Planning Meeting
"For I know the Plans I have for you. Plans to give you hope and a future."
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We started our first public lacrosse clinic at Happy Hills Recreation Center of Winston-Salem, NC in 2009. We hosted numerous similar events for a few years, including instruction, to Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, Physical Education Department Professional Development training. In 2012, we started our first team in the local youth lacrosse league, only losing the first four games and finishing with a nine game winning streak. Needless to say, the inaugural season was a success, but, we didn't have the adequate numbers needed to maintain multiple youth teams like planned and had to rebuild. The original team had five young men that continued to play in high school, with four earning All-Conference honors, one a 3x All-Conference honors and 2x All-State honors, two co-captains and a state champion.
The youth team fought through challenges of being blocked in the youth league due to adult jealous antics and blatant discrimination. One board member fought to have our organization classified as a club team since our team was so good and beat everyone. The same, also attempted to make us split-up our players through multiple teams in their organization. Unfortunately, we played small scrimmage games with empathetic organizations that didn't agree with the decision of 22 year old boys unable to play in the league for a made-up rule. The next year we went back to full league play after arguing our case at a Piedmont Community Lacrosse Association board meeting. That season was rather challenging as well, seeing numerous cases which our youth were subject to racial slurs during games, even negative comments made by some parents. Moving forward a few years of rebuilding youth teams in the underserved market, one thing has been constant: When the team is based within the community for practice, the group flourished. This thought is what has driven the directive for a planning meeting of revamping our strategic approach to building a successful and impactful organization. We want to build to give hope and a future for our youth.
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Partnerships...
WSFCS
Triple-P-Lacrosse has teacher volunteers at certain Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools that perform tutoring twice a week after school along with a Battle of Books program. After these academic sessions, Triple-P-Lacrosse coaches come in for roughly 45 minutes of lacrosse instruction. The aim is to use lacrosse as a launching pad for growth mindset, life skill, dining etiquette and lacrosse training for the underserved community with the help of partners.
Churches
Triple-P-Lacrosse has received gracious prayers from numerous churches. St. Peter's World Outreach Center & Church actually provided practice space for a season. We'd love to build a coalition with churches in the area as a building block of positive interactions for all interested youth.
NAACP
The historic entity that would be great to form a partnership for the development of this program in our community.
Boys' & Girls' Club
Triple-P-Lacrosse performed a clinic at the Reynolds Park Road facility some years ago. The event was well received but a number of families seemed shocked a service was being offered for free. Need to create a connection for future opportunities.
YMCA
I once worked for the Winston Lake Family YMCA and still know the administration. Would love to form an alliance with the YMCA.
Pan Hellenic Council
As a member of one of the member organizations, Triple-P-Lacrosse received assistance from Alpha Phi Alpha in payment of insurance for players on the first team. Additional help was provided by WSSU college brothers with clinics in Happy Hills. A partnership with all fraternities and sororities in this effort would be monumental. In the past, a presentation to Delta Sigma Theta was loved and their idea was to incorporate Triple-P-Lacrosse into part of their national project of mentoring young African American boys. I believe this is a huge area for program support and expansion. All member organizations have similar programs.
Community Organizations
Open to ideas to form partnerships.
Home Base...
Two thousand years ago Gaius Plinius Secundus, a Roman philosopher was said to say the phrase, "home is where the heart is." While it wasn't definite he made this statement, one may find this statement to be true. Growing up in New Jersey my extended family of grandparents, great aunts, uncles, aunts and cousins had one house called "32", that everyone congregated for after school care, Saturdays and every holiday. "32", essentially served as home for all families within the larger family. At "32", all cousins played together, grew up together, did homework, even ate a coordinated meal each day of the week. We can do the same thing with Triple-P-Lacrosse, where the home provides comfort, support, personal growth, family time, lacrosse and personal training of a wide variety for its members. Hopefully, we can find a "32", space that is more than a lacrosse field, but rather a gathering space that everyone can easily access and personal growth is the expectation!
Candidates for 32:
* Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy * Kimberly Park Elementary School
- Historic entity in the community - Great location in community with field and building space
- Home base of first Triple-P-Lacrosse team - Performed well received clinic during Black History month
* Winston-Salem State University * Winston Lake Family YMCA
- Historic entity in the community - Great community space with indoor/outdoor facilities
- Alma mater of founder and influencer - Founder worked at facility for years with current administration
- Established STEM program to partner
* St. Peter's World Outreach Center & Church
- Supportive entity that provided practice space for two years.
- Great community space with indoor/outdoor facilities
Formidable Benefits...
* Life Skill Training * Growth Mindset Training * Lacrosse Training
- Public Speaking - Grit - Skill development
- Decision Making - Development of knowledge - Honor and Joy of game
- Financial Literacy - How to deal with pressure - Become part of a team
- Dining Etiquette
Triple-P-Lacrosse Documents... |
Business Plan Stories
Expense Report - Tewaaraton Winner visits (Heisman of lacrosse) Articles of Incorporation - Monarchs with Duke University - Monarchs with University of North Carolina |
