Two big rivalry games worth mentioning (amongst many others) will take place this weekend in The Mayor’s Cup.  On Saturday, April 9th at 12:20 p.m. the girls from Beach Channel High School take on the girls from Chapin High School on Field 1.

Then on Sunday, April 10th at 1:30 p.m. the boys from Horace Mann High School play the boys from Iona Prep on Field 3.

The big lacrosse event is produced by NYC & Company, in conjunction with CityLax, and all of the Invitational Lacrosse games will be thirty minutes long with 44 girls’ games scheduled for Saturday, April 9th from 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., and 40 boys’ games on Sunday, April 10th from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

All of the games will be played at the Harlem River Event Fields and Field 10 on Randalls Island.

The NYC Mayor’s Cup series, which encompasses a variety of sports events throughout the year, is produced by NYC & Company, the City’s marketing, tourism and partnership organization. For more info on the NYC Mayor’s Cup series and to view the schedule of games, visit www.nycmayorscup.com.

Hope to see you there, and let us know if you can make it via facebook (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114395171970843&index=1)

For more information or ticketing, visit http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1213358187.

Citylax’s Whirlwind Winter Wonder continues with our FREE CityLax Winter Lacrosse Clinics starting up again this weekend (January 8-9) per the schedule posted on the PSAL website.

Coaches — please again make a concerted effort to get your players to attend these sessions.   They will be so much better prepared when the regular season starts March 1!  The work we put in now cements wins in the future!

We DO have one important change:  The clinic in Brooklyn at Midwood HS’s athletic complex Sunday, 12-2PM, January 9 has been cancelled due to a boiler breakdown at the field.  They are working to fix the problem so for now we are only canceling this session.  But until further notice, no clinics can be conducted at Midwood.

Unless we can get another field in Brooklyn (or until the Midwood field is ok to use again), our plan as of right now will be to have all Brooklyn/Midwood clinic participants (players and coaches) go to the Saturday clinics at Long Island City HS in Queens, starting Saturday January 15.  This will be reconfirmed next week.

We hope playing conditions for both Saturday and Sunday will hold up and we can have the sessions.  However, we strongly urge everyone to follow the procedures outlined below!

Going forward, IF weather forecasts or existing conditions on the morning of the clinic indicate a question as to whether or not we can play (severely cold temps, torrential downpour/lightning/thunder, and/or snow/ice on field or on roads), people should do the following to learn of the decision of “go” or “no go” with the clinic for that day:

• Call the CityLax HOTLINE 2 hours before the session is to start and you will hear “cancellation” or  “clinic is on despite weather”.  The number is: 212-613-5466.As long as the clinics are still on, we look forward to seeing everyone this weekend and hope you’ve been working on your stick skills!  This dude has stick skills.  How do you rank up?

The boys huddle up for a break.

The time spent working on skills and playing the game during the coldest months, even if it is on concrete surfaces, will pay huge dividends come Spring time.  I also love seeing all the dyed heads, mesh and colorful shooting strings out there!  I think it means you’re having fun with the sport, and that is the point!  Keep up the good work across the City and if you have photos you want to see posted on the Citylax website, send them over to connor@lacrosseallstars.com!

Working a little roll dodge action.

Overhand! Excellent form!

Playing D with your feet! Text book!!

It's all about that stick protection!

Thanks to Grant Hewitt for the wonderful pictures!!

For the 5^th consecutive year, CityLax, a not-for-profit partner with the PSAL, will organize, staff, and conduct FREE weekend pre-season lacrosse clinics for boys and girls during mid-December through late February.  The schedule is listed below and will be posted on the PSAL website shortly.

We will stage these clinics at a PSAL high school site in each borough to make it convenient for as many players and coaches as possible to attend.  Our CityLax Volunteer coaches are all former college players (many All-Americans) who now work in the New York area and are willing to give back to the game of lacrosse.  In a sport where one usually has to pay substantial fees for this type of coaching, the kids will receive excellent instruction from a passionate group of men and women who believe in furthering the CityLax mission of growing the game of lacrosse in New York City public schools.

