There was an instant attraction when Melinda Wright first picked up a lacrosse stick in seventh grade. It was almost magnetic.

Growing up in New Haven, Conn., Wright soon established herself as a sought-after prospect. She dreamed of playing for Feffie Barnhill at William & Mary, but she spurned programs that recruited her heavily to walk on at Cornell, where the Africana Studies program was an incomparable draw. Cornell was one of the few universities in the early 1990s to have a reputable program.

As the game clock hit 0:00 at Maryland’s Byrd Stadium, eager children began shuffling across the bleachers toward the home and away tunnels. The goal was to snag a piece of equipment from members of the Princeton men’s lacrosse program — a team on its way to another national title game in the 2000 final four.

Among the hordes of youth lacrosse players were Harry and Thomas Alford, natives of Washington, D.C., looking for gloves from Tigers’ star Damien Davis — one of NCAA lacrosse’s lone Black stars — or anyone that would offer up some of their gear.

The following article is part of a content partnership with TrueSport, a positive youth sports movement powered by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). TrueSport has partnered with more than 20 sport NGBs to promote a positive culture of youth sport with expert content and programming.

When I graduated from college, I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do. After years of pursuing a journalism degree and chasing my sports columnist father’s footsteps, I spent my senior year like many others thinking — What’s next?  

You only get one chance to make a first impression. USA Lacrosse is doing its best to make sure that impression is a lasting and positive one for new players all over the country. 

A recent Try Lax: Sankofa Series clinic with the Harlem Jets is a prime example of that work. It’s a perfect marriage of two USA Lacrosse initiatives coming together to drive the growth of the game. See the video clip below or visit our YouTube page for the full video.

This article appears in the December edition of USA Lacrosse Magazine.

Kent Collier wielded a mini-STX stick equipped with a bright red head as he performed a series of introductory drills. He dug his shoes into the synthetic green turf that protruded from a patch of dirt facing train tracks.

Cleveland mayor Frank Jackson and then-USA Lacrosse president and CEO Steve Stenersen had just unveiled the new field at Urban Community School in Ohio City, the blossoming neighborhood on Cleveland’s west side.

Christianne Malone, a longtime volunteer and advocate for growing lacrosse in underrepresented communities, has been selected as the recipient of the 2022 USA Lacrosse Homer R. Schwartz Leadership Award.

Sparks, Md -- USA Lacrosse announced today that it has awarded 75 new national grants to support local groups and organizations in initiating and promoting lacrosse opportunities. The awards include equipment grants, player clinic grants, and financial grants.

With most grants ranging between $1,000 and $5,000, the aggregate value of the awards during this grant cycle is $248,000, and raises USA Lacrosse's total investment in growth initiatives this year to $1.258 million.

Earlier this month, USA Lacrosse staff member Donovan Dennis was asked by World Lacrosse to make a trip to Bogota, Colombia to hand deliver lacrosse sticks to local organizations. In the second of two parts, he shares his experience with a local players’ training session.

Earlier this month, USA Lacrosse staff member Donovan Dennis was asked by World Lacrosse to make a trip to Bogota, Colombia to hand deliver lacrosse sticks to local organizations. In the first of two parts, he shares some of his interaction with a local player.