LAX TRAIN TO CLARKSVILLE The middle Tennessee town with a suddenly thriving lacrosse scene BY DIAN WALLACE ©PHOTO ©CREDIT CLARKSVILLE CREDIT KINGS LACROSSE CLUB On behalf of the Clarksville Kings Lacrosse Club, I wanted to thank US Lacrosse for selecting us as a 2019 recipient of the First Stick Program grant and take some time to tell you a little more about our club and the impact this grant will have on the community. But first, I want to share with you something that happened a few weeks ago. One Saturday morning, our high school athletes were cooling down and our elementary school kids were gearing up. It was getting close to noon, when the Tennessee sun starts to beat down hot, even in early autumn. A man crossed the municipal field where we practice and spoke to coach Bradley Wallace quietly for a moment before stepping back. Coach called all the boys to gather round and the man began to address them. “You don’t know me,” he said, “but I live here in Clarksville, and my father passed away in August. I held it together pretty well all through the funeral service. Then we got in the car for the funeral procession, and we passed the field where y’all were practicing. I looked out the window and saw all of you take a knee as we drove past, and I lost it. I just lost it. You didn’t know my father, but he was an incredible person and what you did honored him and would have made him happy, and I just want to thank you for that.” The man shook the hands of all our players, and walked back across the field. The boys finished tightening their gloves and jogged over to Coach to start their warmups. Clarksville is a rapidly growing city in continued on page 20 continued on page 18 USlaxmagazine.com January 2019 US LACROSSE MAGAZINE 19
USA Lacrosse January 2019: Page 19
