KLTW

View Original

Letter from the President & Founder

Letter from the President & Founder

 

Today marks the last day of 2015 which ended up as a tremendous year of culture, happenings, and firsts. No time more than now is it apparent that everything in our society is occurring for a reason and that is for everyone to see. With the tragic events that have plagued us to the incredible successes accomplished that which have become front and center stage and we are more informed than we have ever been to witness and be apart of our global world.

I am proud to have created the organization this year and discover where we can go. Kids Lacrosse The World came about from a year long trip abroad and the opportunity I saw within the brilliant young people in communities around the world. It's clear to see the amount of good that is being done on a global level and it comforts me to know we are now a small part of the global cause. With our roots in Denver, Colorado the support we have received is unprecedented from corporations, small business, state senators, elementary schools, and beyond. Together we can achieve more and it has never felt better to work with like minded individuals to achieve a common goal of impacting the international world.  

This year brought us the creation of our first sustainable youth lacrosse program based out of Ranau, Sabah, Malaysia on the island of Borneo. The stakes were high for our first program and I couldn't be happier with the results from those 14 days. With over 200 students learning the game of lacrosse and tons of equipment donated, the school recognized us with providing the students an invaluable experience and we formed an amazing relationship with a diverse, beautiful community in Ranau.  

Our next few months will be critical as we hope to travel to Kenya to create and develop our African based kids program where there is much work to be done. Towards the spring we plan to return to Sabah to grow the Ranau Program in other schools to create a regional level competition and begin creating a legacy program to further saturate the lacrosse program into the schools.  

 

With all of this will come the challenges and obstacles that face a growing organization as well as a furthering responsibility to the communities here in Denver and that we operate in to carry out our vision and due so in a diligent, responsible manner. Everything we touch I hope to improve and leave better than we found it. From the old equipment donated to the grass fields we play on, our focus should be to always improve and grow, make use and reuse.

These words from Will who is someone that I look up to should echo to everyone in this world. Regardless of occupation, it is so important to have a fresh outlook daily and hold a passion that burns bright. It's easy to lose stoke, I look at my own self with working 50+ hours a week at my day job, coaching lacrosse here in Denver, and maintaining my activities outdoors and all the sudden it's easily lost. I push myself back to be stoked and passionate, and with the amazing work we do at Kids Lacrosse The World I find that. 

I wish everyone a safe and happy New Years, Cheers to 2015 and Stoke for 2016!