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| How a grieving mom achieved her son’s dream: A black college lacrosse team | How a grieving mom achieved her son’s dream: A black college lacrosse team |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| HAMPTON, Va. — The ragtag lacrosse team was scurrying under the lights, and no one seemed to mind that the wind whipping in from the harbor was freezing at dusk, cruelly punishing any exposed skin. | HAMPTON, Va. — The ragtag lacrosse team was scurrying under the lights, and no one seemed to mind that the wind whipping in from the harbor was freezing at dusk, cruelly punishing any exposed skin. |
| “Oh, we jogging today?” the coach barked. “Okay. Game’s on Saturday, but you guys think it’s okay to jog.” Lloyd Carter threw his arms in the air. | “Oh, we jogging today?” the coach barked. “Okay. Game’s on Saturday, but you guys think it’s okay to jog.” Lloyd Carter threw his arms in the air. |
| Truth is, the 57-year-old couldn’t have been happier. Carter was in the final days of preparation for a historic game. His Hampton Pirates will host Roberts Wesleyan on Saturday — and will become the first Division I men’s lacrosse team from a historically black university. ESPN will mark the occasion by airing its two-hour “SportsCenter” live that morning from the Hampton campus as part of its Black History Month programming and will feature the team throughout the show. | Truth is, the 57-year-old couldn’t have been happier. Carter was in the final days of preparation for a historic game. His Hampton Pirates will host Roberts Wesleyan on Saturday — and will become the first Division I men’s lacrosse team from a historically black university. ESPN will mark the occasion by airing its two-hour “SportsCenter” live that morning from the Hampton campus as part of its Black History Month programming and will feature the team throughout the show. |
| “You all want to wait until Sunday to get started, huh?” Carter bellowed at the evening practice earlier this week. “Game’s Saturday. You need to be ready today!” | “You all want to wait until Sunday to get started, huh?” Carter bellowed at the evening practice earlier this week. “Game’s Saturday. You need to be ready today!” |
| [Previewing the D.C. area’s top men’s lacrosse teams] | |
| There were 13 players on the field, which meant a half-dozen or so were missing — at class, at work or just late. But in these early stages, Carter has learned to just be grateful for what he has. The mere existence of Hampton’s unlikely lacrosse program, to him at least, counts as a miracle. The idea was born from a student who died unexpectedly, then championed by that student’s mother and finally endorsed by an ambitious administration. | There were 13 players on the field, which meant a half-dozen or so were missing — at class, at work or just late. But in these early stages, Carter has learned to just be grateful for what he has. The mere existence of Hampton’s unlikely lacrosse program, to him at least, counts as a miracle. The idea was born from a student who died unexpectedly, then championed by that student’s mother and finally endorsed by an ambitious administration. |
| The result is the Pirates, many of whom are still newcomers to the game. Two of the team’s captains, in fact, didn’t even pick up a lacrosse stick until they arrived at Hampton and discovered the school’s intramural team. Senior Jeremy Triplett remembers a friend tossing a lacrosse stick on his bed. | The result is the Pirates, many of whom are still newcomers to the game. Two of the team’s captains, in fact, didn’t even pick up a lacrosse stick until they arrived at Hampton and discovered the school’s intramural team. Senior Jeremy Triplett remembers a friend tossing a lacrosse stick on his bed. |
| “I’m from Chicago, okay? I had never heard of lacrosse, never seen it played, had no inkling of what lacrosse was,” Triplett said. “He threw the stick on my bed, and I looked at it, thinking it was a jacked-up broomstick or something. I didn’t know what it was.” | “I’m from Chicago, okay? I had never heard of lacrosse, never seen it played, had no inkling of what lacrosse was,” Triplett said. “He threw the stick on my bed, and I looked at it, thinking it was a jacked-up broomstick or something. I didn’t know what it was.” |
| [After concussions kept her off the court, GW player wants to help others deal with them] | |
| Despite its centuries-old Native American roots, the fast-growing sport today has a reputation as an elitist, costly endeavor that has struggled to make inroads among minorities. | Despite its centuries-old Native American roots, the fast-growing sport today has a reputation as an elitist, costly endeavor that has struggled to make inroads among minorities. |
