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Homegrown Impact
The mission of Homegrown Lacrosse is to build a community that inspires and empowers players to excel in life and lacrosse.
Our organization was created to provide the lacrosse community in Minnesota quality opportunities for players to improve their skills on the field. Additionally, Homegrown Lacrosse's community-based programming uses the sport as a tool to cultivate life skills in young people.
Homegrown Lacrosse operates service-based programming year round that connects youth with positive role models that share their passion.
The organization’s primary service-based programming is its In-School P.E. Program. Led by Homegrown Lacrosse staff members, the In-School P.E. lacrosse units are designed to introduce K-12 students to the sport, its history and basic skill sets necessary to play the game. The week-long lacrosse units are conducted within elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools around the state of Minnesota.
Through the In-School P.E. Program, Homegrown Lacrosse has put a stick in the hands of more than 15,000 students since 2007. This free introduction to the sport has ignited participation in all areas of the state.
- In 2009 the program reached more than 8,500 students, primarily in the Twin Cities metro area.
- In 2010, the program introduced more than 500 K-12 students in the northern Minnesota communities of Grand Rapids and Deer River to the sport of lacrosse through its In-School P.E. Program.
The engagement factor cuts across socioeconomic barriers. However, the biggest impact the organization has seen is from our After-School Programming within the Minneapolis inner- city community. Often implemented in conjunction with a school or the Minneapolis Park and Recreation location, the organization has made a commitment to strengthening the students in these areas.
Ongoing programs at Lucy Craft Laney (Minneapolis), St. Joseph’s Children’s Home / School (Minneapolis) and WISE Charter School (Minneapolis) are clearly making a difference. While the students in these schools and areas each have different needs and obstacles to overcome, the teachers and school administrators have noticed a significant and positive change.
Time and time again teachers, administrators and parents share how the programs have sparked a desire within disenfranchised or unengaged students to overcome obstacles (grades, behavior, etc.) in order to make lacrosse a part of their lives.
Fast Facts
Founded: 2003
Players served: 23,500
Service-based programs:
- In-School P.E. Program
- Inner-City Programming
- Leadership Development Program
- Educational Programming
Fee-based programming:
