LaX For A Cure Benefit Held By Girls Lacrosse Team

“I’m definitely going to play for the Hand lacrosse team,” said 11-year-old Glennakate Gies, a fifth grader at the Brown Middle School, who got her first chance to rub sticks with the Daniel Hand varsity players during Lax for a Cure, the benefit game run by the team on Saturday that raised over $2,000 for the National Kidney Foundation.

The benefit game, played after the Tigers varsity team beat Conard 12-7 to raise their record to 9-2, gave about 30 girls from first to eighth grade the chance to play with the varsity team, who accompanied them during the contest. Before the game began, the young girls were announced to the crowd, just like a varsity game, which gave them their first chance to experience the excitement of Hand lacrosse.

And it was for a worthy cause, as each girl’s donation along with proceeds from a raffle and bake sale, will be sent to the National Kidney Foundation.

The charity was chosen in honor of Tigers coach Kevin Siedlecki, whose battle with kidney disease preceded his coaching career.

“We wanted to do something for a cause, so we chose to raise money in honor of our coach who’s gone through a lot with his kidneys,” said Carly Floyd, who came up with the idea for Lax for a Cure with her fellow co-captains Hannah Morgan and Lauren Oswald. “All the proceeds will go to the Kidney Foundation and it’s fun for the kids to come out and play under the lights and get their names out.”

The fun was almost blemished by a late afternoon thunderstorm that suspended the varsity game late in the first half. But after the rain stopped, the teams returned and completed their game and the benefit game began. Coach Siedlecki coached one of the teams and issued a pre-game comment,  thanking the team for organizing the event which was great for uniting town lacrosse players.

Daniel Hand Athletic Director Craig Semple said the lacrosse team is “a great bunch of caring kids. I’m not surprised they’re doing something in their coach’s name, that’s how much they admire and respect him. Anything we can do to help our kids for the betterment of mankind, we’re all for it. It’s a wonderful gesture of kindness and caring.”

In the varsity contest that preceded the benefit game, the Tigers relied on a potent offense and just enough defense to defeat the Conard Chieftains. The Tigers scored the first two goals and cruised to victory, led by seniors Hannah Morgan, MaryKate McNulty and junior Kara McHugh with three goals apiece,  junior Taylor Raleigh with two and junior Meagan Kane with one.