PLL star CJ Kirst’s new Lax.com cleats give back to CityLax originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
CJ Kirst takes the field this Saturday at Subaru Park for the Philadelphia Waterdogs on the precipice of breaking the PLL’s single-season goal record. Kirst is also battling the New York Atlas for a bigger purpose than individual glory and playoff seeding, though.
He’s paying it forward to the lacrosse community, with the help of Lax.com and Nike, showcasing for the second time this season a cleat that honors CityLax.
Most likely, Kirst will be repping CityLax when he scores his record-breaking 31st goal on Saturday. Kirst believes the partnerships that inspired Nike’s Huarache 9 cleats and Lax.com's Cleats for a Cause campaign are a part of growing the game of lacrosse.
“I think it just stems from trying to have the mindset of always growing the game and doing whatever my part is,” Kirst told me of teaming with CityLax and Lax.com for the cleat. “Whether that's representing CityLax in any way possible, I think that's kind of been the best part of now playing professionally and understanding the impact that you have as a professional lacrosse player.
“It’s just trying to show support to some of the players who are involved in CityLax. That's been the relationship that I've had with them over the past few years, being able to help support CityLax as a whole.”
Kirst gave Lax.com a shoutout for conceiving of the idea to promote CityLax and helping him see it through.
“I wouldn't be able to do this without Lax.com,” Kirst said. “They're the guys who helped me spearhead that process and create a cleat that best displays the CityLax logo and what they stand for. The guys over at Lax.com helped me out a ton with that.”
CityLax CEO Rich Lisk told me that it’s an honor to have Kirst representing the brand during PLL broadcasts, especially as Kirst is on the verge of making history on ESPN airwaves.
“First and foremost, we're honored to be represented by a PLL player. (CJ) could’ve picked any charity out there to work with and he picked us. And then second, to be honored by that player being CJ Kirst right now…that takes it to another level,” Lisk told me.
“I've had the opportunity to sit with CJ a bunch of times. He's a huge supporter of ours, and attended our gala. We talk regularly via text and things. And when he told us he was going to do this, I was taken aback. I was so honored that he would do this. I looked at Lax.com with what other people were doing and who else was being involved. I'm sure he had a lot of people banging on his door to say, ‘Hey, I would love to work with you,’ but he really believes in what we're doing. He's a good person, and for him to pick CityLax, it's truly, truly an honor.”
What is CityLax?
CityLax brands itself as a “nonprofit organization dedicated to changing the lives of students through the game of lacrosse.” It operates in New York City and has helped start programs in over 50 high schools and 15 middle schools across the boroughs since its inception in 2009. In total, CityLax works with over 2,500 students every season.
CityLax is proud to say it has yet to develop a professional lacrosse player, but it has achieved a 99% graduation rate for kids who have come through the program.
In addition to Kirst, Maryland Whipsnakes attackman Rob Pannel, the all-time professional outdoor lacrosse record-holder for goals, proudly works with CityLax.