TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 3/17/15
From Press Release
Team Minnesota Brings NXTsports’ Cradle Lacrosse First Franchise to Minnesota
NXTsports is excited to announce that Team Minnesota has acquired the first Cradle Lacrosse franchise. Cradle Lacrosse is NXT’s wildly-popular introduction to lacrosse program for boys and girls from ages 4-8. It is a non-contact program that doesn’t require players to purchase full equipment. Cradlers only need a stick, furnished by Cradle Lacrosse, to participate in the program.
“It just kind of happened naturally,” Team Minnesota Director of Player Development Frank Clark said. “Cradle fit in well with what we’re trying to do. Cradle worked out so well when we initially brought it to Minnesota that a franchise made sense. We were in a fortunate position where we could move quickly and get it done. It made a lot of sense to work with Cradle here.”
More than 50 kids came out to the initial Cradle Minnesota session last year at the Blake School, where Clark is the varsity boys lacrosse coach. Cradle is run in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Texas, Virginia, Colorado, Maryland, Illinois, Florida and Washington. Last year, Cradle featured more than 1,400 participants and last spring offered 16 nationwide locations.
“It’s great to be able to bring the first Cradle franchise to Minnesota,” Brown said. “Frank did such an awesome job with the first Cradle sessions out there and we know that he’s going to do an even better job of helping to spread the game out there. Cradle’s curriculum works perfectly with what he envisions in his program, so it’s a tremendous fit for everyone.”
Team Minnesota is the first official out-of-state franchise group, United Sports in West Bradford (Pa.) is also a franchisee of Cradle Lacrosse. Cradle is offering the franchise opportunity for facilities and lacrosse groups around the country looking to grow the game. Email Dylan Brown at Dylan@iamnxt.com for more information.