In 1898, ten years into the New York Military Academy’s founding Burr “Gil” Griswold Wilson arrived at the Academy.  He was from a famous rowing family and went to work on establishing a men’s rowing program at NYMA.  He procured a rowing shell from the New York Athletic Club and the infant program was born.  In NYMA’s first race on the Hudson they lost, but in Ithaca in 1899 they won by a length and by 1900 they were the team to beat.  Unfortunately, crew was later abandoned at the Academy due to the expense of the shells and equipment.

In the 1941 Catalogue for NYMA Lacrosse is mentioned noting “this great Indian game is making rapid headway in many colleges and schools. The Academy has a team and a coach and thoroughly believes in lacrosse as an ideal muscle building, lung-expanding game…”. Well, Lacrosse is still making headway, now the movement is for a smaller team in a faster paced game.  Called Box Lacrosse it originated in Canada and rather than the traditional 10 v 10, it is 5 v 5 and the sport is heading for Olympic eligibility.

What does this all mean for NYMA today?  Yes, Lacrosse and Crew are rich components of our history, but now they are present in our future.  Starting Monday, we at NYMA will have an intermural Lacrosse team to work on skills and strengthening their game with Coach Theo P. Dawydko.  Officer Dawydko has come to NYMA as a volunteer from our local Cornwall-on-Hudson Police Department.  A Lacrosse enthusiast he is passionate for the sport and wants to grow a Lacrosse program for our cadets here at the Academy.  And yes, we’re soon to be on the water too!  Thanks to a joint effort with the Orange County Rowing Association, NYMA is back on the water with a crew team.  What’s past is now present again!