “We can hopefully infuse some interest. When the young ladies return to school, we can still have the lacrosse program up and running. We want to start developing it on the recreational level, with the hopes that it will transition into high school at some point.”
There were about 12 girls who took part in the first day. Pearson said he is looking to double that turnout. The clinic’s attendees are learning the basic fundamentals of the sport: holding a lacrosse stick, throwing and catching with a lacrosse stick, and shooting into a net. Prior to taking part in the clinic, none of the girls at the July 8 session had ever picked up a lacrosse stick. However, the girls were doing a great job. “I noticed that they were actually catching and throwing and delivering the ball into the goal,” said Pearson. “The instruction is awesome. They are all very good teachers.”
Jarrott Lee said his role was to support his two daughters and Lennon as they teach the clinic. He mentioned that other surrounding towns such as Glen Ridge, Montclair, West Orange and Irvington, have girls’ lacrosse programs. In fact, Irvington started its program last year. With this in mind, Layton and Hunter wanted to help start a clinic in East Orange, ultimately bringing more diversity to a sport they have played for many years.
“We noticed that we have not played against many girls of color during our lacrosse careers,” said Layton Lee.
“We want to introduce the sport to a town that has yet to form a recreational program. Hopefully, we can expose girls to a sport they otherwise would not have known,” said Hunter Lee.
The Lees, who also attend New Hope Baptist Church in East Orange, think there is great potential for lacrosse to thrive in the town. “The interest is there,” Jarrott Lee said. “It just made perfect sense, since the surrounding towns all have lacrosse as a great activity…[and give] the girls another avenue to exercise in the springtime.”
To sign up for the clinic, call the recreation department at 973-414-4141.
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