Polk along with Co-Head Coach Harry Alford grew up in the district and never understood the lack of interest in the sport amongst the city's public high schools. They discovered the answer to a degree lies in the stereotype that the sport is more of a private school thing. "Traditionally, yeah its been an obstacle that people think they're going to have to overcome when bringing lacrosse to the inner cities," says Polk. "People who use the term rich, preppy or upper crust, they're on the outside looking in," says Alford. "Either they never played it or they just like to judge."
Polk and Alford head a non-profit and their goal is to get teams started at other D.C. Public High Schools as well. "Woodrow Wilson is one of the schools that hopefully can take us to the next level, we want lacrosse at our schools throughout the city." says Marcus Ellis, Director of Athletics for D.C. Public Schools. "You look at our budget but you also go out and you get partnerships, I think we can get it done."
Meanwhile the Tigers are 1-3 in their first year, not bad when you consider they started from scratch. "No one knew anything," says senior Jesse Beery. "We were a bunch of goofballs running around, but it was easy to pick up the basics." Some day soon maybe they won't be the only D.C. Public High School playing.
Written by
Dave Owens, 9 News Now