“Warriors” helping warriors will be the theme for Whitesboro girls lacrosse on Tuesday.
The Whitesboro girls varsity and junior varsity lacrosse teams are for the first time hosting games to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project, a national organization that serves military personnel with service-incurred injuries or illness since Sept. 11.
“We’ve had military families come through (Whitesboro) and my brother-in-law (George Hotaling) is a vet (in Iraq) and an Army captain,” Whitesboro varsity coach Ben Schoen said. “I think it’s something that Whitesboro is interested in, to thank the people who keep us safe.”
The girls varsity team plays East Syracuse-Minoa at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Whitesboro Middle School’s Chiz Fyre Field. The JV game against East Syracuse-Minoa is at 5 p.m. on a field behind Chiz Frye.
The teams are requesting a $1 donation for admission. All proceeds will go to the Wounded Warrior Project including money from t-shirts the Whitesboro players will wear during warm-ups with the slogan ‘Warriors Supporting Warriors’ Military Appreciation Day on the back.
Schoen said he has asked players from both teams to invite active or retired military personnel to be recognized, along with participation by a color guard from New Hartford American Legion Post 1376.
“We didn’t want to do this and just wear camouflage t-shirts,” Schoen said. “We want it to mean something.”
The Whitesboro girls also play New Hartford in an annual fundraiser for breast cancer.
Schoen, a former Whitesboro and Utica College lacrosse player, said he wants this game to lead to greater interest in the cause including participation by the Whitesboro boys teams in future seasons.
Schoen and his wife, Kristen, considered organizing a game for Wounded Warriors several years ago when Hotaling was deployed to Iraq. Schoen said the Wounded Warrior Project has a longstanding relationship with lacrosse, and the game is a good fit at Whitesboro because there are multiple teachers at the high school who are veterans.
“It’s another opportunity to give back, to give back to the people who support us and allow us to play lacrosse,” Schoen said.