Who says lacrosse can’t cure societal ills? By William Hupp
Special to Inside Lacrosse

See, there’s this dad who works for a Silicon Valley-based construction and development company. His son breaks his leg playing soccer. The dad knows that his employer, TEAMWRKX, along with the San Jose Stealth, co-founded Sticks-2-Schools, a new nonprofit that helps integrate lacrosse into a school’s physical education program. So Dad seeks out San Jose Stealth GM and lacrosse legend Johnny Mouradian, who arranges for a sports specialist to personally treat the boy.

Two other teens, Wyatt Daily and Kai Cummings, attend a school that has plenty of money for its own lacrosse teams. But when they hear about Sticks-2-Schools, they get inspired to raise funds for a school that isn’t as fortunate. The boys host an event for the 50 Varsity and JV members of the San Ramon High School Wolves LAX that raises $1,200 – enough to sponsor a new lacrosse program for about 800 kids at a school in nearby Livermore, Calif.

Sticks-2-Schools (S2S) is the brainchild of Mouradian and TEAMWRKX CEO Eric Venzon. It was founded to combat the nearly 30 percent obesity rate that plagues youth in the San Jose area. S2S emulates aspects of a similar proven Canadian effort, and it really works.

In its first year, S2S reached more than 30,000 children in 41 schools, launched Sticks-2-Schools and became an official nonprofit. Next year it will go international, with TEAMWRKX sponsoring S2S in one of the largest orphanages in Northern Russia – a country that Venzon believes offers enormous growth potential for our sport.

“Lacrosse is a great way for both girls and boys who have never tried a sport before to get active,” said Venzon, “and Sticks-2-Schools is a great way for us to give back to our community.”

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