The New York State Regional Championships will be running for the first time ever this Summer, and while a lot of people have reasonable doubts about a new event, this one isn’t exactly “new”. Sure, the guys running it are different, the set up is different, and it’s not exactly the old Empire Games, but it’s the same format, and this event has the potential to be a great one.
In the interest of full disclosure, and as you’ll see below, I am personally involved here in helping to direct the NYC Region for the New York State Regional Championships. Why did I get involved? Because I see the potential! New York has great talent, a ton of different regions playing the game, and this event presents an opportunity to showcase all that talent, for kids to have some fun, and for the pressures of the club world to fall away for a weekend, as kids simply focus on representing their region, and themselves.
Every player I know who played in the old Empire Games, or the more recent version of them, had a good experience. They got better, played great games, met new friends, and some even got some college opportunities out of it all. I know the same can happen here, and while it’s year one still, I have high hopes for what is to come.
Below, you can see a press release written up by Joel Censer of Harlem Lacrosse, which explains the event a little bit more, and how kids across the state of New York can get involved.
For more info, visit nysrlacrosse.com.
New York State Regional Championships – NEW for 2018!
Harlem Lacrosse is proud to announce their support and involvement in the New York State Regional Championships (NYSR) this summer where they will work alongside other city lacrosse partners to support the New York City region and make the event a success.
Created by For Love of the Game’s (FLG) Mike and Corey Winkoff, the NYSR Championships
resembles the former “Empire Games” and will be a tournament-style format for the top amateur
New York State residents. The Championships will take place in Tuesday, July 24th & Wednesday, July 25th , 2018 at Binghamton University.
There will be four competitive teams (Graduating years: 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019) from each of the eight regions competing. The regions for the NYSR Championships include Adirondack, Central, NYC, Nassau County Long Island, Suffolk County Long Island, Parochial Long Island, Hudson Valley, & Western.
The event will be crucial to continue to develop “the spirit of collaboration” that exists between
various groups involved with spreading the game in New York City’s five boroughs. Beyond
building bridges and sense of regional unity, the event will feature an opportunity for New York
City players to be recruited and have their games showcased in front of college coaches.
“The opportunities that New York State Regional Championships will give to NYC lacrosse players will be unmatched,” said FLG
CEO Mike Winkoff. “It will allow the NYC lacrosse players to compare their skills to the best
lacrosse players throughout all of New York State. What could be better than competing against
the very best in the best lacrosse state there is – New York?”
Along with other key New York City lacrosse influencers, Harlem Lacrosse’s Head of High School programming Owen Van Arsdale was selected as one of the NYSR’s Regional Directors and has played an instrumental role in getting the event off the ground, helping to identify key stakeholders and providing leadership throughout the event’s formation. Owen will be at the team’s tryouts on Tuesday May 29th at Poly Prep Country Day School and the 2021 and 2022 team’s tryout taking taking place on May 31st at Poly Prep. The other City Directors include CityLax’s Connor Wilson, Fordham Prep Head coach Chris Hemsley and Curtis High School assistant coach Chris Gerlach.
“When people speak about New York City within the broader lacrosse community, it is often
prefaced with the acknowledgement that NYC is ‘not a traditional hotbed.’ Although lacrosse
fields are scarce and many programs are relatively new, the New York City lacrosse community has found creative ways to develop skill and passion for the sport. Programs run practices on handball courts, technology has made viewing college and pro lacrosse accessible to anyone with an iPhone, and the recent success of homegrown student-athletes playing at the next level has inspired the next wave of players. This event gives New York lacrosse an opportunity to put its best foot forward and demonstrate its growth over the last decade,” Van Arsdale said.
The City Directors will run the tryout process to select the teams and ensure the City’s most
deserving players are selected at each position, for each grade, and within each region and that
the tournament will be a memorable experience for everyone involved.
“We are excited to get the most dedicated and talented players in the city together on one field
at the tryouts,” Van Arsdale said. “We will be looking for skilled athletes who play hard, play selfless lacrosse, and will represent the New York City lacrosse community with class.”
