Area Lacrosse Clubs Merger Creates Manasota Lacrosse Academy Powerhouse

Jan. 14, 2013 - PRLog -- The Florida lacrosse scene is getting a facelift with four lacrosse clubs – Lakewood Ranch Lightning, Sarasota Seahawks, Pine View High School and Monsters Elite Travel – merging to create the Manasota Lacrosse Academy (MLA), an organization focused on providing an unmatched lacrosse experience for boys and girls in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

The new organization brings unique opportunities for lacrosse players, most notably a long list of coaches with college level experience. MLA’s higher-level lacrosse leadership comes from all around the United States, with coaches who have played at Syracuse, Notre Dame, Michigan State, Virginia Military Institute, Brown University and other universities. Some coaches continue to hone their skills, competing on the Tampa Thunder Men’s Lacrosse Team, holding professional coaching positions at Out of Door Academy, and, in the case of Pete Delisser, as the head coach of the Italian National Lacrosse Team.

“No other lacrosse organization in southwest Florida offers this caliber of coaching,” said Russ Clark, President of Manasota Lacrosse Academy. “Having such a seasoned coaching staff will ultimately pave the way to a higher level of understanding of the game and a better overall experience for our players.”

By combining four respected lacrosse clubs under the MLA umbrella, the organization aims to provide a more consistent learning experience for players seeking to develop proper knowledge and skills for the game. MLA players will learn proper techniques for success, rules, and etiquette surrounding the game and a code of conduct that will serve youth off the field as well. MLA’s goal is to become as competitive as Long Island, Upstate New York and Maryland lacrosse clubs that have gained respect as the top lacrosse areas in the Country.

MLA will cater to parents, as well as players, using resources and tools that allow for more convenience and better communication. Three practice locations – Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Twin Lakes Park and Riverview High School in Sarasota – mean shorter driving distances for all players and parents. A new smartphone app provides instant scheduling updates and live scores during games.

“This new organization will allow MLA to concentrate on better communications with the parents and teams, better organization of practices and events and a better coaching experience overall for players, which leads to better play on the field” said Clark. “We’re very excited to be able to come together to create the Manasota Lacrosse Academy and provide all of these benefits to our area’s young lacrosse players.”

Practice for the spring season began January 7 for the younger teams, but it's not too late for all ages, from 7 to 18 years old, to join by registering at ManasotaLax.com (http://www.ManasotaLax.com). To learn more about MLA, its opportunities and its policies, and to register as a player, please visit ManasotaLax.com (http://www.ManasotaLax.com).

Please direct inquiries to:
Craig Worsham, http://82West.com
941.323.4331  craig@82west.com