Bronxville Girls Lacrosse hosts players from Harlem Lacrosse for a great day of One Love training and lacrosse at the Bronxville School.

On Monday, October 8, the Bronxville Girls Lacrosse program put on another great event to build skills, sportsmanship and friendships with the girls from Harlem Lacrosse.  The partnership between these programs, which began in 2015, continues to grow stronger with two events held at the Bronxville School each year. Led by Varsity Lacrosse Coach Sharon Robinson, the day typically has included fun team-building activities and a lacrosse clinic, but this year, the Bronxville girls led a One Love workshop for the Harlem girls designed to highlight the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships.

Founded in 2010, the One Love Foundation was established to honor the memory of Yeardley Love, an athlete and former University of Virginia student who was killed by her ex-boyfriend. One Love’s mission is to end relationship abuse by educating people from a young age about healthy and unhealthy relationship patterns and empowering them to be leaders facilitating change in their schools and beyond.  Bronxville High School’s One Love Club was established three years ago and membership has grown steadily.

Trained students from the One Love Club conducted workshops with middle schoolers at the Bronxville School last spring, and the One Love team wanted to share the valuable training with the Harlem girls this fall.  The girls broke into small groups to discuss signs of relationship abuse and ways to spot the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships. Molly Denning, one of the One Love workshop student leaders, said, “It felt great to work with both the Bronxville middle schoolers last spring and the Harlem girls this fall.  Our goal is to spread awareness to as many young people as possible.”

After the One Love workshop, all of the girls headed outside to participate in a lacrosse clinic led by Coach Robinson.  The girls rotated through favorite lacrosse drills selected by Varsity Captains Fiona Jones, Anneke Pulkkinen, and Isabel Sondey.  “I loved being able to add the One Love workshop before our clinic because it got the younger girls to open up more than usual. They were willing and eager to learn all day,” said Fiona Jones.

The day was a great opportunity for continued bonding between the Bronxville and Harlem girls.  Destiny Collins, who is one of the Harlem players and also a student at Frederick Douglass Academy 1, said, “You can have the best times with people who you have just met.”  Coach Robinson definitely agreed stating “All the players had a wonderful day together. I absolutely loved seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces, watching them make new friends through the workshop and clinic, and even catching a few hugs before the Harlem players hopped the train home.”

Ashley Hanrahan, one of the Bronxville parents who has been instrumental in bringing the Bronxville Girls Lacrosse program and Harlem Lacrosse together, said, “Thanks to Coach Robinson, both groups continue to strengthen and grow from their peer relationships.”

To learn more about Harlem Lacrosse, please visit harlemlacrosse.org.  For more information on the One Love Foundation, please visit joinonelove.org.