Boardman BOE OKs lacrosse club, team

October 29, 2013 at 12:00a.m.

By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK

BOARDMAN

The Boardman school board approved a lacrosse booster club and team as an official part of the school district at its meeting Monday.

There will be a boys and a girls team.

The boys team has been accepted into the Ohio High School Lacrosse Association. The team’s first game will be played in Cleveland against Cleveland Heights High School in March 2014.

They’ve been fortunate that established teams in Ohio are willing to play the Boardman start-up, said Kathy Gahagan, booster club president.

“We’ve got quite a few teams to play,” she said.

A full schedule is set.

The boys team is already practicing three times a week, said Daniel Tyler Pawlak, a Boardman High School junior. Pawlak is the driving force behind the formation of the club.

Official practices will begin at the end of February 2014.

“I think it’s going to be a good addition to the school’s athletic program,” said Dave Merry, boys coach.

The girls team is in the process of applying for membership in the Ohio Schoolgirls Lacrosse Association. That team’s coach is Sherri Gaps.

Players will be responsible for their own gear, Gahagan said. The booster club will provide uniforms.