TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 4/25/13
From Press Release
A crowd of 10,000 is expected Saturday at Radnor High (PA) when the largest field of high school games in the nation competes in the 13th annual Katie Samson Lacrosse Festival.
The event features 27 games – 14 girls’ and 13 boys’ – and includes many of the top-ranked teams in the Philadelphia area as well as boys’ powers from Connecticut and New Jersey.
This year’s special guest will be cancer survivor Mark Herzlich, a New York Giants linebacker and Super Bowl Champion. Herzlich, a Conestoga High grad who starred in football and lacrosse for the Pioneers, will be a guest speaker and will receive the KSF Inspiration Award.
The event will feature two FanZones, over 50 sponsors, over 20 vendors, wheelchair rugby/tennis/basketball athletes, an appearance by the Philly PHANATIC and Hershey Park Candy Bar mascots, Wings’ mascot Maddog and Mickie Mouse.
The Katie Samson Foundation has raised over $1.3 million to fight paralysis and quality of life improvements for spinal cord injury patients. It is dedicated to Katie Samson, a former Radnor High great and NCAA champion at Middlebury College who suffered a spinal cord injury in 1999 while sledding in a neary park and became a quadriplegic but continues to live an and active lifestyle.
Saturday’s event also features the first college game in its history. At 5:30 p.m. on the turf field, Pennsylvania will face Bellarmine in a men’s contest.
The Katie Samson Foundation raised over $150,000 in 2012. The proceeds go to charities supporting spinal cord injury research, care, and quality of life improvements.
The Cause:
The Katie Samson Foundation raises money for research to identify a cure for spinal cord injuries and to optimize care and quality of life for spinal cord patients. The foundation also promotes social awareness as the lacrosse community comes together to support the festival. Through Katie’s prodigious courage and perseverance, her foundation has successfully raised funds to support spinal cord injury research, patient care, and quality of life improvements. Over $1,300,000 has been donated.
Katie Samson – The Inspiration:
Katie Samson grew up in Wayne, Pennsylvania and graduated from Radnor High in 1998. She excelled as a lacrosse goalie, community volunteer, and art enthusiast. While attending Middlebury College in Vermont she helped her team capture the Division III National Championship in 1999 and she was named MVP. The following winter Katie’s life was forever altered when she suffered a spinal cord injury while sledding in a nearby park and became a quadriplegic.
After months of rehabilitation and encouragement from family and friends, Katie went back to finish her degree and help coach her college team to two more National titles. Katie is now an active member of the Katie Samson Foundation, a Museum Educator at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and an Adjunct Instructor at West Chester University and Thomas Jefferson University. She is also a peer mentor for people who have suffered spinal cord injury where she encourages her mentees to seek out adaptive sports and therapeutic programs that have had such a positive effect on her life.
Katie’s two brothers, David (Germantown Academy assistant) and Brian (head coach of three-time defending state champion Conestoga), and her father, Peter, coach lacrosse. For the past 13 years, Katie and her family and the Katie Samson Foundation volunteers have continued to raise money to support spinal cord injury research and increase the quality of life for people with disabilities.
Event Details:
The high school games will begin at 9:00am on Saturday, April 27th. All of the games will be played at Radnor High School! The festival website, www.katiesamsonlaxfest.com, has the full schedule as well as all the other exciting details or visit us on Facebook – Katie Samson Lacrosse Festival. An $8 ($5 for students/under 3 is free!) recommended admission fee allows unlimited access to all activities and rides within the two Fan Zones.
Supporting the festival offers an opportunity to do something meaningful and historic to impact the lives of people affected by spinal cord injuries. The Katie Samson Foundation is a 501©3 corporation located at 522 Brookside Avenue, St David’s, PA 19087 (610-688-1606). All donations are tax deductible. Please contact Clare Girton, Director of Development, 610-293-9984, claregirton@aol.com, with any questions.
Schedule
13th Katie Samson Festival At Radnor High
BOYS’ GAMES
Cardinal O’Hara HS (PA) v. Shipley School (PA) at 9:00 AM on Prevost Field
Harriton HS (PA) v. Archbishop Wood HS (PA) at 9:00 AM on Creek Field
Haverford HS (PA) v. Archbishop Carroll HS (PA) at 9:00 AM on Loop Field
Haverford School (PA) v. La Salle College HS (PA) at 11:00 AM on Prevost Field
Hatboro-Horsham HS (PA) v. Springfield-Delco HS (PA) at 11:00 AM on Creek Field
Emmaus HS (PA) v. Lower Merion HS (PA) at 11:00 AM on Loop Field
Episcopal Academy (PA) v. Lawrenceville School (NJ) at 1:00 PM on Prevost Field
Garnet Valley HS (PA) v. St. Augustine Prep (NJ) at 1:00 PM on Creek Field
Penn Charter School (PA) v. Brunswick School (CT) at 1:00 PM on Loop Field
Conestoga HS (PA) v. Downingtown East HS (PA) at 3:00 PM on Prevost Field
Germantown Academy (PA) v. Hill School (PA) at 3:00 PM on Creek Field
Spring-Ford HS (PA) v. Chatham HS (NJ) at 3:00 PM on Loop Field
Radnor HS (PA) v. Downingtown West HS (PA) at 4:00 PM on Encke Field
GIRLS’ GAMES
Abington HS (PA) v. Agnes Irwin School (PA) at 9:00 AM on Encke Field
Penncrest HS (PA) v. Springside School (PA) at 9:00 AM on Library Field
WC Henderson HS (PA) v. Friends Central Academy (PA) at 9:00 AM on Rowland Field
Harriton HS (PA) v. Great Valley HS (PA) at 10:45 AM on Encke Field
Strath Haven HS (PA) v. Episcopal Academy (PA) at 10:45 AM on Rowland Field
Haverford HS (PA) v. Penn Charter School (PA) at 10:45 AM on Library Field
Conestoga HS (PA) v. Archbishop Carroll HS (PA) at 12:30 PM on Encke Field
Baldwin School (PA) v. Hill School (PA) at 12:30 PM on Library Field
Boyertown HS (PA) v. Germantown Academy (PA) at 12:30 PM on Rowland Field
Radnor HS v. Notre Dame Academy at 2:15 PM on Encke Field
Garnet Valley HS (PA) v. Mt. St. Joseph’s Academy (PA) at 2:15 PM on Rowland Field
Unionville HS (PA) v. Villa Maria Academy (PA) at 2:15 PM on Library Field
Methacton HS (PA) v. Shipley School (PA) at 4:00 PM on Rowland Field
Upper Dublin HS (PA) v. Merion Mercy Academy (PA) at 4:00 PM on Library Field
MEN’S COLLEGE
University of Pennsylvania v. Bellarmine University at 5:30 on Prevost Field
* The first team named is the home team. Enke Field is the turf field on the west side of Radnor HS. Library Field is on the east side of RHS, parallel to King of Prussia Rd. in the outfield of the baseball field. Rowland field is on the west side of RHS above then entrance road.
