This story appears in the May/June edition of USA Lacrosse Magazine. Join our momentum.

Don Wilson knew Dalond Bidonne had potential from the first time that he met the then seventh-grade boy in his school gym in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Bidonne and his mother, Angella, were part of an after-school program, as was Wilson, the founder of Bridgeport Youth Lacrosse. Athletics did not come easy to Bidonne — he was overweight and had high blood pressure throughout his early childhood — but Wilson saw a future lacrosse player.

“I told his mother, ‘He needs to be in our program,’” Wilson said. “‘I could do wonders with this kid if you just allow me to be in his life and show him how exercise can be good for him.’”

Wilson won over the Bidonne family, and Dalond picked up a lacrosse stick for the first time in 2015, playing goalie. 

Bidonne saw lacrosse as a challenge, a touch of adversity from which the teenager needed to grow. He eventually discovered, though, that the sport would play an integral role in his development as a young adult.

Bidonne played lacrosse for nearly six years, earning a spot on the varsity team at Notre Dame High School, a team Wilson coached. He also wrestled and played football during his four years at the all-boys private school, all the while building an impressive resume off the field. By his senior year, he was the president of his class, a math tutor and had spent a semester at Oxford University studying device programming, applied probability and photography.

“Lacrosse was pretty tough at first, but just doing an experience and keeping with it, not only did it become easier, it became extremely fun,” said Bidonne, now a freshman studying computer science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. “Bridgeport Youth Lacrosse gave me a lot of the values I have today. The main thing I got from playing lacrosse is leadership and being able to use my skills to help others and be reliable.”

Wilson has seen several young adults find success both on and off the field after competing with Bridgeport Youth Lacrosse — a USA Lacrosse-affiliated program created in 2006 that serves more than 200 boys and girls from six Bridgeport schools.

As a member of the Urban Lacrosse Alliance, Bridgeport Youth Lacrosse receives financial support from USA Lacrosse. Using those funds, Wilson was able to supply new and used equipment to his players.

“[USA] Lacrosse has been extremely vital in our success,” Wilson said. “Whether it’s a First Stick or equipment grant or Sankofa clinic, [USA] Lacrosse has always been there.”

Bridgeport Youth Lacrosse offers academic programming, including S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, art and math) and SAT prep courses as well as college interview training. Bidonne grew as a player with every rep. But more importantly, he grew into a high-functioning and promising adult.

It all started with getting in the cage in seventh grade.

“When I went in for the first day, I had no idea what I was doing,” Bidonne said. “After each day, I would learn more and more about my position, what the game was all about. I felt like I was growing and accomplishing things, starting with basically nothing and then really enjoying it.”

Bidonne also found a mentor in Wilson, who shares his Jamaican heritage. Bidonne’s mother was born in Jamaica, as was Wilson. Each August, the city of Bridgeport hosts the Jamaican Independence Celebration. For the past three years, Wilson nominated Bidonne to participate in the Jamaican flag-raising ceremony, where he physically lifted the flag and read a proclamation to the crowd.

“That flag raising and reciting the independence, it felt a lot different than just going to Jamaica for vacation,” Bidonne said. “I was more connected reading the words, raising the flag.”

When Bidonne and his mother first signed up for Bridgeport Youth Lacrosse, neither could have imagined how it transformed his life. As soon as he grabbed a stick and put on his helmet, Bidonne felt a spark. His coach knew he was on the path to a meaningful lacrosse experience.

“I just saw the dedication grow, the willpower and the dedication to succeed,” Wilson said of Bidonne. “The minute I put a stick in his hand, his eyes lit up like, ‘Someone took the time to show me and help me along.’ 

“He was always committed to the process and never wavered.”