As Lacrosse spreads across the country, it has made its mark as one of the fastest growing sports. However, many were still pleasantly surprised at the success of the new lacrosse program at the Ferris School for Boys in Wilmington, Delaware. The new program, along with the support of the WFS boys Lacrosse team, has made an incredible impact within the state of Delaware as well as the entire Lacrosse community throughout the country.

The Ferris School for Boys is a correctional treatment facility for boys aged 14-18. At Ferris, young men come and go, cycling through a rigorous rehabilitation process. After their stay, the boys are able to finish High School. While at Ferris, the boys can participate in extracurricular activities including sports every season; they can play Football in the Fall, Basketball in the Winter, and now the boys are able to participate in Lacrosse this Spring.

Several members of the Friends community have helped develop the new program. Players on the Upper School Boy’s lacrosse team have attended some of the practices and games. One of the students involved is Jack Coons ’18, who has been very active in the program from the beginning.

“We don’t look at any of the kids at Ferris differently. They’re all kids trying to have a good time. I’ve become friends with a lot of the guys, and this experience and the opportunity to make a difference in these people’s lives has been very eye-opening,” Coons reflected. Along with Coons, River Harper ’18, Eric Pincus ’18, and Owen Ganse ’17 have been helping to coach the players at Ferris.

The Ferris lacrosse team is not just a Delaware sensation; the team is also present in the national news. Ferris is the first ever Juvenile Detention Center to have a Lacrosse team in history. This has also been recognized by various Lacrosse organizations, including US Lacrosse, which generously donated equipment for the boys to use. Without the help of these organizations, the formation of the Ferris Falcons Lacrosse team may not have been possible.

All of the hard work and effort of the players stems from the energy put into the program from the coaching staff. Lee Powers, WFS Assistant Lacrosse Coach, has been the backbone of this coaching staff. He partnered with Emmanuel Carlis, Ferris Head Coach, and Kalyn McDonough, Drexel University Women’s Lacrosse Assistant Coach, in order to provide the best experience possible to the kids at Ferris.

“This year we had the opportunity to help start a team at Ferris School for Boys. My wife is a psychologist for the state and works at Ferris and she suggested that they start a lacrosse team when she was tasked with increasing safety at the facility. Since January, the team has participated in clinics and practices. Players from Friends run drills and help encourage the Ferris players along the way. For me, the most rewarding part is the partnership formed between the Ferris and Friends. I am proud of the players for stepping up to bring a positive experience to the boys at Ferris,” Powers commented.

Powers has created a strong foundation for the team and it will be great to see how the program continues to grow with the help of Powers and the other coaches. The involvement of Friends students fostered an encouraging learning environment for the Ferris boys and an appreciation of community and stewardship for all.