Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/20/16
From Press Release
The Katie Samson Foundation Lacrosse Fest will be celebrating its 16th year! The Katie Samson Lacrosse Festival began in 2000 and has grown into the premier high school lacrosse event in the United States.
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Katie Samson is seen here with Harriton High’s boys’ team in 2014
This year’s festival will be held on Saturday April 23rd at Radnor High School, and will be the LARGEST single-day high school lacrosse festival in the country with 54 varsity teams (26 premier boys’ teams and 28 premier girls’ teams on six fields running simultaneously), wheelchair rugby, tennis and basketball games, youth games, 20+ vendors, 10,000+ fans, 50+ major sponsors and 2 FanZones with rides, bounces, rock walls, face painting, BBQ, funnel cakes, raffle prices, clothing, equipment etc.
The Katie Samson Foundation gives back! Over $132,000 was raised in 2015 with the generous support of over 50 sponsors, donations from attendees, as well as fundraising efforts by each participating lacrosse team. Since 2000 over $1.7 million has been distributed to charities benefiting medical research and providing care for people with spinal cord injuries– research (43 percent), patient care (46 percent) and quality of life (11 percent).
The Event:
The Katie Samson Festival began in 2000 and has grown into the premier high school lacrosse event in the United States. Motivated by Katie’s perseverance and courage, volunteers in the lacrosse community and beyond support the cause year after year. The festival is filled with activities for the whole family; with exciting lacrosse team match-ups, a demonstration of wheelchair sports, food, fan zones, and a spirit of sportsmanship and purpose. With generous support of over 50 sponsors, donations from attendees, as well as fundraising efforts by each participating lacrosse team, the Katie Samson Lacrosse Festival has raised over 1.6 million dollars. We appreciate the tremendous support and we hope to see you at the 2015 Festival.
The Highlights:
* 27 premier boys’ and girls’ league-sanctioned regular season games and several youth team games
* The Fest offers these athletes an opportunity to experience a unique community spirit of giving while competing in a challenging sporting event.
* Six fields running simultaneously from 9am to 5pm.
* Over 10,000 attendees
* Disabled athletes demonstrating wheelchair tennis, basketball and rugby games.
* Families from all over the mid-Atlantic region will be enjoying games, rides, boutiques, face-painters, balloon artists, great raffle prizes, plenty of food and of course, great lacrosse. There will be two FanZones which will have “Katie’sKiddieKorner” for younger fans- with clowns and balloon designs, a Mechanical Bull, Rock Climbing Wall, moonbounces, music, and visits from Hershey characters
* Food vendors in each Fan Zone.
* Boutiques in both Fan Zones guarantee a shopping opportunity for all – including the latest lacrosse clothing and gear at great Fest prices.
* In support of local lacrosse legend John Christmas’ foundation LEAPS (Lacrosse Education Attitude Perseverance Success), we are asking Fest attendees to clear out their basement of used lacrosse equipment, and to PLEASE bring it to the Fest, dropping it off at either entrance. This will provide countless opportunities for inner city kids to learn and experience the great sport of lacrosse through John’s passionate efforts.
The Cause:
The Katie Samson Foundation GIVES BACK! KSF 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 courage and perseverance, her foundation has successfully raised funds to support spinal cord injury research and rehabilitation programs that provide much needed independence and quality of life improvements for those with spinal cord injuries.
Katie Samson – The Inspiration:
Katie Samson grew up in Wayne, Pennsylvania and attended Radnor High where she was a goalkeeper for the girls lacrosse team. Katie went on to study Art History at Middlebury College where she also played Division III lacrosse and helped her team capture a National Championship in 1999. The following winter Katie suffered a spinal cord injury while sledding 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. In 2004, Katie moved to Arizona to pursue her graduate degree where she remained for 6 years. She moved back to the Philadelphia are in 2010 and is currently the Assistant Director of Museum Education at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
Katie still finds time to play wheelchair sports, such as rugby, tennis and cycling. Katie also enjoys storytelling as a creative art form and performs for different organizations in Philadelphia. As a peer mentor for people who have suffered spinal cord injury through Magee Rehabilitation Hospital, Katie encourages her mentees to seek out adaptive sports and therapeutic programs that have had such a positive effect on her life.
Event Details:
The high school games will begin at 9:00am on Saturday, April 23rd. All of the games will be played at Radnor High School. The festival website, www.katiesamsonlaxfest.com, has an amazing inspirational video, the full schedule as well as all the other exciting details. Or visit us on Facebook – Katie Samson Lacrosse Festival. A $10 ($5 for students/under 3 is free!) 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 one of the two Co-Directors of Development, Courtney Cambpell or Krissy Brown at courtneycampbell91@gmail.com and kirssy_brown@mac.com respectively or call 610-293-9984 with any questions.
16th Annual Katie Samson Foundation (KSF) Festival schedule (all teams from PA unless noted
At Radnor High School, Radnor, PA
Boys
Germantown Academy v. Shipley School at 9:00 on Prevost Field
Archbishop Carroll HS v. Upper Merion HS at 9:00 on Loop Field
Harriton HS v. Academy of the New Church at 9:00 on Creek Field
Downingtown East HS v. Radnor HS at 11:00 on Prevost Field
Emmaus HS v. Lower Merion HS at 11:00 on Loop Field
St. Augustine Prep (NJ) v. St. Joseph’s Prep at 11:00 on Creek Field
Brunswick School (CT) v. Haverford School at 1:00 on Prevost Field
Central Bucks South HS v. Springfield-Delco HS at 1:00 on Loop Field
Hun School (NJ) v. Malvern Prep at 1:00 on Creek Field
Avon Grove HS v. Conestoga HS at 3:00 on Prevost
Downingtown West HS v. Garnet Valley HS at 3:00 on Loop Field
Episcopal Academy v. Hill School at 3:00 on Creek Field
Spring-Ford HS v. Upper Dublin HS at 4:00 on Encke Field
Girls
Harriton HS v. Notre Dame Academy at 9:00 on Encke Field
Lower Merion HS v. Upper Dublin HS at 9:00 on Library Field
Baldwin School v. WC Henderson HS at 9:00 on Rowland Field
Friends’ Central School v. Haverford HS at 10:45 on Encke Field
Germantown Academy v. Strath Haven HS at 10:45 on Library Field
Boyertown HS v. Shipley School at 10:45 on Rowland Field
Conestoga HS v. Unionville HS at 12:30 on Encke Field
Hill School v. Penn Charter School at 12:30 on Library Field
Great Valley HS v. Agnes Irwin School at 12:30 on Rowland Field
Merion Mercy Academy v. Radnor HS at 2:15 on Encke Field
Downingtown West HS v. Springside-CHA at 2:15 on Library Field
Episcopal Academy v. Garnet Valley at 2:15 on Rowland Field
Archbishop Carroll HS v. Owen J. Roberts HS at 4:00 on Library Field
Abington HS v. Villa Maria Academy at 4:00 on Rowland Field