With the high school spring sports season canceled, the Tolland boys and girls lacrosse programs decided to use the extra time to help the younger players also stuck at home.
“You can explain different ways to play lacrosse or things that can make their skills better,” said Tolland senior Taylor Allen.
“We really just kind of started a skill of the week, so it would be one or two videos a week,” added Tolland girls lacrosse head coach Kate Tellers. “It’s really been a great way to keep the kids connected with each other and the youth.”
The students are embracing their new role as teachers as a way to encourage those young athletes that would usually be in the stands at the high school games. Tolland isn’t the only school to come up with the idea. Southington baseball has been offering tips and lessons for its youth program as well.
“Just to show the kids what they can be doing alone in their backyards like ours are doing,” said Southington baseball head coach Charlie Lembo.
Most of the high school athletes learned the game in those same youth programs, dreaming of one day playing on the high school field.
“It’s kind of a good opportunity to help younger players and people in our community who are playing the same little leagues that we played in and are in similar situations that we were in,” said Southington senior Jake Delmonte.
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“It’s super great to actually give back to the youth program because I was once in it and it’s very new,” said Allen. “Lacrosse is very new to this town.”
The high school athletes are role models both and on and off the field. While the younger players are learning new skills, they can also emulate how the seniors turned a negative into a positive.
“I had one day where I really down about it because it was the official cancellation of the season and I said I can’t let myself be down about it anymore,” said Allen. “I just have to give back to other people, just make my season great.”
