Welcome!
My name is Bob DeGemmis and I am a new Grosse Pointe resident as of 2016. I am a coach and a parent of two aspiring lacrosse players!
I am starting this business project "Starter Lacrosse" for a number or reasons. The short of the long is that there is a major gap in youth lacrosse programming for boys and girls in Grosse Pointe and surrounding areas. There is Neighborhood Club Fall and Spring "soft lacrosse" which is limited to co-ed soft lacrosse for boys and girls grades 1 & 2, boys 3 v 3 in grades 3 - 5 and girls-only grades 3-8.
313 Lacrosse has 4 day "rookie camps" that don't begin until 2nd grade. The youngest "team play" is for kids in Grade 3 (U10) and it is "travel". 313 doesn't have any girls lacrosse programming.
Meanwhile, right here in Grosse Pointe young children can participate in a variety of other youth sports programming.
- A child could play HOCKEY as young as AGE 3 in Learn To Play for Grosse Pointe Bulldogs
- A child could play co-ed Neighborhood Club Soccer as young as AGE 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and Grade 1
- A child could play Neighborhood Club T-ball at age 4
- A child can play East Side FC youth soccer which has programming for children as young as age 3 and "travel" soccer beginning at age 7.
- A child could play HOCKEY as young as AGE 3 in Learn To Play for Grosse Pointe Bulldogs
- A child could play co-ed Neighborhood Club Soccer as young as AGE 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and Grade 1
- A child could play Neighborhood Club T-ball at age 4
- A child can play East Side FC youth soccer which has programming for children as young as age 3 and "travel" soccer beginning at age 7.
You get the picture, lacrosse is way behind in Grosse Pointe compared to other sports and as result has less players at the older age groups with less experience and the other sports get the better athletes and also have more experience. Not the best growth for the fastest growing team sport in the U.S.
In Michigan there are some good 5U programs, but Grosse Pointe and surrounding areas are nowhere near them. Champions Lacrosse in Birmingham has a great Wee Little Laxers (PreK / K) and Little Laxers program (Pre-K - 2nd Grade), but again, is about 45-50 minute drive. Motor City Knights Lacrosse / Vision Lacrosse Academy in Romeo is about 30-40 minutes away and has limited programming for players in Kindergarten. Motor City Machine Girls Lacrosse, also in Romeo, begins in grade 3.
Even summer camps are for older players. Liggett Summer Lacrosse Camp and Grosse Pointe South Lacrosse Camp are for older players.
Meanwhile, back east where I am coming from, scoopers and wee laxers programs are all over the place. Some only deal exclusively with players ages 3 - 8 and some are in Clubs that run up to the higher ages. Some examples...
Bethesda Lacrosse Club -MD - has scoopers programming for youngest players Pre-K to Age 4
Madlax- MD/VA - has programming for players ages 5-9 or PK-3rd grade
Little Stix Lacrosse - NJ - is exclusively for the youngest players ages 4 - 8
1st Start Lacrosse - PA - also, exclusively for the youngest players ages 3 - 8
For the time being, "Starter Lacrosse" is going to be exclusively focused on...
- "Soft Lacrosse" Clinics for players ages 3-8
- "Equipment Lacrosse" Clinics for players ages 3-8
- Non-travel seasonal / local "equipment / team" programming ages for players 8U with clinic experience
- Summer Camps
- Birthday Parties
The press is lamenting these days that youth athletes are dropping out of team sports at the younger and younger ages, on average around age 12. What they fail to mention is that kids are STARTING sports at younger and younger ages. Age 3-5 young athletes are not uncommon. "Retiring" at the "ripe old age" may very well be a career, as little Jimmy/Jenny may already have played for 7-8 years! It's time for lacrosse in Southeast Michigan to catch up!
I hope you start with us!
Sincerely,
Bob DeGemmis
Founder
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