2022 LAX2LIVE Season Recap
The 2022 LAX2LIVE season was an incredible opportunity for the foundation to start the necessary conversation with hundreds of young men and woman athletes about depression and suicide prevention. These players work hard, study hard, and put so much pressure on themselves, they (and we) sometimes forget to look at them as simply a person – not the athlete and not the student.
Our message is this: It’s okay to ask for help. You would ask for help if you hurt yourself on the field if you were sick. The same is true for your mental health. Talk about it. Ask friends if they’re ok. Really ask them. As athletes, you have each other’s back on the field. Do the same off of the field. Sometimes it’s okay not to be okay.
I’ve learned more about the game of lacrosse than I ever could’ve imagined. I even found myself cheering for the underdogs! Brian would be proud.
Each game, I witnessed the players, running, cheering, playing their heart out and being there for their teammates. I was reminded of Brian’s love for the sport. I’ll be honest, there were moments when tears would come, missing my boy. I wondered, if there were people at one if his Lacrosse games all those years ago, talking about mental health, letting him know that it’s okay to ask for help, would he have heard the message, would he have talked to us?? I know I’ll never know. But I would like to think it may have helped him.
I know there are many Brian’s in the world, I hope we are helping some of them.
This year, we had…
…23 high school teams
…12 new schools participating
…2 college games (one in New Jersey!)
…12 teams at the CIAC Lacrosse State Championships representing LAX2LIVE
…850 t-shirts
…1000+ students reached as well as numerous coaches, family members, and school staff
…Countless hugs, thank yous, and respect from amazing athletes throughout the state
It’s okay to ask for help. You would ask for help if you hurt yourself on the field if you were sick. The same is true for your mental health. Talk about. Ask friends if they’re ok. Really ask them. As athletes, you have each other’s back on the field. Do the same off of the field. Sometimes it’s okay not to be okay.
Ann Dagle, Brian Dagle Foundation