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Lacrosse Grows Roots in Oakland

Published

10 years ago

July 22, 2015

By Juan Martinez

Part II

It is slightly after 2 p.m. on a warm Sunday May afternoon when a group of about 44 kids arrives for lacrosse practice at Laney College in Oakland.

Some of the kids run onto the school’s turf football field, while others scramble to grab their shoulder pads, sticks and cleats. After stretching for 15 minutes and doing jumping jacks, all of the boys gather around their coach, Kevin Kelley.

Be quick, have a sense of urgency,” Kelley tells the kids. “Get it rolling.”

Kelley talks in a firm yet friendly manner, like a guidance counselor. When making a point, or getting a player’s attention, he often uses only his hands – making quirky gestures like aircraft directors do.

When one of his players completes a difficult pass, he celebrates by doing a fist pump like Tiger Woods.

“Nice toss,” Kelley yells as the passer jogs off the field. “Good form. Nice job with the left hand.”

At the end of practice, Kelley gets together with the kids to form a giant circle where three players are chosen to lead the group’s end of practice ritual cheer. “When I say Oakland, you say lacrosse… Oakland, lacrosse, Oakland lacrosse,” the kids yell. “Who are we? O, a, k, l, a, n, d. Oakland lacrosse!”

Last summer, boys and girls in the Oakland Lacrosse Club (OLC) participated in a number of lacrosse related activities throughout the Bay Area. Kelley fielded a U15 team at the Battle of the Bay tournament on Treasure Island.

His players battled and played five games in two days against elite teams from Sacramento and Santa Cruz.

In addition, two of Kelley’s players were chosen to play in the 2014 World Youth Lacrosse Championship in Denver, Colorado. Along with playing in five games against teams from across the country, kids in the OLC did some team bonding activities which included white water river rafting, watching other world championship games, and doing an intense workout at Red Rocks amphitheater.

One rainy night last fall, Kelley and his supporters organized their second annual hors d’oeuvres and cocktails silent auction, at the Minna Art Gallery in San Francisco.

Although Kelley appeared happy to be there, the dark circles under his eyes revealed his fatigue.

Worried about sustaining the OLC’s funding, he had spent the entire day sending texts, calling and emailing people, urging them to attend the auction, which featured donated items ranging from a Lake Tahoe house rental, to a football autographed by San Francisco 49ers hall of famers Steve Young and Jerry Rice.

“It’s hard to continually run a strong program when you’re taking care of a number of different issues,” Kelley admitted, sounding tired.

“In the past six to seven months, I’ve applied for about 12 different grants and am always meeting with individual donors.”

As a DJ blasts 80’s R & B and contemporary pop music from five giant speakers, Kelley works the room. He high-fives some people as if they were his players and nods his head as he leans over to listen to other people’s conversations.

Kelley hoped to raise $25,000 before the night was over. At one point, grabbing a microphone, he encouraged his supporters to donate to the OLC even if they didn’t bid on an item.

“The price to support one kid in the program is $1,000,” he said to a crowd of 75 people, which included businessmen, parents and lacrosse enthusiasts from all over the Bay Area. “All I ask is for people to make some kind of donation.”

The night was a success. By the end, Kelley had raised around $27,000 for the OLC – enough to cover field costs, food, uniforms, equipment, transportation costs, and computers for the OLC’s academic program.

Moving forward, Kelley would like for his program to grow even more. In the next few years he hopes to expand the program to start as early as 4th grade, with the goal of having a network of support for kids from their peers – college players mentoring high school players, high school players mentoring middle school players, and middle school players mentoring elementary students.

“Seeing this vision come to fruition is important,” Kelley said. “Kids from anywhere can exceed expectations. I knew if I put the right things in place, I could just sit back and watch as Oakland kids catch, throw and scoop up a ball real easily. That’s why you coach… to see the growth, drive and competitiveness from all of your players in such a short time.”

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Uncategorized

Oakland Housing and Community Development Department Awards $80.5 Million to Affordable Housing Developments

Published

6 months ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Special to The Post

The City of Oakland’s Housing and Community Development Department (Oakland HCD) announced its awardees for the 2024-2025 New Construction of Multifamily Affordable Housing Notice of Funding Availability (New Construction NOFA) today Five permanently affordable housing developments received awards out of 24 applications received by the Department, with award amounts ranging from $7 million to $28 million.