| Participation among African Americans has increased in recent years, but the sport remains predominantly white. According to the NCAA’s participation data, nearly 86 percent of men’s college lacrosse players last year were white, compared with 3.5 percent black. Five years ago, 91.4 percent of men’s players were white and only 2.2 were black. All of the Pirates players are African American. | Participation among African Americans has increased in recent years, but the sport remains predominantly white. According to the NCAA’s participation data, nearly 86 percent of men’s college lacrosse players last year were white, compared with 3.5 percent black. Five years ago, 91.4 percent of men’s players were white and only 2.2 were black. All of the Pirates players are African American. |
| Morgan State was the last HBCU to field a men’s team, but that squad disbanded 35 years ago. While Howard and Delaware State feature women’s programs, Hampton surprised many last year when it decided to elevate its men’s club team to the Division I level. | Morgan State was the last HBCU to field a men’s team, but that squad disbanded 35 years ago. While Howard and Delaware State feature women’s programs, Hampton surprised many last year when it decided to elevate its men’s club team to the Division I level. |
| Michael Crawford had much more modest goals when he started his campaign 5 1/2 years ago. He was a Hampton senior who learned the sport while attending an all-boys boarding school in Connecticut. His proposal to school administrators was dated Sept. 17, 2010. | Michael Crawford had much more modest goals when he started his campaign 5 1/2 years ago. He was a Hampton senior who learned the sport while attending an all-boys boarding school in Connecticut. His proposal to school administrators was dated Sept. 17, 2010. |
| “We are proposing a new club/sport of Lacrosse for Hampton University,” it began. He outlined the history of the sport, potential players on campus and a leadership structure. “We feel confident this gives the University an opportunity to demonstrate to our alumni, corporate donors, and potential new students that Hampton is about embracing change and continually add to our programs,” Crawford wrote. | “We are proposing a new club/sport of Lacrosse for Hampton University,” it began. He outlined the history of the sport, potential players on campus and a leadership structure. “We feel confident this gives the University an opportunity to demonstrate to our alumni, corporate donors, and potential new students that Hampton is about embracing change and continually add to our programs,” Crawford wrote. |
| His proposal didn’t have time to gain much momentum. Three months later, Crawford was home in Brooklyn for winter break when his family found him unresponsive in his bedroom. He’d gone into cardiac arrest, the victim of an enlarged heart that had gone undiagnosed. He was 21. | His proposal didn’t have time to gain much momentum. Three months later, Crawford was home in Brooklyn for winter break when his family found him unresponsive in his bedroom. He’d gone into cardiac arrest, the victim of an enlarged heart that had gone undiagnosed. He was 21. |
| Barely a month after her son’s death, Verina Mathis-Crawford unearthed the lacrosse proposal in her email. She felt it was a part of her son’s life that was left unfinished, and she began researching ways she could pick up the torch. | Barely a month after her son’s death, Verina Mathis-Crawford unearthed the lacrosse proposal in her email. She felt it was a part of her son’s life that was left unfinished, and she began researching ways she could pick up the torch. |
| “I had very little knowledge about lacrosse,” she said. “I was just a mom who was still grieving and trying to pick up the pieces to something that was important to her son.” | “I had very little knowledge about lacrosse,” she said. “I was just a mom who was still grieving and trying to pick up the pieces to something that was important to her son.” |
| Mathis-Crawford knew an essential piece would be a coach, so she logged on to Google and entered the search words “black,” “lacrosse” and “coach.” Carter’s name was atop the search results. She found a phone number and called Carter. As she recounted her son’s story, both Mathis-Crawford and Carter were in tears. The coach finally interrupted her. | Mathis-Crawford knew an essential piece would be a coach, so she logged on to Google and entered the search words “black,” “lacrosse” and “coach.” Carter’s name was atop the search results. She found a phone number and called Carter. As she recounted her son’s story, both Mathis-Crawford and Carter were in tears. The coach finally interrupted her. |
