Youth lacrosse players in the South Bay can thank New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick the next time they pick up a lacrosse stick and pass the ball at a camp or clinic sponsored by the PUCKidz/LAX 619 program.
Program director Keith Quigley made a cross-country trip to Boston in early May to receive $5,000 in grant money awarded by the Bill Belichick Foundation. The grant was one of just seven made by the foundation to youth football and lacrosse programs across the country.
“Coach came in and gave a speech that I will remember for years to come,” Quigley explained. “He thanked me three times, at least twice face to face, for coming all the way from San Diego to be part of it.”
While known as the winningest coach in New England Patriots history, Belichick also has an extensive lacrosse background. Besides football, Belichick also played lacrosse in high school and was captain of the men’s lacrosse team his senior year at Wesleyan University.
Quigley, who coaches the Bonita Vista High School roller hockey team and Olympian boys lacrosse team besides his involvement with PUCKidz, said the grant money will be used to provide scholarships for those who might not be able, for financial reasons, to participate in activities offered by the non-profit youth sports program.
Quigley ran a series of low-cost lacrosse clinics at Feaster Elementary School during the spring with 24 participants. With the foundation grant money, he will be able to offer more low cost clinics in the future at area schools.
It is a win-win situation, he said.
“This will impact future high school teams (on both sides of the city) with experienced players from the youth level,” Quigley said. “I’m really trying to give the game some much-needed exposure at the elementary school level.”
Lacrosse remains one of the fastest-growing youth sports in the San Diego region.
“Kids like it because it’s so active,” Quigley explained. “Once they get that stick in their hands, it’s new and different to them.”
PUCKidz stands for Positive Understandable Coaching for Kids. For more information, visit the website at www.puckidz.net.
