Geneva, OH – April 11, 2022: SPIRE Institute & Academy has formally announced that lacrosse athlete and entrepreneur, Kyle Harrison, will be joining the SPIRE team as both a Brand Ambassador and Consultant for the sports academy’s newly created lacrosse program. Harrison is one of the most successful and decorated lacrosse players of all time, with a collegiate and professional career spanning more than 20 years.
One of the most recognized and influential names in the sport, Harrison is a 9-time All-Star and two-time member of the US National Team. During his college career, Kyle was a 3-time NCAA All-American at Johns Hopkins University. In his 2005 senior season, he led the Blue Jays to an undefeated record and claimed the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship. He also took home the 2005 Tewaaraton Award as the top player in all of college lacrosse and was inducted into the Johns Hopkins Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016. He retired from playing professionally following the 2021 season and continues to serve as the Premier Lacrosse League’s (PLL) Director of Player Relations and Diversity Inclusion.
“Seeing SPIRE in person is so much more amazing than just seeing it in pictures. It’s truly one of the best facilities I’ve ever seen. The opportunity to attend SPIRE, challenge yourself academically, and push yourself athletically to reach your potential is an incredible possibility. I can’t wait to help build the SPIRE Lacrosse program, and I’m proud to be an ambassador.”
– Kyle Harrison
Harrison’s influence at SPIRE will reach much further than his role as ambassador. His established Team Eighteen programs will bring elite players to SPIRE to use the world-class training facilities and resources and create more exposure for the athletic academy’s lacrosse program, set to debut later in 2022. He will be supporting SPIRE by bringing camps and clinic events to the campus and connecting athletes and the lacrosse community to SPIRE through social media.
Kyle’s background gives him a unique insight into the skills he will rely upon to represent SPIRE and help develop the lacrosse program.
“Johns Hopkins University gave me the foundation I need to excel at SPIRE, including time management, prioritization, work ethic, goal setting, sacrifice and commitment to team. These are the life skills students learn at SPIRE every day, and I would have loved the opportunity to learn them in high school.”
– Kyle Harrison
Under the guidance of Harrison and the leadership of SPIRE’s Director of Lacrosse, Lelan Rogers, SPIRE will be able to develop the training programs and momentum to make its student athletes and the academy itself stand out in one of the fastest-growing sports in the nation. SPIRE’s unique Academy model goes much further than a boarding school. Everything is available on their 500-acre campus that allows lacrosse student athletes to perform at their highest academically and athletically, including performance training, tailored meal programs and more.
Coach Rogers is excited to be working alongside Harrison.
“A standout player at Johns Hopkins and in professional lacrosse, Kyle Harrison brings experience from the highest levels of lacrosse to SPIRE Academy. His leadership and character are exactly what we are looking for in helping guide us to the levels we seek to achieve. We look forward to building a relationship that helps both Kyle, Team Eighteen and SPIRE Lacrosse reach our goals.”
– Lelan Rogers, SPIRE’s Director of Lacrosse
The addition of influential and respected athletes like Harrison ushers in SPIRE’s new era of continued expansion and growth. Alongside newly announced sports offerings such as wrestling, launched in 2021, and an upcoming women’s basketball academy, lacrosse is a key piece in SPIRE’s continued evolution as an elite international athletic academy.
When thinking about the future of the lacrosse program at SPIRE, Lelan Rogers explains, “My vision for our lacrosse team is to find student athletes of the highest character and leadership qualities that will build SPIRE Lacrosse into one of the premier programs in the nation in a very short time. Student athletes who seek both individual development and team development will be the foundation of our Academy and Lacrosse Program.”
About SPIRE
SPIRE Institute & Academy is a comprehensive academic, athletic, personal skills and career development experience located within a world class event and wellness complex. Constructed on nearly 500 acres with more than 750,000 sq. ft. under roof, SPIRE encompasses four divisions: SPIRE Academy, an accredited college preparatory international boarding school and multi-sport/specialty training and development academy for 9-12 graders and a post grad program; SPIRE Institute, the research and development arm studying performance improvement across multiple disciplines; SPIRE Events, a facility and team that hosts local, national and international tournaments and events with the NCAA, the Big East, Big Ten and Atlantic 10 conferences, Olympic trials and world championship qualifiers; and SPIRE Fit, a community membership-based fitness, swim and health center open to the public. Sports currently featured on campus include swimming, track and field, basketball, esports, drone racing, wrestling and lacrosse.
Want to learn more about SPIRE?
SPIRE Academy Lacrosse Program
Going Offside Podcast: Inside Spire Academy Lacrosse with Lelan Rogers
Lelan Rogers Named as SPIRE Boy’s Lacrosse Head Coach