| “Mrs. Crawford, do you believe in God?” Carter recalls asking. | “Mrs. Crawford, do you believe in God?” Carter recalls asking. |
| “Yeah,” she told him. | “Yeah,” she told him. |
| “Well, God had you call the right person.” | “Well, God had you call the right person.” |
| Carter had played lacrosse at Morgan State, a key part of the last competitive men’s team at an HBCU. More recently, he helped run a nonprofit organization in Baltimore called Blax Lax (slogan: Stix in da Hood) that focused on introducing the sport and creating opportunities for young black lacrosse players. | Carter had played lacrosse at Morgan State, a key part of the last competitive men’s team at an HBCU. More recently, he helped run a nonprofit organization in Baltimore called Blax Lax (slogan: Stix in da Hood) that focused on introducing the sport and creating opportunities for young black lacrosse players. |
| Carter agreed to help in any way possible to get a club team off the ground, which meant for the next couple of years, he commuted every weekend from Baltimore to Hampton, a six-hour round-trip drive, to run practices and recruit players on campus. He eventually retired from his job as an EMS for the Baltimore fire department and found a teaching gig near Hampton. That allowed him to move permanently to Virginia in August 2013 and fully immerse himself in Hampton lacrosse. | Carter agreed to help in any way possible to get a club team off the ground, which meant for the next couple of years, he commuted every weekend from Baltimore to Hampton, a six-hour round-trip drive, to run practices and recruit players on campus. He eventually retired from his job as an EMS for the Baltimore fire department and found a teaching gig near Hampton. That allowed him to move permanently to Virginia in August 2013 and fully immerse himself in Hampton lacrosse. |
| “We had to build this from dirt,” Carter said earlier this week. | “We had to build this from dirt,” Carter said earlier this week. |
| Mathis-Crawford rented an apartment in nearby Newport News and flew down from New York every weekend for club meetings, team practices and to court school administrators. They applied for grant money to purchase equipment, pleaded with school officials for a place to practice, worked with other schools on scheduling and joined a league of fellow intramural teams. | Mathis-Crawford rented an apartment in nearby Newport News and flew down from New York every weekend for club meetings, team practices and to court school administrators. They applied for grant money to purchase equipment, pleaded with school officials for a place to practice, worked with other schools on scheduling and joined a league of fellow intramural teams. |
| “It was a challenge, quite frankly, but you got to keep screaming,” Mathis-Crawford says, “as diplomatically as possible.” | “It was a challenge, quite frankly, but you got to keep screaming,” Mathis-Crawford says, “as diplomatically as possible.” |
| Under Carter’s direction, the team played club games against other schools and heard rumors from time to time about the future of the program. They’d joke about which actors would portray which players in Hollywood adaptations of their story, but they were surprised when Hampton President William Harvey announced last spring that lacrosse would be elevated to a Division I sport. It seemed to happen so quickly. Carter was teaching his EMS course at the area community college one evening when his players started congratulating him on his new job as a Division I coach. That’s how he received the news. | Under Carter’s direction, the team played club games against other schools and heard rumors from time to time about the future of the program. They’d joke about which actors would portray which players in Hollywood adaptations of their story, but they were surprised when Hampton President William Harvey announced last spring that lacrosse would be elevated to a Division I sport. It seemed to happen so quickly. Carter was teaching his EMS course at the area community college one evening when his players started congratulating him on his new job as a Division I coach. That’s how he received the news. |
| “I had to give the class a break. I said, ‘You all take 10 minutes,’ ” Carter recalled, “because I was welling up.” | “I had to give the class a break. I said, ‘You all take 10 minutes,’ ” Carter recalled, “because I was welling up.” |
