BRIDGE Lacrosse and the Dallas Stars Foundation Working Together

Over the summer, it is with great excitement that BRIDGE Lacrosse Dallas announces a wonderful new opportunity with the Dallas Stars Foundation. BRIDGE is one of the 21 socially impactful organizations working in North Texas to receive more than $180,000 in grant funding.

The Dallas Stars Foundation provides grant funds to North Texas nonprofit organizations that provide a number of services to youth. As a recipient of this funding, BRIDGE will now have an opportunity to grow programming in the neighborhoods of West Dallas. As part of a larger West Dallas plan, the Stars Foundation will help fund valuable resources and equipment to serve the youth of these diverse communities.

“Having this kind of support from a large organization, such as the Stars Foundation, ensures that our programs and outreach will sustain themselves and grow,” says David Higbee, executive director of BRIDGE, who sees great value in a long-term partnership between the two organizations. “There are many similarities between the sports of hockey and lacrosse. They’re a natural fit to work together.”

BRIDGE has big plans for West Dallas and intends to be a catalyst for quality growth of the fastest growing sport in the nation. As the sport of lacrosse spreads to nontraditional areas, BRIDGE is sure to be in those neighborhoods and communities providing sticks, helmets, and smiles to future lacrosse stars.

BRIDGE Expands into West Dallas Over the Summer

This summer has been a busy one for BRIDGE Lacrosse Dallas as they aimed to introduce lacrosse to low-to-moderate income youth boys and girls in South and West Dallas and Oak Cliff.

In the later month of May, BRIDGE was approached by four different organizations, primarily in the West Dallas and Oak Cliff area, expressing an interest in bringing lacrosse to their communities. BRIDGE was excited about the opportunity to branch out into the nontraditional communities and created summer partnerships with Girls, Inc., Lakewest Family YMCA, Nash-Davis Recreation Center and Promise House, hosting seven lacrosse clinics throughout June and July.

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The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge

All of the lacrosse clinics were instructed by girl and boy high school lacrosse players from various teams around the DFW metroplex including; Parish Episcopal, Jesuit, Hillcrest, ESD, St. Mark’s, Hockaday, Greenhill, Irma Rangel, Plano Premier, Keller, McKinney, Coppell and Lake Highlands. Volunteers were able to receive school community service hours for their time with BLD.

William Long, a current player on the Parish Episcopal men’s lacrosse team, explains why he enjoyed volunteering his time with BRIDGE:

“The experience is truly special because you get to work with kids from all levels of the sport doing what we love, teaching underserved kids teamwork, camaraderie, and the game of lacrosse.”

As in previous years, BLD also teamed up with their South Dallas summer partners, Circle of Support and Heart of a Warrior, both hosts of summer programs for youth that is highly focused in academics and various enrichment opportunities, one being the introduction of lacrosse. With the help of 38 lacrosse volunteers, BRIDGE Lacrosse Dallas was able to serve over 380 youth boys and girls and provide an opportunity to learn a new sport typically not found within their communities.

McKinney Lacrosse Hosts First Annual BRIDGE Shootout

The weekend of May 19-20th, McKinney Lacrosse Association hosted the first annual BRIDGE Shootout in an effort to help support BRIDGE Lacrosse Dallas at the Al Ruschhaupt Complex in McKinney, TX.

It was a fun weekend full of lacrosse and beautiful weather for 31 teams from the North Texas area, including a few teams from Houston and Austin as well as two BRIDGE teams, the Irma Rangel 7/8 Lady Panthers and St. Philip’s 5/6 Saints.

TeamLAX from Frisco also got involved with the BRIDGE Shootout with a vendors tent set up and selling tournament shirts in which a small amount of proceeds went to BRIDGE Lacrosse Dallas.

McKinney Lacrosse was able to raise more than $6,000 for BRIDGE and family members apart of BLD were more than appreciative of their efforts as one mother of a BLD player stated:

“It’s so wonderful what McKinney Lacrosse has down to help out BRIDGE by hosting this tournament. It’s such a great way to get more people aware of the organization and hopefully make more people want to get involved. My son has had such a fun time this weekend, a big thank you to McKinney Lacrosse!”

Spring Season Comes to a Close for BRIDGE Players

Spring season officially ended for all six of BLD’s programs this past weekend after yet another great season of lacrosse for all involved with BRIDGE Lacrosse Dallas!

This past season was a busy but exciting one for BRIDGE Lacrosse Dallas. With the addition of the Barack Obama Eagles lacrosse program and nine volunteer lacrosse coaches, BLD was able to serve 122 boys and girls in the South Dallas area; fifty percent of them being introduced to the sport of lacrosse for the first time this year.

