An Honest Ending
Paul Rabil
Co-founder of the Premier Lacrosse League, Author of The Way of the Champion, Producer and Investor
After 23 years of playing this beautiful game, my time has come.
This week, I had the humble pleasure of sharing the news with my family, a few friends and former teammates, my high school, college and PLL coach, as well as members of the media at Audi Field in Washington DC – my hometown city and site of the 2021 PLL Championship Game.
With a heavy heart, I’m eternally grateful for everyone who has loved, supported, coached, trained and mentored me. My family. Everyone I’ve won and lost with. The injuries. The trades. No highs without lows. No rings, no lifelong memories, no season ending defeats, no Premier Lacrosse League, no future without you.
It’s been my greatest honor to play the Native American game, Deho?tjihgwáés. Every day I worked, I learned. The game became my teacher.?
I played with a chip on my shoulder – it served me well and unwell at different moments.
I was always haunted more by the pain of losing than the satisfaction of victory. Every shot missed, every opportunity not taken – would feel like a dagger to the body. But I always went back to practice.
And here’s the secret when it comes to practice...it doesn’t get easier. It actually gets harder. Practicing every day is the minimum. You still have to work really, really hard. You have to scratch and claw and fight, and it never ends.
Until it does.
I finally learned that it was never about the outcome. It was always about the game. The game is meant to be played, not won. There is no winning, and there is no end. So i’ll continue to compete, win, lose, sprint, fall and get back up again.
Just in a different uniform.
As part of my debt owed to the sport, I’m excited to announce a new endeavor, called Goals for Greatness. Beginning in 2022, I’m committing to resourcing lacrosse goals in all 50 states, recurring every year thereafter.
My childhood memories consisted of local hoops, baseball diamonds and soccer goals. Even as a pro it was difficult to find lacrosse nets to shoot on. I want to change that. I’ll begin working with municipalities and community groups to identify public areas that can benefit most.
My hope is that through this initiative, more kids and adults can play lacrosse. Further, with lacrosse goals on fields nationwide, the world will soon have that same visual I had growing up, making lacrosse more recognizable, aspirational and accessible.
I look forward to my next chapter in lacrosse. I'll miss the game dearly, and no doubt will have more reflections to share. However, if my words ring true, I'll need to embrace the ups and downs, seek a state of presence in life, and continue to push forward...starting with my first full experience as the League's Co-Founder this Sunday at 12pmET for our Championship Game between the Whips and Chaos on NBC. I'm so blessed.
All in love,
99
You have certainly inspired my son. An 11 YO who just started playing last year. Thanks for all you have done for the sport Paul Rabil.
Chief Scientist at Booz Allen Hamilton ? Founder of Collective Shield a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ? US Patent Holder
3 年Congratulations. You helped inspire my tiny 11 y/o son to pick up the game. Now he's 6 feet tall (almost), and a high school junior playing LSM. He's watched you since the days of the PRE videos.
Monument Sotheby’s International Realty
3 年In reality you can still play. Most of us who have played the sport for many, many years, we adore and love the sport. You have only played for half of the years that I have, and I would love to have at least 1 more year, that would mean that I have played 6 decades of lacrosse. You don't need to quit the game that we all love....
Structured cable services for data centers and your technology
3 年All the best!
Honor the Game
3 年We are a small and relatively obscure sport. We will never reach the heights of soccer, football and many other sports. . Visionaries like Paul are not phased by this reality and are determined to grow our game and provide the exposure we deserve. . Paul will be known as one of the greats, in the same "club" of the Powells and Gaits. . As coaches we need to recognize players such as Paul and inform our players of all ages who these men are and of their importance to the game. Best to him in his next chapter. Honor the Game ~coach B