SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Learning a new sport is always fun, and the students at Pacific Beach Middle School are learning lacrosse.
The kids have the perfect instructors to learn from, as members of the San Diego Seals are teaching the sport as a part of the national Elevate28 Program.
"We are trying to show them what it's like to suit up like us and learn the fundamentals of lacrosse. The kids are enjoying it, which is good because lacrosse is a difficult game. They are starting to get the hang of it," said Seals defenseman Zack Deaken.
Lacrosse has traditionally been an east coast sport but little by little it's starting to gain momentum out west. For these kids. it's their first taste of the game.
"I just knew that there were goalies and you could like body people and stuff," said 8th grader James Atic.
"I didn't know how to play completely but I was expecting there to be these kinds of racquets and stuff and there were goalies," said 8th grader Jackie Kottke.
Through the Elevate28 program, the Seals are providing 15 middle schools around San Diego with lacrosse kits that include sticks, balls, and goals. Each school's physical education
teachers will be given a curriculum to teach their students the game.
"We concentrate a lot on teamwork," said Pacific Beach Middle School teacher Jennifer Henehan. "This fits right into our standards where they are learning how to work together, work on a team, and work with people of different abilities."
With the professionals on the schoolyard teaching the game, these kids will learn a brand new sport while at the same time, the Seals will gain some exposure.I
"It's definitely growing, which is a good thing, it's all we can ask for, and joining the Olympics is a big part," said Deaken.
"It's really important for us to introduce as many sports as possible to students and to have professional athletes come out and make that introduction even more exciting," says Henehan.
Lacrosse will make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028
