Bill Belichick Foundation Announces New Lacrosse Initiatives

From the Bill Belichick Foundation:

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick announced today a springtime campaign to promote the game of lacrosse through the launch of various initiatives across the country. The Bill Belichick Foundation, founded by Coach Belichick in 2013, provides coaching, mentorship, and financial assistance to individuals, communities and organizations, with a focus on the sports of football and lacrosse.

The Belichick Foundation is working with Major League Lacrosse’s Boston Cannons on a partnership that allows select local and regional youth lacrosse organizations to go to each of the team’s home games at their new 2015 venue, Gillette Stadium. Each group gets 75 tickets to a special “Belichick Huddle” section to disperse amongst their players, who get to meet Cannons players before the games for photos and receive gift bags with assorted donated gear. The teams on this season’s roster are Dedham Youth Lacrosse (4/12), Walpole Youth Lacrosse (4/26), Noble Youth Lacrosse (5/17), Inter-Lax (5/30), Sebago Youth Lacrosse (6/28), and the Northern Vermont Youth Lacrosse League (7/11). Belichick hopes that providing kids access to the game will help these start-up or growing youth sports organizations get the attention they need to continue fundraising and keep the spirit of the game alive. “We’re thrilled to be working with the Boston Cannons this season to help promote the game of lacrosse to the youth in these various communities across New England,” he noted.

The Belichick Foundation has launched a similar plan for Philadelphia-area youth to attend Memorial Day weekend’s NCAA Lacrosse Championship. A local group called LEAPs, which mentors inner city kids via the use of athletics, has been chosen for this initiative. LEAPs’ mission is to enrich the lives of youth through lacrosse and education, as well as instill the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle. One hundred of these underserved children will be able to attend the May 25th game and sit in the specially-designated “Belichick’s Huddle” section at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

In addition, the Paul Rabil Foundation will receive support from the Bill Belichick Foundation this spring, in the way of a 75 ticket donation to a New York Lizards game. Rabil, a former Boston Cannon midfielder who now plays with Lizards, has a longtime friendship with Belichick from his playing days in Massachusetts. Students from The Windward School in White Plains, NY will attend a 2015 Lizards game at the James Shuart Stadium in Hempstead, New York. For Belichick, it’s another great opportunity to reach new youth organizations beyond the borders of New England. “Paul and I have the same philosophies about youth sports and he’s really excited to promote lacrosse to kids in the Long Island area who may have not had a lot of access to the game,” adds Belichick. “We’re happy to help the Paul Rabil Foundation in its mission to help children with learning differences by creating programs and partnerships through sport and scholarship.”

Finally, the Bill Belichick Foundation has partnered with the Moses Brown School in Providence, Rhode Island, in a “Grounders for the Game” initiative run by the boys and girls lacrosse teams to help build out the sport in the inner city at the middle school level through the Providence After School Alliance. The MB Boys Lacrosse team will raise money by getting sponsors to pledge a little money for every grounder this season. Mike Fraioli, head lacrosse coach at Moses Brown, says that during each game, the team grabs about 40 ground balls. “Over the course of an 18-game season, the team scoops up about 720 ground balls, so the numbers can quickly add up. We’re also encouraging players to participate as not only support seekers but also as contributors, so they’ll also donate at season’s end.” All funds raised by Moses Brown will be matched by the Belichick Foundation.

Bill Belichick has a long history of philanthropy and personally supports many causes, including a scholarship fund created in 2003 at Annapolis High School for students who have improved or excelled academically while participating in athletics. Belichick grew up in Annapolis, and his commitment to the Maryland area remains strong. Through his Foundation, Belichick has now formally expanded that mission to the New England region and beyond. Coach Belichick played lacrosse in high school and college, as did all three of his children.

“Our family has been helped by so many people, and we’re thrilled to continue to be able to relate our experiences and life lessons in mentorship through assisting a variety of athletic programs and services,” said Belichick. “It’s been very rewarding to realize our Foundation’s mission and reach new organizations and youth this year in support of the game of lacrosse. We can’t wait to expand our reach moving forward.”

On Saturday, May 9th, the Bill Belichick Foundation hosted a private reception for 2014 BBF grant and scholarship recipients at the Renaissance Hotel at Patriot Place in Foxborough, Ma. Last fall, the foundation distributed over $100,000 in grants and scholarships to individuals and organizations. Winners were congratulated on Saturday, by Coach Belichick and the Bill Belichick Foundation’s Executive Director, Linda Holliday.

The Bill Belichick Foundation will also announce plans for a football-related fundraiser, the 2nd annual “Hall of Fame Huddle,” later this fall.

Applications for the 2015 Bill Belichick Foundation scholarship and grant program are now available at: www.billbelichickfoundation.org.