INDIO, CA // XTEAM 2013 ended their fall/winter season on a high note by winning the championship of the La Quinta Division at the 4th Annual SAND STORM Lacrosse Tournament! A non-traditional club team without tryouts, XTEAM boasts talent that spans the Unites States. On the 2013 roster alone, girls come from California, Washington, Utah, Texas, New Jersey, Georgia and Florida. “We started XTEAM to help unite girls that are passionate about lacrosse who are also looking for a highly competitive team,” says XTEAM owner, Crista Samaras. “After a decade of establishing a unique culture and watching XTEAM girls excel in college and beyond, the talent that registers each year continues to get stronger.”
SAND STORM was the grand finale to a season that began in September with a training weekend at Stanford University and continued through the November recruiting tournaments in Annapolis, MD and Naples, FL. According to XTEAM 2013 Head Coach Jess Thornton, the girls bonded from Day 1. “This group was so open and honest with each other from the get go. They connected immediately off the field so that when they stepped on it they were already a team. Actually, they were more like a family.”
During the round robin play preceding playoffs, XTEAM 2013 met Mamaci, Snohomish, Mayhem and Triple Threat. Beating out Rhino in the semi-final game led to a championship match-up against Colorado powerhouse TEAM 180. “The first half was intense, but once we got in our groove by getting the draw, we gained an unstoppable momentum,” says Thornton. With a final score of 7-2, the team immediately exploded into smiles, cheers and an excitement that has burst past the boundaries of the weekend.
Jayne Evans, mom to 2013 champ Kate Brescia (Florida), is still smiling as she reports from her layover in Dallas. “As a parent, it is so gratifying to watch all of these talented players develop their own skills and then take the next step to becoming a collaborative team in such a short time. It’s a testament to the players, the coaches and most importantly, the program.”
The win was extra-special because it’s not one of the leading intentions of XTEAM heading into competitive tournaments. “We have very little time with our kids. We aim to pack as much into each XTEAM weekend as possible, so we are equally focused on the off-field bonding as we are on lacrosse field instruction and game experience,” explains XTEAM Recruiting Director, Liz “LC” Connelly. “Our goal is to give each girl a full experience every time her family invests time and money to attend an event. With that as our guiding light, winning as the primary goal gets trumped by maximizing the opportunity to learn.”
Just the night before, XTEAM rented out the main room of the Palm Valley Country Club to host its annual banquet celebrating its members. 150 of our girls + their parents were required to wear hats along with their little black dresses and tuxedos to honor the “TOP THAT!” theme. 2013 was well represented by spitfire and motivational leader Tyler Sherper (Washington) who opened the night with a great rendition of Whitewater Chopstix by Calvin Jones on the piano. After an inspirational night, the championship win further cemented this weekend as a grand experience. According to Sherper, “[the championship] was such a rush. I was amazed that we could all come together from different situations and states and rise to the challenge. We showed everyone, including ourselves, what we were made of and what it really means to be on X.”
“It’s absolutely amazing to watch this community of girls celebrate each other,” says Samaras, who started XTEAM 10 years ago after traveling the country as a member of the US TEAM. “When you see the value XTEAM places on the girl – not just the player – you realize why the members are able to get so much better, so much faster.”
There is no time to waste because of how aggressive the recruiting process is becoming. XTEAM has always aimed to level the playing field, giving girls in non-traditional areas a fighting chance to be considered among the competitive pool of high school girls aiming to play lacrosse in college. As much as XTEAM provides for a great experience, ultimately, what the girls get out of it is equal to what they put into it.
With loads of training, lacrosse and recruiting tools, XTEAM provides for its member great value beyond the cost of membership. Jayne Evans: This winning experience a testament to each player’s passion for the game, their work ethic to follow their training regime to become the best player they can be and to the XTEAM/BOUNCE staff to offer help 24/7.”
XTEAM had 5 total teams in attendance. Congrats are also due to XTEAM BLACK 2012 for a great run at winning the Palm Springs division of the tournament, losing a close one to an amazing TEAM 180 team, 5-3.
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INDO, CA // XTEAM's 4th trip to Palm Springs, CA for the SAND STORM tournament held by Synapse Sports was a hit. Representing 14 different states, XTEAM had a BIG presensce at the event this year with 5 teams. Both the 2012 BLACK TEAM and the 2013 TEAM made it to the championship game.
Both teams played TEAM 180 from Colorado and XTEAM 2013 came away as Champion of their division, winning 7-2. 2012 BLACK lost a tough one 5-3, but still remains one of the best teams in XTEAM history. "They are fast, intense and exemplify the XTEAM system by pushing the pace of the game and rising to the occasion of intense competition," boasts XTEAM HEAD COACH Liz "LC" Connelly.
