PHILADELPHIA – The Young Quakers Community Athletics (YQCA), an initiative between Penn's Netter Center for Community Partnerships and the Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics, hosted the fifth annual Urban Youth Lacrosse Jamboree on June 2-3 in partnership with the Penn lacrosse programs. The event featured the YQCA's West Philadelphia teams -- which have been paired with the Penn lacrosse programs for past several years -- and teams from New York City's Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership as well as Boston's Metro Lacrosse.
 
This initiative, directed through Netter's University-Assisted Community Schools program (UACS), creates mutually beneficial partnerships between select Penn intercollegiate athletic teams and West Philadelphia public schools.
 
The two-day event featured a clinic that was led by players from both Penn lacrosse programs; boys' and girls' scrimmages in Penn Park and Franklin Field; and team-bonding and college awareness activities such as scavenger hunts around Penn's campus, dance contests, and flag football under the lights at Franklin Field. 
 
"We had another great weekend at our Urban Lacrosse Jamboree," the James H. Greene Head Coach of Men's Lacrosse Mike Murphy said. "To watch our Young Quakers, who we work with each week throughout the school year, compete on the field with teams from Harlem and Boston and befriend their peers off the field is very rewarding. I think the middle-school kids benefit immensely from the exposure to each other and to our institution, while our Penn players benefit from the interaction and the role of host and mentor as well. Thanks to our friends at the Netter Center as well as our alumnus and Young Quakers co-founder, Chuck Leitner, for spending his weekend with us to help make it a success." 
 
"We had a fantastic weekend bringing together Metro Lacrosse from Boston, Harlem Lacrosse, and Young Quakers," head women's lacrosse coach Karin Corbett said. "They all learned more basic skills of the game, got a chance to scrimmage each other, and made new friends in the process.  It was so rewarding to see them gain confidence and comfort as the weekend progressed.  The Penn student-athletes did a fantastic job teaching and bonding with the girls. We are already looking forward to growing it even further next year!"
 
Each of the last five springs, the Urban Youth Lacrosse Jamboree has brought together young lacrosse players from West Philadelphia and other urban communities to the University of Pennsylvania for a weekend of competition, team-building, enrichment, and fun. Players enhance their lacrosse skills while learning sportsmanship and teamwork. The college setting helps players envision themselves as college students and lets them work directly with collegiate coaches and athletes. The result is brighter futures, on and off the field.
 
"The event has continued to grow in size with the support of the men's and women's lacrosse programs and Penn Athletics. We were able to add middle school girls' teams to the two-day event including the overnight stay which was exciting," Jennifer Chu, Director of the Young Quakers Community Athletics at the Netter Center said. "I appreciate the Big Quakers (Penn student-athletes) volunteering their time over the summer to make the Jamboree happen."
 
During the academic year, YQCA, which also includes Penn track and field, brings together Penn student-athletes and students from West Philadelphia public schools for an experience that indelibly shape them both. Students learn a new sport, engage in academically enriching activities, and develop life skills such as time management and leadership. Penn student-athletes, meanwhile, hone their skills in coaching and mentoring while giving back to their local community.
 
"The Jamboree was an unforgettable experience for our Young Quakers," coach Tyler Haney said. "The event showed the impact that lacrosse is making in northeast inner cities and how the sport can bring youth together and build relationships that can last longer than this friendly competitive weekend."
 
"This was the best jamboree yet as we brought a team of girls for the first time and made the trip together," Metro Lacrosse program director Pat Cronin said. "The Penn players organized competitive games, quality instruction, and continued to inspire our participants to look forward to playing lacrosse in high school and college."