In a statement released on Jan. 16, Oakland’s HCD stated, “Five New Construction Multifamily Affordable Housing Development projects awarded a total of $80.5 million to develop 583 affordable rental homes throughout Oakland. Awardees will leverage the City’s investments to apply for funding from the state and private entities.”

In December, the office of Rebecca Kaplan, interim District 2 City Councilmember, worked with HCD to allocate an additional $10 Million from Measure U to the funding pool. The legislation also readopted various capital improvement projects including street paving and upgrades to public facilities.

The following Oakland affordable housing developments have been awarded in the current round:

Mandela Station Affordable

238 Affordable Units including 60 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $15 million + previously awarded $18 million
Developer: Mandela Station LP (Pacific West Communities, Inc. and Strategic Urban Development Alliance, LLC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 1451 7th St.

Liberation Park Residences

118 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $28 million
Developer: Eden Housing and Black Cultural Zone
City Council District: 6
Address: 7101 Foothill Blvd.

34th & San Pablo

59 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $7 million
Developer: 34SP Development LP (EBALDC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 3419-3431 San Pablo Ave.

The Eliza

96 Affordable Units including 20 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $20 million
Developer: Mercy Housing California
City Council District: 3
Address: 2125 Telegraph Ave.

3135 San Pablo

72 Affordable Units including 36 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $10.5 million
Developer: SAHA and St. Mary’s Center
City Council District: 3
Address: 3515 San Pablo Ave.

The source of this story is the media reltations office of District 2 City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Oakland Housing and Community Development Department Awards $80.5 Million to Affordable Housing Developments

Published

11 months ago

January 30, 2025

Oakland Post

Rebecca Kaplan, interim District 2 city councilmember. File photo.

Special to The Post

The following Oakland affordable housing developments have been awarded in the current round:

Mandela Station Affordable

238 Affordable Units including 60 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $15 million + previously awarded $18 million
Developer: Mandela Station LP (Pacific West Communities, Inc. and Strategic Urban Development Alliance, LLC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 1451 7th St.

Liberation Park Residences

118 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $28 million
Developer: Eden Housing and Black Cultural Zone
City Council District: 6
Address: 7101 Foothill Blvd.

34th & San Pablo

59 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $7 million
Developer: 34SP Development LP (EBALDC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 3419-3431 San Pablo Ave.

The Eliza

96 Affordable Units, including 20 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $20 million
Developer: Mercy Housing California
City Council District: 3
Address: 2125 Telegraph Ave.

3135 San Pablo

72 Affordable Units including 36 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $10.5 million
Developer: SAHA and St. Mary’s Center
City Council District: 3
Address: 3515 San Pablo Ave.

The source of this story is media reltations office of District 2 City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan.

Oakland Post

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Alameda County

Oakland Acquisition Company’s Acquisition of County’s Interest in Coliseum Property on the Verge of Completion

The Board of Supervisors is committed to closing the deal expeditiously, and County staff have worked tirelessly to move the deal forward on mutually agreeable terms. The parties are down to the final details and, with the cooperation of OAC and Coliseum Way Partners, LLC, the Board will take a public vote at an upcoming meeting to seal this transaction.

Published

11 months ago

January 11, 2025

Oakland Post

Alameda County Board of Supervisors Chairman David Haubert. Official photo.

Special to The Post

The County of Alameda announced this week that a deal allowing the Oakland Acquisition Company, LLC, (“OAC”) to acquire the County’s 50% undivided interest in the Oakland- Alameda County Coliseum complex is in the final stages of completion.

Oakland has already finalized a purchase and sale agreement with OAC for its interest in the property. OAC’s acquisition of the County’s property interest will achieve two longstanding goals of the County:

The Oakland-Alameda Coliseum complex will finally be under the control of a sole owner with capacity to make unilateral decisions regarding the property; and
The County will be out of the sports and entertainment business, free to focus and rededicate resources to its core safety net

In an October 2024 press release from the City of Oakland, the former Oakland mayor described the sale of its 50% interest in the property as an “historic achievement” stating that the transaction will “continue to pay dividends for generations to come.”

The Board of Supervisors is pleased to facilitate single-entity ownership of this property uniquely centered in a corridor of East Oakland that has amazing potential.

“The County is committed to bringing its negotiations with OAC to a close,” said Board President David Haubert.