"We always love the dimension that XTEAM adds to our events, not to mention their energy," says Coryn Griffeth, the tournament Director for Synapse Sports. "And, for XTEAM to win an entire Division is a huge plus for the growth of the game and a testament to a program that aims to help make girls from non-traditional areas competitive."
XTEAM GIRLS ON ALL-TOURNEY TEAM
XTEAM 2011 // ALEX FOREMAN (WA)
XTEAM 2012 BLACK // OLIVIA LONG (FL) - Hopkins '16
XTEAM 2012 BLACK // MACKENZIE SMITH (FL) - Vanderbilt '16
XTEAM 2013 // ANNIE RULAND (GA)
XTEAM NEXT // LAUREN NEUMANN (TX)
TOURNMANT PRESS RELEASE FROM SYNAPSE SPORTS:
Annapolis, MD (December 20, 2010) – Joe Brown will never forget the first game his Pacific Falcons played at the inaugural Sand Storm Festival in 2008. The San Diego-based program’s middle school squad lost 18-4 to a more established club team. “It was our first club tournament and we weren’t prepared for the caliber of competition,” he said. Two years later, the Falcons made the finals of the La Quinta Division (Risers) at Sand Storm. This year, Brown is bringing three teams to the fourth annual Sand Storm Lacrosse Festival and has high expectations for the Falcons. “Our program has grown as Sand Storm has grown. We are now taking the field to win the tournament,” he said.
Sand Storm has helped raise the competitive level of numerous club teams from non-traditional areas west of the Mississippi. The two-day event, organized by Synapse Sports and held at the fabulous Empire Polo Club in Indio, Cal., has become the preeminent club tournament on the West Coast. “Sand Storm is the highlight of our winter program because Synapse always delivers on what they promise,” Brown said. “It’s a great venue, the games all run on time, the officials are consistent and the caliber of competition is tremendous.”
Sand Storm has grown in size every year and the 2011 tournament will feature a record 65 teams in three girls divisions (Middle School, JV and Varsity). Competition will be held Jan. 15-16 amidst a spectacular backdrop of palm trees and snow-capped mountains at Empire Polo Club, which features more than 20 impeccably maintained fields. “We are very excited to have Sand Storm coming back for a fourth straight year. It is a fantastic tournament and Synapse is a dream organization to work with,” said Summer Parkinson, event manager at the Empire Polo Club. “We host everything from art shows to concerts and this event is one of our favorites because of the energy the players bring to the fields and the festival atmosphere that exists.”
This year’s Sand Storm will break new ground as Synapse has partnered with Lax West Lacrosse to add a boys’ component to the tournament. Michael Watson, founder and director of Lax West, has been pleased with the response so far as there are teams registered for all four boys divisions (Youth/Under-13, Middle School/U15, High School/U17 and Elite/U19). “Synapse has an impeccable record for event management and we are thrilled to join forces with them to develop the boys’ side of Sand Storm,” Watson said. “Synapse has already created the infrastructure and developed a sterling reputation for Sand Storm so it really is a no-brainer to add boys. Our intention is to build this into the premier winter tournament for boys, just like it has become for girls.”
2011 teams hail from Arizona, California, Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington. In addition, many of the best athletes from their region will be competing on one of 6 teams representing XTEAM, a national lacrosse club that works to help girls from non-traditional areas actualize their dream of playing lacrosse in college. XTEAM girls come from over 20 different states and annually use Sand Storm as their key winter training, recruiting and year-end celebration weekend.
Sand Storm has been welcomed by college coaches in the West, who can scout a large amount of talent in one location without traveling far. A record number of coaches are expected this year, with the following women’s programs already confirmed to attend: Brown, Cal Berkeley, Carthage, Chapman, Claremont Mudd-Scripps, Cornell, Denver, Detroit Mercy, Loyola, Navy, Occidental, Oregon, Pacific, Pomona-Pitzer, Princeton, Redlands, Richmond, San Diego State, Santa Barbara, SBCC, St. Mary’s (CA), Stanford, UC-Davis, USC and Wellesley.
An array of additional offerings will lend to the festival atmosphere. Utah-based retailer Tribal West will have plenty of hot apparel, California Pro Sports will feature the latest and greatest STX equipment and Defender Mouthguards will be onsite with their mobile lab. Former Maryland All-American Dana Dobbie, the NCAA all-time leader in draw controls and an STX promo player, will be conducting individual skill clinics for participating athletes. STX will also provide prizes to divisional winners while Gatorade will hydrate the event.
SYNAPSE SPORTS
Synapse Sports is the premier provider of lacrosse playing opportunities and recruiting events in the U.S. Founder and CEO Cathy Samaras has been a trailblazer in the sport of lacrosse, working tirelessly for over 20 years to promote the growth and development of the game – from grassroots to global. To learn more about the exciting events organized by the company visit www.synapsesports.com