| The nascent stages of the modest program bear little resemblance to most top-tier programs. The team hopes to soon have a locker room; for now players gather in a dormitory lounge for team meetings and borrow space from the football team to review film. Carter’s office is in Room 112 of James Hall, the freshman dorm, not far from a sign in the entryway that reads, “Please remove hoodies and hats.” The linoleum tile is new and the office still smells like fresh paint. On a shelf, a Bible is opened to 2 Timothy. | The nascent stages of the modest program bear little resemblance to most top-tier programs. The team hopes to soon have a locker room; for now players gather in a dormitory lounge for team meetings and borrow space from the football team to review film. Carter’s office is in Room 112 of James Hall, the freshman dorm, not far from a sign in the entryway that reads, “Please remove hoodies and hats.” The linoleum tile is new and the office still smells like fresh paint. On a shelf, a Bible is opened to 2 Timothy. |
| Carter struck a deal with Under Armour and received discounted cleats, apparel, pads, jerseys, sticks and helmets. The team has a volunteer assistant coach, and Carter hopes to have some scholarship money available in the fall, which he would likely divide and divvy out small portions to several players. | Carter struck a deal with Under Armour and received discounted cleats, apparel, pads, jerseys, sticks and helmets. The team has a volunteer assistant coach, and Carter hopes to have some scholarship money available in the fall, which he would likely divide and divvy out small portions to several players. |
| Mostly, the program consists of Carter and his eager novice players, a roster of unpolished athletes that he’s slowly turning into lacrosse players. | Mostly, the program consists of Carter and his eager novice players, a roster of unpolished athletes that he’s slowly turning into lacrosse players. |
| “They want to watch YouTube videos and highlights of guys shooting 300 miles an hour,” Carter said. “I tell ’em, ‘Nah, that’s not helping you. You need to work on the basic skills, being able to catch and throw, finish when the opportunity comes and play relaxed.’ ” | “They want to watch YouTube videos and highlights of guys shooting 300 miles an hour,” Carter said. “I tell ’em, ‘Nah, that’s not helping you. You need to work on the basic skills, being able to catch and throw, finish when the opportunity comes and play relaxed.’ ” |
| Programs across the country have taken notice. Hampton is the 70th Division I school to field a men’s lacrosse team. Carter hopes other HBCUs follow suit and other teams are able to expand their recruiting scope. | Programs across the country have taken notice. Hampton is the 70th Division I school to field a men’s lacrosse team. Carter hopes other HBCUs follow suit and other teams are able to expand their recruiting scope. |
| “I think as a sport we want to grow,” said Maryland Coach John Tillman, who has led his squad to the Final Four each of the past two years. “We want to get to every area possible and every college possible and also to every geographic region. So I think this is important.” | “I think as a sport we want to grow,” said Maryland Coach John Tillman, who has led his squad to the Final Four each of the past two years. “We want to get to every area possible and every college possible and also to every geographic region. So I think this is important.” |
| The Pirates will play a half-dozen games against Division I and II teams and then pad out their inaugural schedule against more familiar club teams. Players know there will be growing pains. The team was shut out in a scrimmage against Richmond two weeks ago but still walked away encouraged. | The Pirates will play a half-dozen games against Division I and II teams and then pad out their inaugural schedule against more familiar club teams. Players know there will be growing pains. The team was shut out in a scrimmage against Richmond two weeks ago but still walked away encouraged. |
| “We know we’re not gonna be the best team right away,” said senior Darrel Kidd. “We’re not gonna be Johns Hopkins winning a national championships our first year. I think the whole team realizes that. But we also have to realize there’s a reason we’re here and we’re laying the foundation for this program to grow into something great.” | “We know we’re not gonna be the best team right away,” said senior Darrel Kidd. “We’re not gonna be Johns Hopkins winning a national championships our first year. I think the whole team realizes that. But we also have to realize there’s a reason we’re here and we’re laying the foundation for this program to grow into something great.” |