This spring, some Broadalbin-Perth student-athletes will be wearing purple for the first time as the Greater Amsterdam School District welcomes them to try out for the Rams’ boys and girls lacrosse teams. The opportunity is a result of an intermunicipal agreement approved by both districts’ boards of education during the week of Dec. 16.
“When we adopted our strategic plan, ‘Innovate,’ we made a commitment to finding creative ways to expand opportunities for our students,” said Stephen Tomlinson, superintendent of schools. “This is an outstanding opportunity for B-P students in grades 7-12 to experience a new interscholastic sport that they’ve told us they’re interested in.”
In 2015, Broadalbin-Perth surveyed middle and high school students to learn what academic, extracurricular and athletic opportunities students were most interested in. On that survey, 245 students said they would be interested in participating in lacrosse.
Under the agreement for the 2020 season, both boys and girls lacrosse programs at the modified, JV and varsity levels will play under Amsterdam’s name wearing Amsterdam uniforms. However, practices and games may take place at either Amsterdam or B-P: When Patriot Field was resurfaced as part of the 2016 capital project, lines for both boys and girls lacrosse were added to the turf.
There is no cost to Broadalbin-Perth for B-P students to participate in the Amsterdam program. If the 2020 pilot season is successful, the agreement is expected to continue in future years. Tomlinson said B-P will also annually assess the arrangement to determine if or when Broadalbin-Perth may be able to sustain its own lacrosse program.
“I want to emphasize that we are committed to maintaining and supporting the success of our current spring athletic programs – baseball, softball, and track and field,” Tomlinson said. “But with so many of our students expressing an interest in lacrosse, we couldn’t let such a great opportunity pass us by.”
Tucker Gifford, B-P’s director of health, physical education, athletics and nursing, is working with Amsterdam’s director of athletics to plan a parent information night in the new year.