Origin story
The Brooklyn Crescents Lacrosse Club is a primarily volunteer run, 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The name pays homage to the Crescent Athletic Club which was a leading Brooklyn sports club, back in the late 1800s & first half of the 1900s, fielding football, hockey & lacrosse teams. The six founders worked closely with the legendary Kevin Graham of The Brooklyn Admirals who for years worked to use the sport of lacrosse to empower the community. After Mr. Graham’s passing, the founders, still committed to that original mission, launched the Brooklyn Crescents Lacrosse Club.
One Team. One Family.
The Crescents’ players and coaches reflect the diverse neighborhoods of NYC. Our club teaches boys and girls in grades PreK - 12 the fundamental/advanced skills and values of lacrosse (e.g., commitment, teamwork, integrity, passion, community pride). We strive to make lacrosse accessible in NYC, by introducing the sport to children picking up a stick for the first time as well as providing quality instruction and competition for more advanced players. Our program’s foundation is built on beginner clinics for the spectrum of our age groups.
Our teams play other lacrosse organizations throughout the Tri-State area. Crescents alumni have gone on to play at local high schools, boarding schools and at the college level. The Crescents’ coaching staff is experienced and professionally trained, focused on developing the best in all players.
The future of The Crescents, our beloved sport, our players and their families is as bright as ever.
Crescents Values
Our 3 core values of Community, Commitment and Honor embody the Brooklyn Crescents program, players and staff. This is what we mean when we cheer "One Team. One Family. Go Crescents!"
Community
We work together to grow and strengthen a positive, fun organization
We create a supportive environment to help build player's self-esteem and confidence
We serve the community in which we live
Commitment
We support individual wellness and growth both physical and mental
We provide players with access to learning experiences that extend beyond the lacrosse field
We are committed to partnering with others to continue growth of the game in NYC
Honor
We provide players with access to learning experiences that extend beyond the lacrosse field
We celebrate the history of the game
We are proud to be the oldest youth program in Brooklyn
We recognize those who grew the game in NYC before us
Crescents Staff
Jen Nardi - Executive Director
Jennifer Nardi has served as the Executive Director of Brooklyn Crescents Lacrosse since 2016, leading the growth and development of one of New York City’s premier not-for-profit youth lacrosse programs. Under her direction, the Crescents have expanded to serve more young athletes annually, emphasizing access, development, and a love for the game.
Now entering her third season as Head Girls Varsity Coach and a member of the Physical Education Faculty at Poly Prep Country Day School, Nardi brings over 20 years of coaching experience across the youth, club, and collegiate levels. She most recently served as Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach at the University of Hartford, taking over the program in 2022 as the second coach in its history. Prior to Hartford, she led the Manhattanville College women’s lacrosse team from 2018 to 2021, guiding the Valiants to a school-record offensive season in 2018 and a first-place conference finish.
Nardi’s collegiate coaching career includes head coaching roles at Smith College—where she was named Coach of the Year in 2012. She has also held assistant coaching positions at several Division I institutions, including UMass, University of Vermont, LIU, St. Mary's College (CA) and the University of California, Berkeley.
As a player, Nardi was a standout goalkeeper at the University of Massachusetts, graduating as the program’s all-time leader in saves. She led all NCAA Division I goalies in save percentage in both 1999 (.700) and 2000 (.644), and also led the nation in goals-against average in 2000 (6.75), helping UMass capture their first Atlantic 10 Championship in 2000.
Nardi holds a degree in hospitality and tourism management from UMass, a master's degree in sport management from Southern New Hampshire University, and an MBA from the University of Hartford.
Zoë Skinner - Assistant Director
Baltimore native, Zoë Skinner went to UNC Chapel Hill on a Division I lacrosse scholarship. As a Tar Heel, she helped her team reach the NCAA tournament each year and ultimately win the program's first National Championship title in 2013. That year, Skinner was also awarded the Yeardley Love Unsung Hero award for "...[exhibiting] leadership as a positive role model and [involvement] in community service."
Passionate about leveraging the power of sports for community development, Skinner was actively involved in UNC Athletics' Leadership Academy and Community Outreach programs all 4 years. Her sophomore year, she took her passion and skills to Vietnam after being selected for the Coach for College program. A non-profit that connects American student athletes with Vietnamese college students, she worked closely with a group to teach sports and English at a youth summer camp in the Mekong Delta. Some awards from her tenure at UNC Chapel Hill include:
- Tar Heel Leaders Of Distinction Award recipient (2014)
- IWLCA Community Awareness Award (2014)
- ACC Top Six for Service Award recipient (2013, 2014)
Post-college, Skinner continued her community service work within sports as a community relations intern for the Baltimore Ravens NFL team and then as a program coordinator for the One Love Foundation. In that role, she worked with college and high school students across the country to spark a peer-led movement to end relationship violence.
Skinner moved to Brooklyn, NY after spending 3 years in Los Angeles, California, coaching youth lacrosse for both recreation and club-level teams. She currently coaches the 12U girls team and several Little Lax groups at the Crescents and is an Assistant Varsity Lacrosse Coach at Poly Prep Country Day School.
Skinner holds a degree in Political Science from UNC Chapel Hill and a Masters of Science in Interaction Design and Information Architecture from the University of Baltimore.
Doug Soto - Operations and Marketing Strategist
Board of directors
Wes Jackson
Founder & Board Chair
Eoin Collins
Board Member
Jessica O'Brien
Founder & Board Member
Gus Heningburg
Board Member
Maryann Sullivan
Board Member
Kassim Howell
Founder & Board Member
L'Quentus Thomas
Founder & Board Member
Susan Murray
Founder & Board Member
Arnelle Williams
Board Member
