A University and Its Community

Swapping Lacrosse Sticks for Saddles




They've become friends: the big strapping UMBC men's lacrosse team players and the disabled children who come to the Patapsco Horse Farm to ride horses for therapy. The athletes stand by the physically challenged children, guiding their horses and giving them a sense of accomplishment and confidence. The kids look up to the UMBC guys, trust them, and go to UMBC lacrosse games to root for their pals.

"It's great to come here and see the smiles on the kids' faces," says Brian Lawton, a UMBC senior. "We try to spend as much time as we can at the center." For the past two years, the UMBC lacrosse players have spent their free time working as volunteers at the Maryland Council for Special Equestrians. They work with the children in the therapeutic riding program, but they also muck out the stables and groom the horses. Most importantly, they encourage and talk to the young riders.

And it's become a two-way path: UMBC's community outreach office has donated season tickets to riders and their families, and they often can be found in the stands at UMBC lacrosse games, cheering for their friends on the team. For their work, the team was honored with a Volunteer of the Year award from the Maryland Council of Recreation and Parks.

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