Harlem Lacross

Geoff Bennett: Sports have always taught lessons that go far beyond the game, helping young people build confidence, channel their energy, and overcome challenges.

Mason Thomas brings that philosophy to Harlem Lacrosse in Compton, California, where he mentors students on and off the field, creating opportunities for them to succeed in sports in school and in life. Tonight, he shares his Brief But Spectacular take.

Mason Thomas, Program Director, Harlem Lacrosse: The biggest stereotypes that come to mind with lacrosse is that it is a rich, preppy, white boy sport on the East Coast for New Englanders.

It's one of the saddest things about the sport, knowing that it started as a Native American sport. One of the first things kids do notice whenever we watch college film or take them to college games is that a lot of the players don't look like them.

And the best way that I found to navigate that is to not see that as a deterrent, but to see that as a way to empower them to be some of the first. Harlem Lacrosse is a nonprofit organization that is based in five cities across America.

A lot of the kids that I work with at Davis Middle School down in Compton are a very rowdy bunch. I love the energy that the kids at that school bring. It's predominantly a Black and brown community. We have a lot of kids that come from different Hispanic communities. We have a lot of families that have been in Compton for generations.

And so it's really cool to be able to provide them with an opportunity lacrosse that they haven't necessarily seen or heard of before. We are on campus five days a week. We do a lot of cool things classroom push-ins and pull-outs, where say a kid is struggling a little bit academically or maybe behaviorally.

I'm at the point with some teachers where, before they call a dean or someone disciplinary, they will call a coach. At my school in particular down in Compton, our principals and our teachers love to send us a lot of kids that have a lot of energy and maybe are struggling to focus in the classroom.

We have them playing lacrosse at lunch so they get some of their energy out. We place our program specifically in these communities that may not have as much access to sports or may not have as much access to other programs. That's why Harlem Lacrosse likes to come in as a fully funded program. We don't ask for money from the schools.

We just ask for a space where we can come in and try to do our best to help out. For some of our kids, these program directors at Harlem Lacrosse are the most consistent adults in their lives. Sometimes, we're the only people that are telling them that we're proud of them. Sometimes, we're the only people that are giving them constant praise.

A lot of these kids have the ability. A lot of these kids have the drive. It's just giving them the opportunity to be successful. I think what motivates me to work closely with students is the family that I grew up in.

I'm the youngest of five. My mom is a social worker for Los Angeles Unified School District for almost 30 years. My dad has always been a teacher and a coach my entire life. When you become an athlete, especially as a student, you're dealing with time management, you're dealing with a lot of emotional regulation, you're dealing with loss.

For some people, that's the first time they're dealing with those kind of things. So just being able to teach people not only how to handle themselves throughout the sport, but also throughout life, that approach to sports was something I always really admired.

I had a lot of people in my life, whether it was my family or coaches or teachers, who just gave me an opportunity and direction to be able to achieve. And I have seen great things happen for my life. That is something that I have always wanted to provide for other people.

My name is Mason Thomas, and this is my Brief But Spectacular take on changing the lineup in lacrosse.

Geoff Bennett: Inspiring stuff. You can watch more Brief But Spectacular online at PBS.org/NewsHour/Brief.