CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard Athletics hosted the Mass Bay Girls Youth Lacrosse League (MBGYLL) last Saturday at the Harvard Athletic complex for “Youth Day,” a day devoted to the growth of youth lacrosse players.
Eighteen teams from communities around the state traveled to Harvard for the fifth consecutive year. The teams began the day with scrimmages on various Harvard facilities before attending Positive Coaching Alliance Workshops.
Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) is a national non-profit organization with the goal to change the culture of youth sports so that athletes have a positive, character-building experience. PCA does this primarily by providing workshops to coaches, parents, and administrators of schools and youth sports organizations.
The groups finished up the day watching the Harvard women’s lacrosse team take on Ivy rival Penn. Afterwards, members of the Harvard team signed autographs for the young players.
“Harvard Women’s Lacrosse appreciates the support of the MBGYLL. We feel strongly about the power and value of sport in a young girls life and the positive reasons to play and compete,” commented Lisa Miller, head coach for Harvard Women’s Lacrosse. “It is rewarding to see so many young girls involved in, and enjoying, the sport of lacrosse. We also think it is important for young girls to have strong, positive, female role models and we hope attending a collegiate game between two very good teams who are striving for excellence in the classroom and on the playing field demonstrates that and gives them something to aspire to.”
“MBGLL’s players, coaches, and parents had a fantastic day at Harvard!” said Executive Director of the MBGLL, Christine Habermann. “The fact that the Crimson women spend time after a game answering questions and signing autographs for our girls speaks volumes to their character as ambassadors for the sport.”
The Mass Bay Girls Lacrosse League is an organization set in Eastern Massachusetts that spearheads a program for over 8,000 young female lacrosse players. The MBGLL currently represents 88 different towns with over 400 teams ranging from ages 6-14.
“As the league administrator for MBGLL, I really appreciate the community outreach that Harvard University extends to our female players,” Habermann said. “The opportunity for our girls to watch the Crimson women play lacrosse at such a high level is invaluable and acts as motivation for them as they learn the sport of lacrosse.”
