Who we Are:
The underlying concept is that collaboration is more effective than competition, or ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’ approach is necessary to address Lawrence’s sport and health inequities and build a stronger, more impactful sports, recreation, and sports-based youth development (SBYD) sector. Below is a timeline of that work that continues to “lift more boats.”
The Why?
The Lawrence Sports Leadership Academy, launched in 2016 by Everyone’s A Player and Beyond Soccer alongside city sports leaders, sparked a first-of-its-kind collaborative youth sports movement in Lawrence. What began as a multi-sport leadership camp quickly grew into a network for sharing resources, strategies, and support—helping connect kids not just to sports, but also to college counseling, leadership training, and other enrichment opportunities.
At the same time, it revealed common challenges: rising costs for equipment, insurance, and facilities, and the strain of running programs with limited infrastructure. Despite these barriers, the passion for mentoring young people—and the belief that sports can shape their futures—has driven this collective effort forward.
The Need:
When this collective work started in 2016, it became obvious quickly that a “team approach” was necessary to address the following sport and health inequities, which unfortunately have been exacerbated by the pandemic sidelining sports in most cases for 18 months in Lawrence:
- Only 15% of Lawrence High School’s 3,300 student-body played a sport, and with less than 3% played multiple sports;
- The City ranked last in per capita income among Massachusetts’ 351 cities/towns; and
- It also had the state’s highest childhood obesity rates, at 42%
The Progress:
This Shared Commitment & Fortitude Has Created a Movement that isn’t stopping! Here are some of the following ways LSA has been making a difference. See also Initiatives for some of the key LSA priorities:
EAP & Beyond Soccer “partner up” & plan first multi-sport camp
- LSLA launches in 2016 for 110 kids: 5 sports & Lawrence High School Athletic Department joins
- It grew to 170 kids, 6 sports in 2017
- 250 kids, 6 sports in 2018
- The Lawrence Sports Leadership Collaborative is established
- EAP, Beyond Soccer & Julio Ramos rally LSLC Baseball community, engage in fundraising due to declining #’s
- Red Sox Foundation partnership pursued
- First data collection project
- Training, leadership, and college prep programs launched
- Performance Psychology & Leadership “Chats” reengage youth with Ira Martin
- Engaged in Coalition of Coalitions* monthly calls
- Now Coalitions for Sport Equity
Citywide petition pushes to reopen youth sports (Lawrence is the only Massachusetts city without sports)
Lawrence Sports Leadership Collaborative becomes Lawrence Sports Alliance (LSA)
Online coach trainings sponsored for Members
- No-cost after-school sports sampling for 200+ Arlington School students (5 programs: Serving Stars-tennis, Beyond Soccer, softball/baseball, volleyball, Girls on the Run)
- Official launch of Lawrence RBI with Red Sox Foundation partnership
- $100,000 Red Sox Foundation grant for Howard Park Field Renovation (with Lawrence Recreation Dept.)
- $30,000 Thriving Lawrence Grant to advance LSA initiatives
- & More
- Coordinated with Safe Routes to School to include parks, fields, and recreation spaces in maps
- Co-chaired MHTF Healthy Active Living/Physical Activity Working Group
- Formed the Sports-Based Youth Development Task Force
- Ran 2nd Health Equity Internship (30 youth, 5 orgs)
- Launched research working group with Merrimack, MHTF & Rec Dept.
