Coast Guard Academy coach hopes new lacrosse clinics fill void for girls
Part of program focuses on bonding, confidence and self-esteem training
New London — Hoping to fill a void in lacrosse clinics for young girls, the head coach of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s women’s team began hosting her own this summer.
To manage the clinics, which are designed for girls aged 6 to 14, Mary Heneberry started a business called Build Up Lacrosse early this year. She has hosted two clinics so far — one each in June and July — and has another planned for Aug. 14-15.
So far, each clinic has had 20 girls attend.
Heneberry said that when the Coast Guard Academy hosted a free, all-sports clinic in February, she heard from many parents that opportunities for their daughters outside of recreation leagues were slim, especially at entry level.
Heneberry’s clinics thus focus on introductory lacrosse fundamentals and require no experience.
“I heard from many parents that opportunities for their daughters were limited,” Heneberry said. “They were wondering how to get their kids interested without committing to a league.”
Being in a military community, Build Up Lacrosse also tries to accommodate families who move around a lot. Heneberry said the clinics last two days rather than a full week, and her business offers discounts for military families as well as families with multiple children who want to participate.
The first half of each 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. clinic day is spent on drill practice and fundamentals, while the
second half covers bonding, confidence and self-esteem training.
The idea to include self-esteem exercises came from Heneberry’s coaching experiences.
“A 6-year-old is not much different than a 20-year-old,” Heneberry said, elaborating that her two groups deal with the same self-esteem issues.
Heneberry said many of the confidence exercises for the girls are ones she uses with her own team, including fostering open communication and finding themes of inclusivity.
Heneberry recruited her assistant coach, Kayla Schroeher, and USCGA Programs Coordinator Alex Eames to help kick start her idea. Schroeher serves as the assistant coach of the clinic and designs drill practices tailored to each experience level. Eames, the director of operations, uses his background as a USCGA summer camp coordinator to set up the camp for the day.
Heneberry and her crew have fronted most of the money for the clinics themselves, buying custom lacrosse shirts and renting the Wide World of Indoor Sports in Oakdale as needed. Several of her players volunteer their time to help set up the clinics and assist with drills.
The cost to attend each clinic is $225, which includes access to the trampoline park adjacent to the sports complex. The first 25 to register pay only $190. Those interested in registering can do so online at bit.ly/BULacrosseCT. Families have until Aug. 12 to register for this month’s clinic.
Heneberry said her staff is primarily female to give the girls adult role models and feelings of empowerment. She and Schroeher said they teach the girls how to celebrate their differences and how to be a teammate on the field and a friend off it.
One parent, Tracy Underwood, said her daughter, Allison, will attend the August clinic — her third time participating. Underwood said Allison’s experience has been positive and she has come home excited to share her skills.
When asked about her favorite part of the camp, Allison said “it was easy to make friends,” despite being the only attendee from Guilford.
Heneberry said the clinic plans to donate $500 of its proceeds to whichever local youth league sends the most participants to Build Up Lacrosse clinics, and that she wants to continue the clinics through the winter and spring seasons.
Eames stressed the importance of Build Up Lacrosse being a local business that supports other businesses and small sports programs.
“These are local coaches and local youth athletes in a homegrown southeastern Connecticut program,” Eames said.
Build Up Lacrosse is not directly affiliated with the United States Coast Guard Academy.