Bay Area lacrosse fans were treated this year to another fall ball game between two premier teams: The storied Johns Hopkins Blue Jays and the national champion runner-up, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

This is the second year of the San Francisco Lacrosse Classic (click here for a quick recap of last year). While the inaugural year was a huge success, the second year built upon that success with higher attendance. Exact attendance figures are still being tallied, but early estimates suggest a 20% rise in attendance, up to 6,000 this year. 

The benefactor of the event was the Bay Area Youth Sports (BAYS) Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization in the Bay Area. Because of the 2009 SF Lacrosse Classic, the BAYS Foundation was able to fund, to the tune of $50,000, five innovative programs in the Bay Area that create opportunities and increase access for low income children to participate in organized sports and educational programs (click here to learn more). Organizers of the 2010 SF Lacrosse Classic are optimistic that this year they will meet or even exceed that amount for 2010. (Of interest to IL readers, one program funded in 2009 was ‘Lacrosse for LIFE’ which “provides year-round youth lacrosse and enrichment programs in under-served communities in San Francisco.”)

Typically when I travel for lacrosse I’m traveling with a team (UNC or Duke). This year was different though as I don’t have a rapport with either team; so for this post I don’t have any behind-the-scenes photos as the teams traveled around and experienced San Francisco. But there was plenty of excitement the day of the event to report on and photograph.

The event kicked-off with a kids clinic for 120 local youth. The coaches of the event were the student-athletes from Hopkins and Notre Dame. Whenever these student-athletes work with youth and coach them, I’m always impressed with how engaged they are with the kids and truly enjoy the experience. Athletes from both schools were giving one-on-one instructions with the youth and giving pointers whenever they could. Andrew Cote from Hopkins especially seemed to have a great time working with the kids and gave them his undivided attention (he almost had his lacrosse stick taken hostage as well). While the kids clinic was being held, a coaches clinic was also underway with 60 local high school and youth coaches. These coaching sessions were taught by two masterminds of our sport, Coaches Pietramala and Corrigan. Together, the youth and coach’s clinic go a long way to building stronger lacrosse programs: The youth learned stick and other skills to make them better players. The local coaches learned techniques and strategies they can take back to their teams and create better players. 

The game itself started at 3pm and was under control by Corrigan’s Irish for the majority of the game. Greg Angilly has already written about the game itself so I’ll differ you to his post for more details.

After the game the players signed autographs for all the kids in the audience. They then packed their buses and headed for Gott’s Roadside Restaurant in the Ferry Building for dinner. The BAYS Foundation reserved the entire restaurant and the athletes were able to order what they wanted off the menu. 

In short, the athletes from the two schools had a great time and lifetime experience playing in San Francisco. With its many attractions including Alcatraz, the athletes had a chance to experience a unique American city. Certainly it is not often that D1 men’s lacrosse athletes will find themselves playing in California. From the youth clinic to eating dinner out on the bay, they all seemed to really enjoy themselves.

Stayed tuned to hearing more about the SF Lacrosse Classic for 2011. The teams have not been finalized but fans can be assured of the organizers bringing in two quality teams for Bay Area residents to watch. Also, if you want to learn more about the BAYS Foundation, or are considering a donation to support their mission, click here.

Here is a link to over 1,000 photos I took of the event. A select few are below also. Sorry that the Notre Dame players are uncaptioned; I was unable to get a fall roster. If anyone from the program wants to email me names for the photos below, I will be happy to update the captions.

--Peyton Williams is a freelance photographer for Inside Lacrosse and is based out of Chapel Hill, NC. You can follow him on Twitter or email him.

Andrew Cote with a very excited youth during the clinic.

Just as the local youth soaked up knowledge from the student-athletes...

...the local youth and high school coaches soaked up knowledge from Coaches Pietramala and Corrigan. 

A Notre Dame athlete works with the kids during the clinic.

Coach Corrigan talked to the youth about the importance of hard work both on and off the field. 

A Notre Dame athlete shakes the hand of every youth after the clinic.

Hopkins players at the after-game dinner at Gott's Roadside in the Ferry Building. All you can eat burgers and shakes? Yes!

Want more? Here is a link to over 1,000 photos from the event.

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