Parsippany Lacrosse Brings Big Smiles To Our Town's Little Kids

On Saturday, April 6, Parsippany Lacrosse Club welcomed a new group of players to its home at Smith Field - kids in grades K-2. The group hosted a free clinic, supplying each child with a lacrosse stick, ball and pinny.

The field was full of smiling boys and girls. Lacrosse players from Parsippany High and Hills were onsite to help the kids learn, as were many of the program's coaches.

The program director, Paul DeBenedette, kicked off the day by speaking to both children and parents about the benefits of organized activities and their impact on kids both mentally and physically. He emphasized that the club's mission is to encourage fun in a positive way, adding that the group's status as a recreational league means children benefit from skill-building and teamwork, while competitiveness takes a backseat.

The well-organized event had kids running between different field stations, effectively holding the attention span of the young kids as they enjoyed a variety of activities focused on learning the basic skills required to play lacrosse.

DeBenedette noted that his daughter is one of the lacrosse captains at Parsippany Hills High School, and that he is actively working towards growing the sport in Parsippany by encouraging a new generation of younger kids.

At the end of the game, one of the team's coaches gathered the kids back together and gave an encouraging talk noting that lacrosse is a game with good life lessons - everyone drops the ball sometimes, and the most important thing is to pick it up and keep going.