:: THE MOM + THE SUPERSTAR
It took the collision of a spunky Midwestern mom of 3 from Ohio that wanted to create more opportunities for girls + a wicked creative world travelin' lax superstar interested in growing the sport in non-traditional areas to create XTEAM.
Crista Samaras was fresh off a plane from England after winning a Gold Medal with TEAM USA in the 2001 World Cup + on her way to pursue an acting + writing career in NYC when she took a job with Warrior that would take her all over the country. On her travels, people would often ask, "Can you stay and coach my daughter?" Not until she met Lisa Mitchelides, the bold mother to an even bolder high school sophomore that wanted to play lax in college, had she ever heard the question posed as a statement: "If I organize the team, will you coach it."
Crista + Lisa were a great team and thus XTEAM began to pull from areas across the country based on Crista's travels + clinics from California to Florida, Massachusetts to Texas. Lisa administrated and aggregated all interest and a club team for girls wanted to gain experience playing lacrosse and exposure to college recruiters was born. After 5 years, Crista + Lisa split as business partners and each took their passion to the next level.
Lisa is currently the Executive Administrator for Midwestern Force, a club team for girls in the Midwest + has expanded to create Southern Storm, a club team for girls in the Southeast.
Crista is the CEO of BOUNCE ENTERTAINMENT, the company that owns XTEAM LACROSSE. BOUNCE has developed tons of coach, mentor + player training programs as well as 3 pipeline clubs that are among the many feeder programs boosting talent into XTEAM.
:: CRAZY CRISTA
XTEAM started as a club, but has become a movement. The programming offered by XTEAM stems from it's charismatic champion. The care and concern we give our members trickles down from the dedication Crista has given to every detail of what makes this program effective for girls. As captivating as she is original, Crista is the astute + eccentric mind/soul/spirit/lisp that continues to draw influences from pop culture, industry and sugared cereals to build a program that will change the lives - and the lax games - of every XTEAMer.
:: X MARKS THE SPOT
Having grown up in Annapolis, MD - the center of the lacrosse universe - Crista's passion in life is serving the game + expanding its reach beyond traditional East Coast hotbeds. Because of her nomadic ways and because she is crazy/creative/wacky/hysterical, she originally named the club, "The Bandits." But, when more non-traditional areas were being represented (girls from over 27 states in 1 year!), it became harder + harder to explain the why/who/what/how/when of it all. Soon, girls were putting up the "X" sign indicating where they were from and Crista officially changed the name to "XTEAM" in 2002.
:: PUT UP THE "X"
A sign of an XTEAMer - at a tournament or at the prom - is to put her two crossed arms up in an "X" to signify she is a member. And, being a member comes from the soul. Put up your "X".
