Meet Ian Kenny

“It was great learning from the college players how they got there and how they balance playing lacrosse at the same time, because that’s definitely something that I want to do.”

Coming from a family with roots in Maryland, Ian Kenny began playing lacrosse at a young age. His father, who had always been a fan of the sport but had never played, gifted Ian a lacrosse stick for his birthday; Ian hasn’t stopped playing ever since.

“When my family moved to Brooklyn, I joined Brooklyn lacrosse, but I was looking for a way to practice during the rest of the year. That’s how I found CityLax, through the off-season programming. My first time at the Winter Clinics was also my first time going up against other kids in the PSAL, so it was a really different and challenging experience.”

​Part of what makes Ian such a stronger player is also why he loves the sport; he explains, “I like competing and working hard to get better. Lacrosse isn’t a game where you can just walk out and be the best player out there. You have to put in the effort” He is a dedicated player, participating regularly in the Winter Clinics program and always finding more time to play. His best advice for younger players is to keep playing—“It’s all about having fun and getting better,” he says, “So keep playing!”

​All of Ian’s hard work prepared him to lead his team at Midwood High School to the PSAL Championships. “It was a lot of pressure,” says Ian, “But I knew we were going to win, because we came too far to lose and I trusted my team. We played as hard as we could.” And it paid off—Ian finished the game with 4 goals, securing Midwood’s win.

​At this year’s CityLax Summer Camp Hosted by Big Apple, Ian says he learned more than just lacrosse skills—he was able to learn about the path to college from the college players who were guest coaches at the camp. “I want to a be a vet or a doctor, so I definitely want to go to college. It was great learning from the college players how they got there and how they balance playing lacrosse at the same time, because that’s definitely something that I want to do.”

To the donors and volunteers, Ian has one thing to say: “Thank you. Thank you for helping me get better, for providing college players to help, and for giving me opportunities to play more.”