THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – The SUNY Maritime men’s lacrosse team will be holding its Second Annual Lacrosse Clinic on campus on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 9 a.m. The Privateers will be using the free clinic as a way to collect used lacrosse equipment to send to U.S. servicemen and women around the world, working in collaboration with the group Operation Baggattaway.
The goal of Operation Baggattaway is to supply lacrosse equipment to U.S. military bases around the world so that the servicemen and women can play lacrosse in their down time. After the clinic, the lacrosse team will welcome Dominican College and SUNY Delhi College to campus to play in the annual round-robin tournament.
The lacrosse clinic will be offered from 9-10:30 a.m. on Reinhart Field before the three teams take the field. Games will be at 11 a.m. (Maritime vs. Dominican), 12:15 p.m. (Dominican vs. Delhi), and 1:30 p.m. (Maritime vs. Delhi).
The entire event is free of charge, but attendees are asked to support the Operation Baggattaway program by donating some lacrosse equipment. Students will be in the stands to collect any equipment donations you have.
Operation Baggattaway got started in the fall of 2009, when founding members Thomas Boyle and Kevin Kaffl read an article in an issue of Lacrosse magazine that highlighted the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq and his background in the sport. The Ambassador started a grassroots movement within the embassy to start a team, the Baghdad Rhinos. After seeing this, Kaffl and Boyle worked with the North Shore Lacrosse Club of Glen Head, N.Y., to get equipment together to send to the newly formed Rhinos.
Although the holiday season and some shipping snafus delayed the shipment longer than expected, three boxes worth of used equipment made its way to Baghdad in late February, 2010. Soon after, a second team was formed at Camp Victory and practice and scrimmages were held.
**Anyone interested in participating in the free clinic from 9-10:30 a.m. on Oct. 23, should follow the link below and return the form to head coach Daniel Lawrence by Oct. 16.
