Approximately 40 kids between the ages of 6 and 16 attended a lacrosse clinic at the Choctaw Cultural center. As a part of National Celebrate Lacrosse Week, USA Lacrosse offered the free experience at locations throughout the country.
USA Lacrosse offers free ‘Pick Up and Play’ stickball and lacrosse clinic to local youth
By Shelia Kirven
December 1, 2022
Pick Up and Play, a youth lacrosse and stickball clinic, was held on November 10 at the Choctaw Cultural Center in Durant. As a part of National Celebrate Lacrosse Week, USA Lacrosse offered the free experience at locations throughout the country.
Approximately 40 youths ages 6-16 signed up and traveled to the three-hour clinic from areas such as Dallas and Tulsa. Participants were taught the fundamentals of lacrosse and stickball, enjoyed watching exhibitions and participated in playing.
Mike Delloro, Durant Lacrosse Association coach, said that USA Lacrosse celebrates Indigenous people and the roots of lacrosse being native to the northern tribes, Canada and upstate New York. USA Lacrosse was founded in 1998.
“We appreciate the opportunity to showcase lacrosse and stickball; these sports have Native ties, and the collegiate scholarship opportunities are substantial. More and more colleges are considering the sport of lacrosse as a new sport to offer. Now is a great time for newer players to learn lacrosse and enjoy some of the similarities to stickball,” Delloro commented.
Mekiah Carey helps a group of boys work on their ground game at the free lacrosse clinic.
Durant’s lacrosse team is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was founded in 2015. Delloro said that up to ninety-six percent of participants have chances for college scholarships in lacrosse after participating. Senior Mekiah Carey is one of them.
“I’ve been playing stickball since I was little when I came to Durant. Coach Mike found me and said I was a really good stickball player, and when he showed me how to play lacrosse,” said Carey, “it was really similar, and I felt in love with it.”
Carey has already received several offers to play at universities in Texas and Kansas.
“Mekiah is a fantastic lacrosse player; her stickball skills have propelled her to be one of her class’s top recruits. Mekiah was a part of our Texas summer travel team that climbed to No. 5 in the national rankings,” Delloro said. “Her speed, tenacity, toughness and awareness are why she is being recruited to play lacrosse in college. We are proud that she represents the Choctaw Nation and Durant Lacrosse.”
To learn more about the sport and get involved, follow Durant Lacrosse on Instagram or Facebook.