Former Lacrosse players reconnect while supporting HEADstrong’s mission

By: Jennifer Hoffman

For Steve Field, Phil Marchese, Rob McCracken and Corey Munsterteiger it was a no brainer when Jeff Baxter asked them if they would be interested in dusting off their lax sticks and suiting up for the Lake Placid Summit Classic lacrosse tournament.

The four former college lacrosse players are just a small piece of the 24 man roster that will be gearing up and competing in the 30th anniversary classic, where HEADstrong is the benefactor. 

For some it is their first time participating in a HEADstrong event, while others have been familiar with the organization for years. “Where to start? I grew up in Ridley and played youth sports with the Colleluori family, two players on this team are 20+ year friends who lost parents to cancer” said Phil Marchese.

For Corey Munsterteiger, this is his first official HEADstrong event, but he’s worn the laces for years and understands what the mission is all about. “I have had close friends afflicted with cancer and seen how Headstrong’s mission can have a huge impact on families fighting this battle”.

The purpose of the classic is to reunite with old friends, create new ones and to celebrate the beloved game of lacrosse in one of the most beautiful places in the world; Lake Placid.  Jeff Baxter, one of the organizers and coaches of the team stated, “We thought it would be cool to get a team full of friends, pick up our sticks together again, and play to help raise awareness to fight this disease”.

Rob McCracken, a former teammate of Baxter’s is excited to take part in his first HEADstrong event, “Most looking forward to spending time with some old friends, reliving the college years and hopefully knocking the rust off and put on a good show!”

The former ‘lax bros’ are all grown up. Many of them play an important role at their jobs for some pretty notable companies, including Merrill Lynch, New York Dept. of State, Lockton, Homestead Funding and the City of Philadelphia just to name a few. So far, the team has raised over $14,000 and expect more donations to come in as the event draws closer.

Although they have all gone their separate ways since their Ridley HS or Cardinal O’Hara days, the guys never forgot where they came from. This is a great way for old and new friends to come together to support HEADstrong’s mission of improving lives affected by cancer. “I’m excited to get together with many college friends and experience a few days together in a beautiful setting, doing what brought us all together. To complement the fun we’ll have and the many laughs shared, we are there for a purpose this year and will honor Nick on and off the field and as we share his story” shared Steve Field who works for Homestead Funding. 

You can make a donation to support their efforts by contributing to the team’s fundraising page here.