A group of teenage lacrosse players is attempting to help make the sport more inclusive. The six lacrosse players are students at Roslyn High School from Long Island, New York, who have started an organization called Lacrosse My Heart. The organization recently raised money for the Long Island Hammerheads, a wheelchair lacrosse team. Joe Slaninka is a member of the Long Island Hammerheads who spoke to Fox News about the money the team received from Lacrosse My Heart.
"There are not a lot of great fundraising opportunities for us, so when organizations like [Lacrosse My Heart] come to us and say, ‘Hey, we want to help you out and do something,’ it’s huge,” Joe told the outlet.
According to the Lacrosse My Heart website, the organization is "dedicated to making lacrosse accessible to individuals of all abilities."
The group of six students aims to achieve its goal by "[raising] funds and awareness to support inclusive initiatives within the sport."
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One of the student athletes told Fox News that he and his friends who started the organization have been playing lacrosse since they were about 5 years old, and they want to share their love for the sport with others.
On February 25, 2024, the Long Island Hammerheads posted on Facebook to share that their team received $5,000 from Lacrosse My Heart.
The Long Island Hammerheads also appreciate the exposure that their team has gotten because of the donation they received from the high school group.
In a Facebook post, they thanked the students for helping them show people that "lacrosse can be played by everyone with all abilities!!"
The Long Island Hammerheads is one of more than a dozen Wheelchair Lacrosse USA teams. According to its website, Wheelchair Lacrosse USA started in 2010.
According to the website, "Wheelchair lacrosse is an extremely diverse and inclusive game played by men and women of all ages and abilities."
Wheelchair Lacrosse USA promotes wheelchair lacrosse as a way for people with disabilities to be physically active.
Wheelchair lacrosse is similar to a traditional game of lacrosse. The adaption of the sport draws inspiration from field and box lacrosse with some adjustments.
"The WLUSA playing rules are nearly identical to a game of field or box lacrosse — we just use wheelchairs!," the WLUSA website explains.
