Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/26/12
The Philadelphia Wings announced that they will be holding their first ever Wings Youth Lacrosse Camp Series hosted by The Shipley School, at their new turf field complex in Gladwyne July 16-19. The Wings’ camp series is part of their commitment to serve and support the lacrosse community in the greater Philadelphia and South Jersey area.
“It is important for the Philadelphia Wings to continue to strengthen their relationships with youth lacrosse and the rapidly expanding lacrosse community. Many of our regions’ top coaches at all levels are former Wings players and coaches,” said Michael French, Wings Co-Owner and President. “We have also joined forces with two rapidly expanding local organizations, Bryn Mawr Trust and Evolve IP who, along with Reebok, have partnered with us to launch our camp initiative. We are proud of our sponsors who have a keen understanding about the lacrosse community in Philly and who share our vision for a grass roots connection with lacrosse families.”
The Wings have appointed three of their star players, Dan Dawson, Brodie Merrill and Kevin Crowley as camp directors for the 2012 series. Dawson and Crowley will head up this summer’s camp for boys in grades 3-8 which will run for four days, July 16-19, from 9:00am-3:00pm. The camp will offer quality skill development under the direct instruction of the top players in the game and provide youth campers with a very memorable summer lacrosse camp experience.
Widely regarded as the best box lacrosse player in the world, All Star Dawson is a 2009 NLL MVP and just last week tied the Wings all-time highest points in a single-season tallying 100 points to-date. Merrill is a two-time NLL Transition Player of the Year and also stars for the Hamilton Nationals of the Major League Lacrosse.
Crowley was the number one overall pick in both the MLL and NLL drafts after playing four years for Stony Brook where he was the 2010 College Player of the Year plus the only player in Stony Brook history to record 100 or more goals and assists.
The Wings camp will be the premier camp this summer, offering area youth players on the field and box versions of the game. This “hybrid” model will benefit players in many ways, including raising lacrosse “IQ” and teaching alternative strategies rather than just running basic drills. There will also be goalie-specific instruction to further develop the crucial skills of those players guarding the cage.
“I’m truly excited to be involved in contributing to the growth of lacrosse in the Philly area,” says Dawson. “Continuing my relationship with Reebok and the Philly Wings ownership group into the summer is also exciting for me. The best part of my job, other than winning and being with the team, is sharing my passion with young, energetic, hard-working players. Instructing in high caliber camps like the Philly Wings camp offered this summer allows me to share my passion with our sports’ future. I can’t wait to meet all the players!”
”What sets this camp apart from other summer lacrosse camps is that the Wings players will actually be conducting the majority of instruction,” adds Wings Co-Owner Brad Brewster. “This is not a drive-by visit from the pros but a chance to actually work with them throughout the day on a personal level. We also feel the ‘hybrid’ model is very relevant given the recent attention on American lacrosse players learning the indoor or ‘box’ game to acquire a similar skill set as their Canadian counterparts coming to US colleges to play.”
Said Crowley: “I am excited to be a part of this camp and look forward to teaching young lacrosse players in the Philly area the skills that have helped me be successful in my lacrosse career. The Shipley School facilities are second to none and will really add to each player’s experience at this camp.”
All levels of players are welcome and instruction will be customized for player experience and age. Camp enrollment is limited to 150 players total and is expected to sell out quickly. For more information and how to register, visit: www.wingslacrossecamps.com.
