The Empower Board of Directors is working hard on ways to offer financial assistance to get more local players into the many outstanding Upper Valley girls lacrosse events this summer.
LOCAL GIRLS. LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. LOCAL MENTORS.
More soon on that, as it has been more complex than one would think. For now, here are some opportunities for you to consider.
ECHO Lacrosse Club
ECHO has a mix of one-day clinics (June 16, July 18) and tournament team play.
Note the one-day clinic all-star coaching staff and general information.
https://echolacrosse.com/2018-summer-clinics-camps
June 16th, 9am-3pm
A one-day clinic for players in grades 3-12 with World Cup Champions, Jen Russell UNC and Courtney Waite UNC
From the ECHO website:
Jen Russell
U.S. National Team (2008 – present), Gold medalist FIL World Cup (2013 & 2017), All-World Team Selection at the 2017 FIL World Cup (one of twelve players), FIL World, Cup Touring Team (2012 & 2016), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Team Captain (2010), Tewaaraton Award Finalist – Top 5 (2010), 1st Team All America IWLCA (2009 & 2010), All-ACC (2009 & 2010), ACC Academic Honor Roll
Courtney Waite
Starting defender at UNC Chapel Hill, Won a National Championship, 2013, 2015 1st team All-American, 2015 1st team All-ACC, Top 25 Tewaaraton Watch List, USA National, Team Member (2014-2017), ACC Defensive player of the week (2015), Drafted by the Philadelphia Fire in 2017 for the WPLL
July 18th, 9am-3pm
One day clinic for players in grades 3-12 with former UVA Coach and Current JMU (brand new National Champs!) Vol. Asst. Coach, Colleen Shearer
From the ECHO website:
Colleen Shearer
USA Lacrosse National Team Asst.General Manager, James Madison Volunteer Coach, Bridgewater Head Coach, General Manager Baltimore Ride Pro Team, 19 years University of Virginia Associate Head Coach
Got Game Camps at Dartmouth
https://www.gotgamelacrosse.com
Danielle Spencer, Dartmouth head coach, has two multi-day/night camps and one one-day clinic on July 2. About July 2 from the Got Game website: “Join the Dartmouth Lacrosse staff and players for a fun, competitive, and instructional day of lacrosse!” In general, it looks like the Dartmouth staff and players will teach at the Got Game Camps. They will be excellent, and it is ALWAYS fun when the Dartmouth players coach.
Pick-Up Summer Ball at Huntley
http://bit.ly/UVPickupLacrosse
Christine Anneberg, the current HHS assistant, former Dartmouth coach and current ECHO coach, and Amy Patton, the former Dartmouth coach, are organizing pick-up lacrosse at Huntley Meadows in Norwich this summer. Wednesday nights in July and August.
Lacrosse and Service in Costa Rica
August 1-7. Whitaker Willocks is coaching and organizing this trip. Please see the letter at the end of this post from Whit.
Coaching Clinic at Dartmouth College
https://neulioncs.hs.llnwd.net/attachments1/files/11600/636265.pdf
August 17-19 for coaches of girls youth and high school teams.
Have a wonderful end of your lacrosse seasons!
Letter about the Costa Rica Trip:
Upper Valley Lacrosse Players and Parents,
This coming August, I am putting together an excellent community service trip August 1-7 for high school girls (grades 9-12 *to include recent high school graduates) to do some service work in Costa Rica along with training for lacrosse. The program, run through Student Cultural Exchange, pairs our girls in Samara, Costa Rica and a local program there, which is working to bring the sport of lacrosse to young children in the town. The main focuses of this trip are: GROWING THE GAME, VOLUNTEER PROJECTS & CULTURAL IMMERSION AND TEAM BONDING.
This being the first time I am taking a team on this trip, I am extremely excited and my hope is that this will be the first of many trips and life-changing experiences together. This is an extraordinary opportunity and one that I feel very lucky to be sharing with all of you. This is not only a great lacrosse and travel opportunity, this is a life-changing experience and one that would bond our girls together deeper than anything before. They would strengthen current friendships, build new ones with other players and I firmly believe any success we may have on the field comes directly from the bonds and relationships we build off the field. I am looking to bring a whole range of players from different areas across New Hampshire & Vermont, not just the players I coach throughout the year.
This trip is a 6-day all-inclusive program, that would involve cross training in the morning, community service and exploring the area in the afternoon and then evening games and showcasing lacrosse to the community. Our players would run multiple lacrosse clinics and complete a service project in the town (repairs to buildings, painting, tutoring, etc) in addition to the cultural exposure they’d get through this program. You can see an example day and more detailed information in the attachment to this email.
Please know there is a maximum amount of players I can take with me, so spots are limited.
My husband, James, and our daughter, Charlie, will be coming with us and possibly an additional coach and close friend of mine. I can assure you your daughter will be in good hands as SCE and the Directors of SCE have been doing this trip for 13+ years. It is an established program and in a very safe community.
Important info for you:
1. We will hold an in-person meeting with the program’s Director, Jesse Friedman. He will come to KUA one evening before the end of the month to shed light on all the specific details and answer all your questions to set your minds at ease.
2. After that meeting, the timeline is as such:
* First week of May-applications and deposits are due
* Mid May-We’ll buy flights/make hotel reservation etc
* End of May-Final balance due
* End of May-We’ll send you medical and minor permission to travel forms
* June-We’ll send Welcome packets for all our players and families (helping to prepare for the trip, etc)
3. Attached you will find the program proposal. The proposal has an adjusted price ($1,9995 plus $800 for airfare = total of $2,795). *There are financial assistance options, so please contact me if you would like to learn more.
4. If you are interested and are considering joining me and my family on this amazing trip, the next step is:
* Please respond directly to this email and let me know of your interest. This is not a confirmation that you are coming, but simply you would like to learn more.
* I would recommend then attending our information session with Jesse, DATE TBD, it will be before the end of April.
* If you would like to join me and are confirming, then I will send you an application for you to fill out and return to me with a deposit.
Once again, I want to express how impactful a trip like this can be for our girls. It would be an honor to bring your daughter with my family and me on this trip. Together, we will all gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of not only the game we love, but also what it means to be a part of a strong team and to experience life together.
If you would like to learn more about Student Cultural Exchange here is their info:
Website: www.studentculturalexchange.com
Any questions, please contact me at anytime via email or cell: 508-843-4524.
Thanks so much – hope to experience Costa Rica with you!
~ Coach Willocks
Whitaker Willocks
Assistant Director of College Advising
Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse Coach
Ph. 603.469.2173