RAHMAN BRANCH: "We decided to take some more approaches to add on to them being comfortable being a kid, to now making sure they are a kid who knows what they want, what it takes to get there, and then has the stamina to go through.”

Mr. Branch says Holly McGarvie was a perfect match for Ballou. She was on a national team and a star player at Princeton University. She was in her first year of teaching. She wanted to take the lessons she learned from sports and use them in teaching biology.

Coach McGarvie says the first practices for the new team were difficult. Some players got angry at one another. She helped them learn to keep their mind on the game.

HOLLY McGARVIE: "On our way home from our first game, from Wilson, and we are all talking about it, and the girls are extremely excited. Despite the loss of, I think, maybe eleven to one, you know, they were already in the mindset of what can we do better?”

Tylashia Joyner says lacrosse has helped her think more about her future.

TYLASHIA JOYNER: "I will want to play in college because it will keep me in shape and it will help me stay focused and want to do something. Because if you want to play a sport, you have to have your grades up."

And that’s the VOA Special English Education Report. You can watch a video report about the lacrosse team at voaspecialenglish.com. You can also write to us on Facebook and Twitter at VOA Learning English. I'm Christopher Cruise.