ADRIAN — The Lenawee Youth Lacrosse organization is introducing young people in the county to a sport with all the physicality of football, the quickness of basketball, and the patience of baseball.

“Lacrosse combines the skillset of many sports,” said Mitch Felkey, one of the organization’s coaches. “In lacrosse, anyone can contribute, and size does not matter. Players who succeed must become ambidextrous to truly be a threat. It is thrilling to watch and play.”

Student-athletes who take on lacrosse have a chance to learn a unique sport and appreciate the nuances of the game.

“Lacrosse is an option for the kids who aren’t big and strong enough to play football, not a fan of baseball or soccer, or just want to try something new,” board member Cindy Hook said. “We are lucky that our community provides the opportunity for the younger kids to try out lacrosse.”

The organization began in Tecumseh as Tecumseh Youth Lacrosse, under the direction of Tom Marble and as part of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. As the interest in lacrosse rose throughout Lenawee County, Tecumseh Youth Lacrosse transitioned to Lenawee Youth Lacrosse nearly a decade ago.

“I liked the convenience of this program, the knowledge that was available, and the patience of the coaches,” said Jacob Small, who graduated from Tecumseh High School and now plays lacrosse at Adrian College. “The coaches are very knowledgeable within the sport and teach by example.”

Since its inception in 2003, the program has experienced significant growth as word of its success spread and interest increased. The group offers multiple types of lacrosse camps that provide proper training and a place to play the game.

“Our lacrosse program came with lessons, training, and camaraderie,” said Felkey, who also served as the head coach at Tecumseh High School from 2006 to 2011. “As kids came to love it, their parents began supporting it more and more.”

Derek Martin, a 2014 graduate of Tecumseh High School, is one of the program’s alumni. He continued his lacrosse career at Siena Heights University, where he and nine other former LYL members helped the Saints reach the NAIA national tournament for four consecutive years under head coach Ed Maloney.

“Not only did youth lacrosse build lifelong friendships with myself and my teammates, but it also provided a way for us to get a higher education while sticking together and continuing to do what we loved along the way,” Martin said.

Martin said the LYL organization, with mentors such as Marble, Felkey, Jim Hook, and Carl Lewandowski, instilled a love of the game without forcing the game.

“Our coaches did a great job of making everything a game,” said Martin, who gained a much deeper appreciation of the sport of lacrosse from his mentors. “Yes, we focused on the fundamentals, but they had a large focus on the fun we could have learning them.”

Jim and Cindy Hooks, who moved to Tecumseh in 1993 from Syracuse, N.Y., where lacrosse reigned supreme, noticed a lack of interest in lacrosse in Michigan, which made them sad. But when Jim Hook had an opportunity to join Lewandowski and the other coaches at the LYL, they welcomed him with open arms.

“His passion for the game ran deep and nothing excited him more than introducing the game of lacrosse to youngsters,” Cindy Hook said of her late husband. “It wasn’t just about teaching how to pass, catch, and shoot. He wanted to teach them the history of the game and how it evolved into the game they play today.”

Hook said she is thankful that LYL allowed her husband to share his knowledge of the game he loved, a sport that he played, coached, and refereed for more than 50 years.

“He was very proud of how these kids continued to grow, not only in their ability, but also in their love of the sport,” Hook said.

Martin, reflecting on his time as a young player, said the youth programs focused heavily on fundamentals, but the coaches did not discourage creativity on the playing field.

“They cultivated an environment where we weren’t afraid to try new things,” Martin said, noting that there’s more than one way to earn success in such a unique sport.

As student-athletes progress through the LYL program and then compete in high school or college, one benefit is that they return to teach the next generation of players. For example, Michael Birt III developed an interest in coaching because of his time as a player in Lenawee Youth Lacrosse. A Tecumseh High School and Siena Heights graduate, he coached lacrosse at Cadillac High School after graduation and is now back in Lenawee County coaching for LYL.

Lewandowski just wrapped up a monthlong Lacrosse Fundamentals camp at the Frank & Shirley Dick Family YMCA, taught with the assistance of players from the Siena Heights University men’s team and the Adrian College women’s team. A four-week session of Speed Lacrosse and an Offense Specialty Clinic will be offered in October. Then in November the organization will offer another session of Lacrosse Fundamentals and a Defense Speciality Clinic. Programs are open to students in second through eighth grades.

To learn more, visit lylax.net or call 517-442-8045.