The sport of lacrosse, though prevalent in many areas around the country, is still growing in popularity. In Gwinnett County, Ga., just outside of Atlanta, girls’ lacrosse is making an impact on even the smallest of players.

Andrea Braun, president of the Georgia chapter of US Lacrosse and a long-time coach, recognized a need to gather young girls together to learn the fundamentals of the game and have fun together.

“This county in Georgia is still an emerging area of lacrosse,” Braun said. “Historically, 10U is the youngest age group that has been able to field full girls’ teams. Often times, second- and third-graders who wanted to participate in the sport had to play up with fourth- and fifth-graders.” 

It was then that Braun founded Sticklets, a county-wide program for youth lacrosse that brings kindergarten through third-grade girls from 14 associations to one central field on Saturday mornings.

“We teach fundamentals,” Braun said, emphasizing “fun.”

“I tell all of our volunteer coaches and parents each week that their primary job is to make each player want to come back next week and next season,” she continued. “Every drill and every game is teaching a lacrosse skill through play.”

Sticklets, part of the Gwinnett Lacrosse League, is a US Lacrosse Gold Stick-certified program. In order to provide the best experience possible for youth players in the sport of lacrosse, the US Lacrosse Gold Stick Standards of Excellence represent the best practices that should be incorporated by quality youth lacrosse programs.

“This is a great program run by a great coach,” said Lou Corsetti, US Lacrosse regional manager for the Southeast. “It gives the girls a chance to come together and learn the basics of the sport while still having fun.”

“The Sticklets program was developed using a three-pronged approach,” Braun said. “First, we always give our youngest players a place to play. Then, we give our middle and high school players an opportunity to give back to their sport through volunteering. Finally, we aim to equip the parents with an understanding of the game and the coaching tools to become our coaches of the future.”

One of the biggest rewards for Braun is the confidence her players gain through the course of the season.

“Our season ends with a ‘kids coach the parents’ day,” Braun said. “Each player rotates through the stations and teaches their parent how to throw, catch, scoop and shoot. The bashful player who hugged the sideline on the first day becomes a confident coach who tells her dad that he’s not doing it right and confidently shows him the correct way. We end with a kids vs. parents scrimmage, and the kids always win.”

By providing the proper education for players and coaches, the Gwinnett Lacrosse League and the Sticklets program are growing the game not only in the hearts of the players, but also in the community.

“Our program has grown each season,” Braun said. “Our hope is to add a program for the younger boys modeled on Sticklets and even an all-inclusion component for special needs players.”

Locally Grown

Alabama

The chapter has awarded four US Lacrosse Soft Stick Program grants since March.

Georgia

The chapter hosted a US Lacrosse Coach Development Program clinic with more than 80 coaches and has awarded 14 Soft Stick Program grants since March.

Eastern North Carolina

Onslow Youth Lacrosse and the Jacksonville Juice men’s team organized a medicine game for a Juice player who sustained life-threatening injuries in a car accident. More than 60 players participated in the event, raising $1,500.

Western North Carolina

The chapter hosted a Level 1 CDP clinic in addition to awarding seven Soft Stick grants in the second half of the year.

North Florida

The chapter has awarded nine US Lacrosse Soft Stick Program grants since March.

South Carolina

Cusabo Nation Lacrosse of Charleston, S.C., has grown to more than 500 players in just four years thanks largely to community partners — the South Carolina chapter, which facilitated Soft Stick and PE offerings.

Tennessee

South Appalachia Youth Lacrosse (sayLAX) is a Blount County non-profit charitable organization that encourages and supports all levels of youth participation in lacrosse by removing financial barriers.

Gulf Coast Florida

Recently named US Lacrosse Chapter of the Month, the Gulf Coast group has facilitated 13 Soft Stick grants in the last eight months and established a hall of fame.

South Florida

The Delray Lacrosse Leadership program, led by Paul Kanbe, is using a US Lacrosse Diversity and Inclusion Grant to further its effort to gain opportunities through lacrosse and academics. The program implemented a study hall, brought in featured speakers, staged two events and attended a Florida Launch game.

Picture This

Head of the Class

Byron Roberts, a social studies teacher at Oakridge Middle School and girls’ lacrosse coach at Clover High School in South Carolina, distributed soft sticks on a beautiful Friday to wrap up his class’ study of Native Americans. He planned to invite teachers to do the same and start an after-school program.

My USL Rep

Lou Corsetti | Southeast

Corsetti, a Long Island native living in Atlanta, has been around lacrosse for more than 40 years as a player and coach. He was a four-time all-league attackman at Marist, where he also played football and set an NCAA single-game record for punt return touchdowns. He is a US Lacrosse Level 3-certified coach for the Atlanta Coyotes, past president of the Georgia Chapter and a Georgia Lacrosse Hall of Fame member. His son, Gordon, is the manager of men’s officials development at US Lacrosse.

How can US Lacrosse help grow the sport in your area? Contact Lou at lcorsetti@uslacrosse.org or 410-235-6882, extension 190.