PLL's HARBESON LAUNCHES FUNDRAISER FOR HARLEM LACROSSE
Redwoods midfielder will promote racial equity during PLL’s Championship Series
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 2020: As the Professional Lacrosse League (PLL) returns to action July 25th, Pat Harbeson is focused on winning a championship. At the same time, he is using his national platform to support progress towards equality and to raise vital resources for young people from low-income backgrounds. For every ground ball Harbeson picks up, he will be making a donation to Harlem Lacrosse, a non-profit which empowers student-athletes.
The PLL is quarantining in Utah to present the Championship Series, which will be broadcast by NBC Sports. Over two action-packed weeks (July 25th - August 9th), there will be a round of group play followed by a single-elimination tournament. Pat Harbeson’s Redwoods Lacrosse Club is looking to avenge last year’s result, when they lost the first-ever PLL championship game in overtime to the Whipsnakes Lacrosse Club.
Harbeson won a national championship in men’s lacrosse at the University of Virginia in 2011 under Hall of Fame coach Dom Starsia, who now serves on the Harlem Lacrosse Executive Board. During Harbeson’s junior year, a group of Harlem Lacrosse students visited UVA’s campus. Harbeson felt an “instantaneous” bond with the program. He said, “Everyone in lacrosse can agree that the sport has taken us to amazing places. Harlem Lacrosse is expanding these opportunities to students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. Using lacrosse to better the lives of students is just incredible.”
Harbeson is biracial but was adopted by white parents and has white siblings. He experienced forms of privilege growing up but also faced prejudice based on his skin color. He said, “With everything that has been going on in the world, I looked in the mirror and thought about what I could do for African Americans and other people in this country who need support. I knew I wanted to partner with Harlem Lacrosse and shed light on the work that they are doing every single day. My hope is to bring attention to Harlem Lacrosse and encourage people to think about ways they can contribute or volunteer or even join the staff.”
He says he began to flourish as a lacrosse player with the help of a special coach in 7th and 8th grade: “He would say that ground balls are like blood. A body can't function without blood, and a lacrosse team can’t win without ground balls. I still apply that lesson to my life. You have to take care of the little things first, because those are the things that allow you to succeed in all aspects of life.” Years later, Pat is a professional athlete using ground balls to help the Redwoods contend for a title and to help Harlem Lacrosse thrive.