March Madness to May Madness to Summer Insanity

Growing up along Tobacco Road in Winston-Salem, NC, ACC basketball was a religion, a fervent devotion that dictated time off work for the ACC tournament, rivaling today's Friday happy hours. Names like Charlie Scott, Phil Ford, James Worthy and Michael Jordan echoed through the youthful recollections of my Tar Heel roots, setting the stage for a basketball pilgrimage that stretched from the courts of Wake, State, UNC, to the hallowed grounds of Duke.

Yet, life's trajectory took an unexpected turn when I found myself raising a family in Maryland, transitioning from the hardwood courts of hoops to the mesmerizing game of lacrosse. The once-familiar sound of basketball nets was drowned out by the rhythmic beat of lacrosse sticks hitting the field.

In my later career years, I found myself immersed in the exhilarating world of lacrosse, working at the Premier Lacrosse League as we gear up for the historic '28 Olympic Lacrosse Games of Six on Six (Sixes). Both men and women will engage in Lacrosse Sixes, a game that mirrors the speed and intensity of basketball - a symphony of shots, sprints, and defensive maneuvers, all within the constraints of a shot clock.

Enter Charlotte North, the MVP of the PLL Unleashed Women's Sixes All-Star Game, a player who once dreamt of gracing the WNBA courts. My own son, Paul, made a similar leap from Basketball Madness to Lacrosse Madness in high school, eventually co-founding the PLL with my oldest son, Mike, a collegiate football athlete. The Lacrosse Gods have indeed spoken, turning some "hoopers" into lacrosse giants.

As the sun shines ever more brightly in March, my dreams no longer end with the madness of basketball. Instead, they burst forth with the bustling excitement of lacrosse in the air. Explore the madness, revel in the thrill, and join us in this fortunate journey where the spirit of Lacrosse reigns supreme.

Want to delve deeper into the lacrosse world with Charlotte at our Girls Unleashed Overnight Camp? Click here. Paul Rabil will also be there, leading his Rabil Overnight West Coast Camp.

Hoops may never truly leave us, but with each passing March, our dreams evolve, embracing the unique madness that lacrosse graciously bestows upon us. What a fortunate madness it is to enjoy!