Ricky Smith, a former professional and University of Virginia lacrosse player who has spent the past four years overseeing youth lacrosse programs here with his wife, Meredith (also a Virginia lacrosse alum), was happy to say the other day that East End Lacrosse “has grown to include 144 boys and girls, after starting with just a handful of kids in the first clinics held at the Neighborhood House with Project Most.” The group now includes kids from Southampton to Montauk.
“At first, I was nervous we might not have enough coaches, but that concern quickly faded,” he said. “The support has been incredible. We’ve had so many parents and friends step up to volunteer their time, and most of our coaches bring college playing experience.”
Probably no further testimony concerning the program’s growth need be cited than the fourth and fifth-grade boys’ third-place finish at the recent Harvey Cohen tournament in Port Washington, behind only Manhasset and Garden City, two perennial lacrosse powerhouses.
“People were shocked,” said Smith, who was in the company of Neil Falkenhan, who oversees the girls’ half of the program and whose fifth and sixth-grade girls team went undefeated during the season just past. “Shocked that East Hampton had a youth lacrosse program, number one, and, two, that we’d traveled all the way up to Port Washington to play some of the best towns on Long Island. We’re starting to get some recognition.”
“Neil and I are competitive,” said Smith, “but this program is not about winning or losing. We want the kids to practice the skills they’ll need . . . catching, throwing, groundballs . . . and to have fun.”
“Our goal is to kind of grow the sport on the girls and the boys’ side from the ground up,” said Falkenhan. “We’re starting them young and trying to instill in them a love for the game and a work ethic that leads them to be constantly excited as they get better.”
“We’ve got as good a coaching staff as anywhere on the Island,” said Smith. The coaches’ alma maters are among the best in the nation — in addition to the University of Virginia, Maryland, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Rutgers, Middlebury, Air Force, UMass, Siena, Gettysburg, and Lafayette. The group includes Artie Seekamp, a former University of Maryland all-American, James Rigby, Rob Koch, Tim Dalene, Jason Keyes, Jeff Ziglar, Dylan Fowler, Billy Boscarino, Mike Jara, and, “as a consultant,” Ralph Naglieri — the co-founder with Eddie McGintee of East Hampton High’s former varsity boys team at the turn of the century.
Aside from Falkenhan, those coaching the girls include Jessica Zay, Kristen MacPherson, Susan Boscarino, Amy Reich, Marlie Meringer, Kelly Ziglar, Steve Taylor, and Will Hussey.
While the spring season had just ended, “we’re never really off,” said Falkenhan. Smith added, “We want to offer as many opportunities as kids want — tournaments, camps, indoor practices in the winter. We’re also encouraging any college player who wants to help out. We get a lot of inquiries for lessons, so there’s plenty of opportunities for college kids to coach while they are here in the summer.”
He hastened to add that “we’re not insisting that our kids specialize — we encourage them to play other sports . . . lacrosse is a mix of a number of them.”
Eventually, the interviewees agreed, one of the goals is to bring boys lacrosse back to East Hampton, Inspired by the success East Hampton High’s varsity football coach, Joe McKee, has had with flag football and bringing that sport back to the high school after a brief hiatus.
“It’s been close to 10 years,” said Smith, that East Hampton High School boys have played on the combined East End team, the South Fork Islanders, which is based at Southampton High School.
“One final thing,” Falkenhan added, “The long-term success of the program, on the boys and girls side, hinges on parents buying in and getting involved when their children are at a young age. That way, if the parents pick up the mantle for five or six years, as we’ve been doing, and assume the coaching duties and take on the accompanying responsibilities, kids will continue to keep on coming up through the ranks over the years. Every really great program on Long Island has that. That’s what we’re trying to do.”
A golf outing at the Gardiner’s Bay Country Club on Shelter Island that is to benefit the club and Project Most is to be held on Sept. 26.
