How many people want to play lacrosse but the barriers to entry are just too high? How many people would play lacrosse if it were less expensive, or if equipment more available? These are the questions Brandon Bednar, founder of Happy Lacrosse, asked himself when he decided to do something about it.
Happy Lacrosse is a company Brandon started because he simply wanted to help grow the game. Brandon a native of Centerville, Utah, currently studying at Purdue University, started the company Happy Lacrosse (Happy Lax) because he saw that the game he loves needs help to grow. I spoke with him about the company and what he hopes it can do for the lacrosse community.
Randy Everett: First, what does Happy Lax actually do or sell?
Brandon Bednar: Inspired by companies like Dollar Shave Club, where a customer purchases a subscription to the product to be sent monthly to his or her home, they send a monthly subscription of brand new lacrosse balls to the customer’s house. Along with lacrosse balls Happy Lax also shirts and other apparel to support lacrosse growth around the country.
RE: Many people may ask why they need a subscription to have lacrosse balls sent monthly to their homes. BB: Having played lacrosse I would have loved to have new lacrosse balls sent to me every month. Many times my practice or wall ball session would be cut short because a ball went over the wall or into the woods, or some thing else and I would lose that ball. Lacrosse balls also get worn out and greasy and difficult to use. It would have been so nice to have new ones every month without having to go to the store to buy new ones.
As we spoke, I asked him where he thought the sport of lacrosse would be in the next 10 years in Utah and other areas of the country, he said “I would love to see more D-I teams in next 10 years… there’s a couple new teams every year. In Utah in particular at the youth and high school levels the talent is getting so good.” Bednar continued to say that he helped coach Viewmont last year for the 2016 season and the team he coached and teams he coached against would have destroyed the teams we played on together. Brandon and I played together at Viewmont and graduated together in 2009.
Kids are starting younger and improving much quicker. Which makes for better teams and more talent at the local high school and college levels of play. This is a great thing for lacrosse but also creates difficulties because even though kids are becoming better athletes the cost of entry to lacrosse has been high for years. Many times it has even come with the stigma of being a “rich kid” sport. Through Happy Lax, Brandon is trying to help remedy that and make the sport he loves more accessible to others. Happy Lax will donate half of its profits to local lacrosse programs to help purchase equipment and help more people discover the great game of lacrosse.
Next time you need to order lacrosse balls take a look at Happy Lacrosse, not only will you receive a great product you will be helping the sport we love to grow!
Check out the company here by visiting their website.
