Creating Unity through Service & Sacrifice
VOICES BEYOND THE LINES
Katie McGrath
"This year I watched my son learn a really tough sport, and maybe because I’m his mama I can say this, I saw him get darn good at it too. But even though I saw more practices, scrimmages, and games than you can count, lacrosse was the least of what I saw. I saw my son take the first steps towards becoming a man. I saw my son feel the pride of being handed a medal that was earned and not handed out. I saw my son find true joy in loving and serving others. I saw my son persevere through the times he didn’t want to or got knocked down so hard he couldn’t get back up. I saw my son learn respect and admiration for those who walked it first. I saw my son fall in love not only with a sport, but with hard work. I saw my family cheer harder for one another off the field because of the opportunity to cheer for our son who was on the field.
Sacrifice makes way for service and service results in unity."
Lisa H.
"As a parent of 5, 3 of which have played club lacrosse on different teams at the elite level, I have nothing but great things to say about the USS lacrosse program. Our family has a lot of experience in the world of lacrosse.
After years of being good and just liking lacrosse - My son has become an incredible, passionate player with goals and aspirations to continue playing as long and as much as he can. Other parents often ask - “wow! What has he done? Where has he been? Who is he playing with?” Truth be told - he takes advantage of every opportunity provided by USS; every workout, every skills session, every chance to grow as a lacrosse player and a man. His work ethic has surprised and impressed me. He will often leave highschool practice or workouts, do homework and head straight to USS skills opportunities. We sometimes miss dinner, or have to make choices about participating in other activities. We divide and conquer to get everyone where they need to be. It has been a struggle and it is hard, not just for him, but for everyone; however it directly aligns with the idea of USS lacrosse. The website states, “We are a youth lacrosse organization created to allow for student-athletes to gain a total development opportunity. Putting Unity, Service and Sacrifice before Lacrosse.”
Honestly, I am continuously surprised by the lack of participation in the events being offered. Please know that as a player at USS you are getting an incredible number of opportunities to learn and develop skills than in other elite programs. When I sit down and compare - It truly amazes me. In the fall, my other children get 1 practice per week; depending on positions at USS, you have 2-3 opportunities to put in the work. Some think that playing and winning games is most important, but really and truly it is the development of a great lacrosse player. For every 40 min game - there were and should be hours of hard work put in behind the scenes. There are so many great things being offered through USS lacrosse - please take advantage! As stated by USS “Putting the athlete first guarantees our team's success on the field of play. Winning is a byproduct of the work that is put into each individual's personal success!” We are proud to be a part of this organization."