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At the end of the season, a parent of a player new to lacrosse and BRIDGE Lacrosse Dallas expressed:

“Without BRIDGE Lacrosse Dallas, most of these boys would not have the exposure or the opportunity to play the sport. As a goalie and a parent of a goalie it truly was a character building event. I believe he really took on the challenge and was determined to get better in defending the goal. I thank BRIDGE for being involved with St. Philip’s and as long as BRIDGE is around, we will be apart of the program.”

So what’s in store for our players after spring season? With summer around the corner, many of our players are looking forward to learning more about lacrosse and growing as players by attending various lacrosse camps around the DFW metroplex.

Jesuit Varsity Lacrosse Goalie Hosts Goalie Clinic for BLD Players

On Wednesday, March 14, 2012, Jesuit Prep’s starting Varsity goalie, Dan Morris, hosted a goalie clinic for BRIDGE goalies at St. Philip’s School & Community Center.

When asked why he wanted to be involved with BRIDGE Lacrosse Dallas, Dan had stated “I wanted to run goalie clinics for BRIDGE because I love the idea of helping to develop the next generation of goalies in Texas. The kids I coach remind me of when I started playing as a little kid.”

Six goalies from St. Philip’s, Hillcrest, Barack Obama, and Irma Rangel came out to the clinic looking forward to having fun while bettering their goalie skills.

Irma Rangel’s JV goalie left the clinic saying, “I thought it was a fun and helpful experience! I definitely enjoyed the clinic because I learned things I wouldn’t have had a chance to learn at practice. It’s always good to hear feedback from different people about how you can improve.”

BRIDGE Coach, Jessica Lommel, Honored with PCA North Texas Double-Goal Coach Award

BRIDGE Lacrosse Dallas and St. Philip’s Lady Saints lacrosse coach, Jessica Lommel, will be one of nine coaches in North Texas to receive the Positive Coaching Alliance’s North Texas Double-Goal Coach award at the 2nd Annual North Texas Double-Goal Coach Awards Dinner on April 19th.

Jessica Lommel is the third BRIDGE Lacrosse Dallas coach to be recognized by Positive Coaching Alliance. St. Philip’s Saints coach, Jack Tierney was named National Coach of the Year in 2010 and Barack Obama Eagles coach, David Higbee was honored as a North Texas Double-Goal Coach in 2011. All coaches have been recognized for pursuing the goal of winning while also pursuing the importance of teaching of life lessons through sports.

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Jessica began coaching with the Lady Saint’s 5th/6th grade girls lacrosse program during the 2010-2011 season and since then has made a major impact within the BLD program.

“Coach Jess has been a true asset to the BRIDGE team and has worked extremely hard with these girls. It is rather amazing to see how much effort she is able to truly get out of them. I think she deserves to reap the benefits for all of her hard work and selfless dedication,” said a mother of one of the Lady Saints’ players.

The 2nd Annual North Texas Double-Goal Coach Awards Dinner will take place on Thursday, April 19, 2012 at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano, TX with special guest, Tony Hill, two time Super Bowl Champion with the Dallas Cowboys. 

BRIDGE is Gearing up for Spring Season

With the fall ball season having served nearly 100 youth boys and girls from around the South Dallas area, BLD’s coaches, players and parents anxiously await the start of the Spring season.

This past fall was a busy time for those involved with BRIDGE Lacrosse Dallas. With the addition of the Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy’s Eagles 7/8 boys program, BLD continued to served the 7/8 and JV Panthers at Irma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School as well as the 3/4 and 5/6 Saints and the 5/6 Lady Saints at St. Philip’s School and Community Center. 

Coach Lewis working with the Saints before the first game of the season. Ground balls win games!

During the fall ball season, teams participated in weekly Sunday practices that ran September thru late November. Volunteering their time and assisting BLD’s coaches were the Junior Board members from various high schools from around North Dallas such as Highland Park, ESD, St. Mark’s, Jesuit and Greenhill. Both the Panthers JV girls and the Saints 5/6 boys were able to participate in their first tournament of the year at the Halloween Shootout in McKinney, TX back in October. The Saints 3/4 boys participated in the McKinney Shootout the following weekend.

Aside from fall ball season, BRIDGE also worked with KIPP Truth Academy in South Dallas to host two clinics for over 120 youth boys and girls with the help of high school lacrosse players from Parish Episcopal School in Dallas. With the hard work and dedication of the BRIDGE coaches and the assistance of high school volunteer lacrosse players in the fall, the Spring 2012 season will be the first for over 50 percent of BLD’s current players. BLD’s teams are set to kick off the Spring season on Sunday, January 22nd and will continue to have weekly practices Tuesdays and Thursdays with monitored study hall sessions, that includes a healthy snack, available to the players prior to practice.