Parents Want Freshman Lacrosse Teams Created

A group of parents want to see freshmen lacrosse teams exist at the Wayne Valley and Wayne Hills.

The Wayne Valley Boys Lacrosse Booster Club has asked district officials to hire a coach for freshman teams at Hills and Valley. Parents have asked for a separate freshman coach and team for a few years now.

“It’s gotten to the point every year that it hasn’t gotten over the final hurdle,” said Scott McLean, the father of a Wayne Valley lacrosse player. “The numbers are there and, to us, it seems like people should be asking ‘why wouldn’t we do something like this?’”

About 75 students play varsity and junior varsity lacrosse at Wayne Valley.

In years past a separate coach or some parents would come and instruct the freshman players occasionally.

“Sometimes the freshman practices would be cancelled,” McLean said. “To really have a legitimate freshmen team you need a coach assigned to the role by the Board of Education.”  

Nearly 200 people have signed a online petition the booster club created gain support for hiring a freshman coach at Valley.

“In order to safely and effectively run practices, coach and chaperone home and away games for each team and allow more kids to participate, we need an additional coach,” the petition states. “With two coaches, we are almost forced to combine junior varsity and freshman [players], which limits the number of students that make the team and prevents us from being able to commit to a freshman game schedule.”

District Athletic Director Brad Smith did not return a phone message seeking comment.

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