ROC E6

It's been 30 years since Rochester city students got a chance to play a sport for which Rochester is well know.

Lacrosse is finally coming back to inner city youths thanks to one city school teacher.

ROC E6's number 40, Jordan Mclin, got his very first team helmet Sunday.

"He actually started a team and we actually get to play on turf," Mclin said.

Sunday's lacrosse practice is the first one for a city team in 30 years.

"The city picked it up in the late 60's, then the city dropped those teams within 10 years and never played again," head coach, Arkee Allen said.

East high teacher, Allen, introduced lacrosse during summer camp. Two years later, a camp game has now turned into a competition.

"This'll be the first time the city has a team that plays against the county," Allen said.

Two former lacrosse coaches from Penfield and Pittsford stepped up to help coach.

"In the city of Rochester, nobody even knows about it, but yet, in the surrounding suburbs, we're probably one of the best cities in the United States," coach Art Alvut said.

Alvut believes this elementary-aged team will bring an adult prospective to its suburban competitors.

"I think they'll be exposed a little bit when they come to the city to play in certain areas that they never would've come and probably their parents wouldn't let them come," Alvut said.

ROC E6's goalie appreciates the opportunity as well.

"I used to come from the bad part of town and I opened up a lot," Mclin said.

The coaches approach their third, fourth and fifth graders more like mentors than team leaders, starting these young athletes the way it did for Alvut and Allen.

"I became Arkee's big brother when he was 13 years old, just finished eighth grade. How much I've learned to being a big brother to Arkee, I want other kids who aren't exposed to inner city youths, to have that same experience," Alvut said.

"At some point we're going to step up to the big guys of Irondequoit and Pittsford," Allen said.

The E6 in ROC E6 Stands for empowerment, education, exposure, ethics, equality and exercise.

Allen says the team still needs to fill 24 spots.

bl/rv