The positive impact these clinics have had on PSAL lacrosse development has been well documented.  They are a great opportunity for a school to introduce the game to 9^th and 10^th graders who have not played lacrosse and to have returning players hone their skills before the spring season starts on March 1st.  Plus the kids will receive superb instruction from top players and great role models.

Please come on out, brave the cold and become a better lacrosse player!

Boys and girls players attending Queens schools–LI City HS Field, 14-30 BROADWAY Queens NY 11106 (Subway:  N,W to Broadway stop); 12-2PM.

Boys and girls attending Brooklyn schools—Midwood HS Field, Midwood HS Athletic Complex, EAST 17^th ST between AVE K & AVE L, Brooklyn NY, 11230 (Subway:  Q – E16th Street and Ave J-Brooklyn College stop)

Boys (only) attending Bronx schools—Lehman HS Field and Columbus HS Field;  Lehman, 3000 E TREMONT AVENUE Bronx NY 10461 (Subway #2 & 5 Trains, Farms Sq/East Tremont Av Stop); Columbus, 925 ASTOR AVENUE Bronx NY 10469 (Subway:  2,5 Pelham Parkway Stop)

Boys and Girls attending Manhattan schools—Frederick Douglass Academy (Gym and Outside), 2581 ADAM CLAYTON POWELL JR. BLVD. New York NY 10039 (Subway: #3 Train, 148^th Street Stop)

Boys and Girls attending Staten Island schools—Curtis HS Field, 105 HAMILTON AVENUE Staten Island NY 10301

Citylax will be there so come on out, get some exercise and play some lacrosse!  Doesn’t get any better than that!!!!

Get out there and volunteer!

AP Randolph will be entering its 5^th year of PSAL Varsity competition; Columbus will be playing its 4^th season.

The AP Randolph meeting was for both boys and girls teams.  Coach Jaclyn Bruce of the girls team conducted the meeting with support from Assistant Principal Gerry Menegatos.  AP Randoph was the first program started up by CityLax, and Mat says, ” it’s always to great feeling for me to return to the school”.

Boys Coach Ulises Pena will be seeking to replace strong a senior class that helped the team makes it first ever PSAL Playoff appearance.  Back on the ladies side, Coach Bruce has a very good group of returning players (now juniors and seniors) who were very helpful in getting people to attend the meeting.  Mat hopes both teams will be sending a solid group to participate in the Winter Clinics at Frederick Douglass Academy!

Mat also reports that

“at the Columbus meeting, Coach Victor Arroyo was quick to point out that, as defending PSAL Boys Champion, there will be a big target on the team’s back, as the other PSAL powerhouses like Midwood and New Dorp, look to dethrone Columbus.  The boys attending the meeting were very serious about the task at hand and said they were all looking forward to the CityLax Winter clinics to help them prepare for their title defense.   I was able to speak a few words and reminded the Columbus team to think about the great winning tradition they have build in such a short period of time and to keep in mind that much of their recent success was based on the guys that made up the very first team in 2007 and who have graduated.   This is a hardworking group and I think they will not rest on their laurels.  We also talked about getting the group together and attending the Big City Classic on April 3.  The first game of the Triple Header is between Rutgers and St. Johns.  Former Columbus start middie Billy Nguyen is a Freshman on the St. Johns team.  The Columbus team plans to attend the game dressed in their team warm-ups to cheer Billy and his team on.”

Sounds like things are moving in the right direction for these both of these programs!  We’ll be reporting back with more updates as they come in.  If you have something you would like to see posted, feel free to send it in!

Billy Nguyen in action back at Columbus. Photo courtesy NY Post.

Photo of Billy Nguyen courtesy NY Post

Some game action? Nice form, fellas!

Random Wall Ball Video!  With hand ball courts all over the City, getting in enough wall ball should never be an issue!

Nice, hard drive behind the cage!

A little throwback to 2007!

Not afraid to dodge!

Get out there and volunteer!

If you live in or around New York City and want to get more involved, please let us know!  The best way to do that is to sign up through our Volunteer’s Page!  It’s quick and easy and could lead to the most rewarding experience of your life!