Pumping life back into Lawrence PAL

Two former collegiate lacrosse players, one a coach in the Lawrence school district and another who is looking to begin a teaching career, are trying to revive the Lawrence Police Athletic League (PAL).

Izzy Sanchez, the head lacrosse coach at Lawrence Middle School and a substitute art teacher in the school district, and Kevin Anderson, who works with the Hewlett PAL team and is getting a teacher certificate in mathematics, are restarting the league. They will begin with a free clinic on Oct. 6 at 11 a.m. at Lawrence High School for fifth and sixth grade boys.

Previously, a PAL lacrosse team for this same age range existed from about 1995 to 2003. It was started by the former varsity coach, Chris Passuello. However, without enough parent volunteers the program went dormant.

Both alumni of the Lawrence High School lacrosse team, Sanchez played for C.W. Post and Anderson played for Stony Brook University. After personally benefitting from lacrosse, they want others to benefit as well. “We both went through the PAL system and got into the schools we wanted to go to because of lacrosse,” Anderson said. “We got scholarship money so without that we would probably still be paying for college.”

Sanchez, who first played lacrosse in fifth grade, said his Lawrence elementary students showed an interest. “The students asked how they could start playing lacrosse, and without doing this they would have to wait until seventh grade,” he said. Flyers will be distributed to the district’s middle and elementary schools to spread the word.

Lawrence has a successful football team, said Anderson, and he would like for Lawrence to have a prominent lacrosse team as well. “The high school lacrosse team is hanging on by a thread because the participation isn’t there because the skill isn’t there,” said Anderson, explaining that students begin playing too late, while in Hewlett, which Lawrence competes against, students start playing in second grade. “So for them to compete at the high level, a lot of the high school students are intimidated.”

Lawrence students are interested in the sport, said Sanchez, but they do not know much about it. “They’re not educated about the sport,” he said. “The main point is introducing the sport to them and hopefully having students attracted at a younger age, instead of at an older age like at the middle school and high school, where you’re supposed to already have the basic skills.”

Anyone who lives in the Five Towns and Atlantic Beach can join the team, and there will be no cuts. “There are no restrictions on any individual player; the more the merrier,” said Anderson. “PAL is about the kids having fun and everyone participating.” Depending on how the clinic fares, Sanchez and Anderson would like to expand the program to third to sixth graders as well.

Patrick Pizzarelli, Lawrence’s assistant superintendent for Student and Community Affairs, who also serves as the athletic director, is on board. “It’s giving our young people another opportunity to be active,” Pizzarelli said. “Lacrosse is a great sport but you have to learn the skills.”

Basic fundamental skills like ground ball and shooting drills will be the clinic’s focus. Teaching skills is the goal, not talent evaluations, said Anderson, who will provide as much equipment as he can. Raffles and prizes such as lacrosse gloves and T-shirts will be offered.

Sanchez and Anderson hope for at least 30 kids to take part in the free clinic. The lacrosse season would cost an estimated $100 per player and consist of practice about twice a week and a game every Sunday in the spring. Opponents would be teams in Hewlett, Lynbrook, Long Beach and other area communities.

Both think that the popularity of lacrosse on Long Island will help their fledgling program. Anderson is positive they can overcome any obstacles. “We’re going to hit some bumpy roads … but hopefully with us here and Izzy and I having the experience and knowledge of the sport, it will be successful,” he said.