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> Sports > Sports News > New girls lacrosse club founded in Western Mass.
New girls lacrosse club founded in Western Mass. New England Developmental (NED) Lacrosse is pleased to announce the establishment of a girls division within the NED program. With the expansion into the girls' game of lacrosse this will give the opportunity for Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut players to broaden their opportunity to develop and play competitively. The NED teams will compete against other all-star programs in local and national competitions.
This is the area's first girls' lacrosse club program and is following a national trend with the growth and popularity of the game. The program will begin this fall with lacrosse clinics and game play opportunities at Western New England College (WNEC). Age groups will include fifth grade through 12th grade, and a special two-day clinic for third and fourth grade players. Opportunities for fall, winter and 2009 spring/summer tournaments will be available.
"Last year we had over 60 girls involved with our fall clinic. There is an obvious demand for a club in this area," said program coordinator Aimee Klepacki, head women's lacrosse coach at WNEC. "By adding club team opportunities, this year we are taking it up a level. The main purpose of our program is to develop the game of girls' lacrosse at all age levels in the Western Mass. area. This is an opportunity for girls to have limited exposure to lacrosse during the off-season, and to also extend their spring season by participating in competitive summer club tournaments after their regular town season has ended.
"The girls that will play in the NED program will want to better themselves on and off the field. We think we have brought together some of the best area coaches to help achieve this goal."
Involved with the NED program are some of the areas top high school coaches. Helping coach Klepacki is Steve Dudeck from Longmeadow High School, Carla Warner of Agawam High School and Dave Yelle from Minnechaug Regional High School. These coaches, along with Klepacki and her staff, will be involved with clinic instruction and coaching of players throughout the year.
NED lacrosse has been involved with developing and coaching boys' club teams for over eight years. "The NED program has always been run by coaches who understand the development of players in the game of lacrosse. From the early skills needed to compete, to the intricacies of college recruiting that occurs with the high school player," Klepacki said.
She added that the demand for a girls' club program in this area has been growing and NED has been gearing toward this for the last few months. "This is something you don't just jump into. You want to make sure that you have the right people and coaches in place to help your players succeed, because ultimately that it was drives a successful program," Klepacki stated.
Information on fall-ball clinics can be found at www.nedlacrosse.com. You can also contact Klepacki at nedgirlslacrosse@gmail.com.
Klepacki's WNEC teams have participated in five NCAA Division III Championships (2002, 2004-07), after capturing five New England Women's Lacrosse Alliance (NEWLA) Tournament titles.
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