It may be summer, but that doesn’t mean it’s time for a break, especially for Port Washington Youth Activities (PYA). The organization’s lacrosse program, which is one of the oldest and best programs they have to offer, is looking to churn out more year-round activities in the near future. After this summer, the lacrosse program will go full circle. With the fall and spring seasons already intact, PYA will also conduct winter training as well as a new travel league for next summer.
PYA has been around for over 50 years and the lacrosse program continues to be one of its main attractions. It provides children with a fun and safe environment to learn and play in. There are currently teams ranging from ages five to 13 for both boys and girls. However, plans to expand the group to 18 years of age are coming.
Program Director Brandon Kurz stresses that PYA is about teaching the fundamentals of lacrosse. However, it also goes beyond playing the game itself. “We try to instill positive learning experiences while teaching them lacrosse,” said Kurz. “We also teach them life lessons, from how to be a better teammate and good sportsmanship to being a better person on and off the field.”
Port Washington’s lacrosse program has been known to be one of the top programs not only on Long Island but across the Northeast and around the country. Its reputation speaks for itself as it has produced a wide range of talented players through the years.
A good reason for the success of the PYA lacrosse program is the excellent coaching staff provided for their players. “It’s one of our mainstay programs,” said Kurz. “I think it’s one of the top notch programs on Long Island.”
While PYA is well known in the community, they are always looking to draw in more participants. As word of mouth has built the program, they are looking to more modern social media outlets to expand their success.
Lacrosse is and will continue to remain popular in Port Washington. It remains so due to the proactive coaches who care about the sport and the community that wants to be a part of it. “Lacrosse is a Port Washington sport,” said Kurz. “It’s something we want the community to rally around.”
