Rich Adams still remembers the day his son Jack, a star Lake Forest lacrosse player, first exclaimed his love for coaching.

“I remember he came home one day and said, ‘Dad, I really enjoy working with the kids whose helmets are heavier than they are.’ He just really enjoyed working with the first and second graders, teaching them the basics,” Mr. Adams said.

After his son tragically passed away during a wake surfing accident in Indiana in 2019, Mr. Adams wanted to find a way to combine Jack’s passions for lacrosse and coaching young athletes.

“We had to come up with some organization; of course, lacrosse was his passion, so we put Lake Forest Lacrosse Association in his obituary, and we were absolutely overwhelmed by the amount of money given to LFLA,” Mr. Adams said.

Jack, a four year varsity athlete, was one of the best lacrosse players Lake Forest has ever had the privilege of fielding. He was a senior captain and an all-State long stick midfielder. In his honor, Learn 2 Lax 4 Jack is an introductory lacrosse program by LFLA with the goal of helping kindergarten to second graders acclimate with the sport at an affordable price.

“We had to do something for Jack and this was the best thing to represent him, as well as representing what we want future Scouts to be like,” Justin Smith, a LFHS lacrosse coach, owner of The Lax Shop and former LFLA board member, said.

For the gear alone, lacrosse can cost upwards of $300, if you’re lucky. After factoring in team fees and other charges, that number skyrockets.

This season Learn 2 Lax 4 Jack offers a helmet, stick, and gloves, along with fall and spring practices twice a week, for only $50.

“This extremely generous program has let my boys and so many kids try this amazing sport that they now love so much,” said Heather Kiely, a Lake Forest mother who has two kids playing for LFLA.

LFLA has been producing top talents since its inception in 2011, with two Division I commits in the 2023 class alone.

“LFLA was what made me love lacrosse; I was constantly being pushed by talented coaches and players that were around me every practice,” said Benn Johnston, who is the #2 nationally ranked player in the class of 2023 and a Duke commit.

Junior Jack Carrabine, who currently wears Jack’s #4 jersey, played for LFLA through 8th grade. Carrabine will play Division I lacrosse at Colgate University after high school.

“LFLA helped me understand the game and gave me a competitive work ethic which has molded me into the person I am today,” Carrabine said.

Carrabine is also the first player to be inducted onto the 4Jack plaque, created to highlight a player who embodies the same ideals that Jack did. Besides wearing #4 for the season, he carries out a flag before every home game with the 4Jack logo.

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you guys keeping his legacy alive,” Mr. Adams said when speaking of the new traditions to honor his son.

With the help of LFLA’s development, LFHS boys lacrosse earned a spot in the State championship last year.

“That was one of the most emotional lacrosse games I’ve ever been to, despite the result, with all the fours in the air,” Mr. Adams said. “It was the only thing keeping me functioning.”

Find more information on the program here.

This story was originally published on The Forest Scout on February 10, 2022.