The Victorian Sport Awards has announced Lacrosse Victoria’s program aimed at encouraging increased participation within LGBTQIA+ university students, which culminated in the Lacrosse Victoria Pride Cup in Altona North last October, as a finalist in the Active Recreation of the Year award.
Designed for and by the LGBTIQ+ community and funded by VicHealth’s Future Healthy Big Connect funding initiative, the Lacrosse Together program co-designed social sport opportunities with LGBTIQIA+ university students aimed at addressing mental health and wellbeing disparities amongst LGBTIQ+ youth by reducing social isolation and loneliness by providing safe spaces for young people to meaningfully connect with their peers and allies.
Lacrosse Victoria development officer Kristen Hutchinson said the Lacrosse Together team were “so excited” to be named as a finalist.
“It’s been in the making for a year and a bit now,” she said.
More than 65 participants and three partner universities were involved in the initiative. before the initiative.
With support from Proud 2 Play and Pride Cup Australia, the program culminated in the Lacrosse Together Pride Cup, which featured 22 teams made up of 203 participants from 13 lacrosse clubs as well as a team from each of the main Lacrosse Together partner universities descending on P.J. Lynch Reserve in Altona North last October.
Ms Hutchinson said the day was a creative, vibrant and fun event featuring every colour of the rainbow flag.
“We actually had some new teams,” she said.
Ms Hutchinson said lacrosse was quickly developing across the western suburbs of Melbourne.
“Lacrosse is a little bit of a less-known sport,” she said.
Presented by the state government oand Vicsport, the awards will be held on Wednesday, June 7 in the Victory Room at Marvel Stadium.
Details: lacrossevictoria.com.au/participate/diversity-inclusion or vicsport.com.au/events/view/1469
Matthew Sims
