The Roots of Homegrown Lacrosse

I recently wrote a feature article on a non-profit organization in Minnesota called Homegrown Lacrosse. This organization was created by two lacrosse players that wanted to give back the lessons learned and sense of community they obtained through their experiences with the sport of lacrosse. The two men that created this organization are Aron Lipkin and Colin Achenbach. Both men played Lacrosse in high school and college. The sport gave them a way to go to college, a sense of community and a way of life. They noticed an aspect of fun and freedom in lacrosse because it is a new and flexible sport. Lacrosse is unique because it allows anyone to start at any age and any level. The sport also allows kids to be more independent because parents and adults are less informed about the sport so they can't put pressure on their kid's performance. The sport and program has proven to be extremely beneficial for children with physical and mental disabilities. Homegrown Lacrosse welcomes children with ADD, autism, fetal alcohol syndrome and other similar conditions. Homegrown Lacrosse sees every challenge as an opportunity to grow. The organization has had many successes and has seen many achievements and accomplishments take place through their programs. Homegrown Lacrosse offers winter training programs, recruitment workshops, youth spring and summer camps, leagues, inner city programs, in-school PE programs, community clinics and leadership programs. Homegrown Lacrosse was founded in 2003 and has been available at 26 schools in the metro area. I interviewed Aron Lipkin to gain more insight on the sport of lacrosse and the ideas behind the Homegrown Lacrosse non-profit organization. Aron shared with me the steps behind creating Homegrown Lacrosse, his favorite moments and experiences with Homegrown Lacrosse and his hopes for the organization in the future. If there is anything I learned form Aron, its his love and passion for the sport. Lacrosse shaped who Aron is today by teaching him lessons on and off the field. Aron described the Lacrosse community as "being part of something special" and because of that he felt compelled to "give back" what was once given to him. For more information on Homegrown Lacrosse, follow homegrownlax on twitter or visit www.homegrownlacrosse.org. To view a story Kare11 did on Homegrown Lacrosse, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MVEe7ztqAc.