May 11, 2011- HERALD-DISPATCH (Huntington) - Huntington High starts new club

May 10, 2011 - HERALD-DISPATCH (Huntington) - Gallery: Huntington Lacrosse Club (Photo Gallery)

Huntington High students form boys lacrosse team

Huntington - Apr. 30, 2011 - Persistence pays. A group of students from Huntington High School never gave up hope in getting a boys high school team started in Huntington. Matt Schaffer and Devin McIlvan sent emails to the West Virginia Scholastic Association (WVSLA) and others in February requesting assistance in forming a team.
       They now have a lacrosse team with over 25 players called the Huntington Lacrosse Club. The team will begin playing other teams in the state in early May.
       Grant McGuire, an attorney who played lacrosse at Duke University, had the experience, but not the time to coach or manage a team. This spring McGuire recruited Ben Allen as the coach and David McIlvan, father of Devin, as the team manager. The team instantly took ff.
       "I felt guilty not to have started lacrosse here years ago," said McGuire. "So I couldn't turn this group of boys down. They wanted this team so badly that I just squeezed the organizing into my spare time." McGuire set up meetings with the YMCA, Huntington High, Veterans Memorial Field House and others to get the process started. "There are 11 boys teams and 8 girls teams in the state. All these teams, especially those around Charleston, really want to start playing us," said McGuire. The team set up the Facebook page "Huntington Lacrosse" to get the word out.
       McGuire said, "Our magager, David McIlvan, has worked incredibly hard getting the boys rostered, insured and equipped in a short amount of time. Coach Allen has been training the players regularly since the end of March and the results are showing." Members of the Marshall University Men's Lacrosse Club have commented on the stick handling skills that have already developed on the team
 Coach Allen has coached high school sports for 5 years. He played his high school lacrosse at Wooster High in Ohio and college lacrosse for the University of Miami, also in Ohio. He was a volunteer lacrosse coach for Morgantown High and University High before becoming the paid JV Coach at University High in 2009. His employer, Young Life, transferred him to Huntington, where he is now able to lend his expertise to the new program.
       "Ben is a classy guy," said University High's Head Coach, Jeff Dreisbach. "I hated to lose him. He really knows the game and works well with the kids."
      Most of the Huntington players have purchased their own sticks. The team need further funding to purchase uniforms, sticks, helmets, pads & goals. The players are holding fundraisers and are seeking donations. The team will greatly appreciate checks made out to "Huntington Lacrosse" and sent to David McIlvan, 106 Parkway Drive, Huntington, WV 25705-2719