SPARKS, MARYLAND (January 30, 2020) — Cascade Maverik Lacrosse has signed a new multi-year partnership agreement with US Lacrosse, the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams and the National Team Development Program (NTDP). Cascade, a longtime partner of the U.S. national team program, also becomes the “Preferred Helmet Partner” of the US Lacrosse First Stick Program and brings the Maverik brand into the US Lacrosse family.
“Our new and expanded relationship with Cascade Maverik provides US Lacrosse and our National Teams Program with a valuable partnership with an industry leader that provides best-in-class equipment to our athletes,” said Tom Pope, Director of Corporate Partnerships for US Lacrosse. “We are especially excited to see them embrace our NTDP, which launched last year. This puts Cascade Maverik in the unique position of connecting with our players as they enter the national team pipeline and seeing them through the pinnacle of representing the USA in world championship competition.”
“We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to support US Lacrosse, the growth of the sport, and players nationwide. Both the Cascade and Maverik brands embrace a unifying mission to improve the player and advance the game so our partnership with US Lacrosse is a natural fit,” said Patrick O’Toole, Director of Marketing for Cascade Maverik Lacrosse. “Providing game-elevating equipment to our country’s most elite, and inspiring participation among all ages alongside US Lacrosse brings us great joy and we’re proud to be a part of it.”
The new agreement designates Cascade as the “Official Helmet Supplier” of the U.S. men’s national team and the National Team Development Program and the “Official Goalie Helmet” of the U.S. women’s national teams and National Team Development Program. Maverik now becomes an “Official Equipment Supplier” of the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams as well as the men’s and women’s National Team Development Program.
US Lacrosse oversees all aspects of the U.S. National Team Program and the NTDP. Since 1967, the U.S. men’s and women’s teams have combined to win a record 31 world championships. In 2019, more than 200 of the sport’s top athletes represented the U.S. in competition, exhibitions and tryouts.
The NTDP formally launched in 2019 with more than 1,000 athletes participating in tryouts held in conjunction with the Premier Lacrosse League and the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League. From that group, nearly 300 competed in a national combine at US Lacrosse headquarters and 88 were chosen to represent the country as part of the USA Select teams that competed against international competition at the Fall Classic.
The US Lacrosse First Stick Program dates to 2010 and generous funding from donors and partners has helped build the program into a cornerstone initiative that seeks to expand participation in the sport beyond traditional boundaries. Over the last five years, US Lacrosse has awarded more than $6 million in equipment to deserving programs and more than 5,000 players are assisted on an annual basis.