girl scouts of the colonial coastGirl Scout Ambassador Caitlyn in Troop 1659 recently earned the Gold Award by completing a Gold Award project she titled, “Cait’s Lacrosse Clinic.” This Girl Scout has a passion for lacrosse and wanted to create opportunities for exposure of the sport to kids in her community. She worked with Margaret Senecal, director of youth sports and fitness, at Langley Air Force Base (LAFB) in Hampton, VA, to organize and host several lacrosse clinics for military youth K-8.
During the clinics, Caitlyn worked alongside youth to practice basics like how to hold a lacrosse stick and how to catch a ball and later advanced to games and relay races. After each session, students were given feedback about their performance and were able to track their skills and progress from one clinic session to the next.
“Most military children have not been exposed to lacrosse because of the curriculum structure, the public perception, and military families’ frequent moves,” Caitlyn said. “The children who participate in the clinics will have a healthy outlet while learning new skills, forging new friendships, and hopefully will develop a passion for lacrosse. Studies have shown that participating in organized, well-structured youth sports and ongoing physical activities play an important role in a young person’s life including teaching teamwork and problem-solving skills.”
Along with the in-person clinics, she also created a YouTube video series where viewers can follow along as she teaches the basic rules and functions of the game. She organized a relationship between April Loquist, lacrosse coach of Tabb High School in Yorktown, VA and Margaret Senecal of LAFB where high school lacrosse players will volunteer to sustain the annual clinics beyond her involvement.
