Welcome to the SixFifty LaxBlog! Inside, you’ll find a variety of articles and resources related to lacrosse, youth sports, parenting, recruiting, volunteer service, and a host of related topics. Some articles are from our director and coaches while some link out to fascinating perspectives from around the interwebs.

August 19, 2019: Dos Lenguas Dos Almas Podcast

Last week on a short trip to Playa Samara, Costa Rica, I had the pleasure of working with Matt Bond, the director of the San Francisco Bay Area based SixFifty Lacrosse club. I was very grateful that Matt carved time out of his schedule to talk with me…(read MORE).


August 15, 2017: Costa Rica Video by Nicky Mullen

When we stepped off the plane, many of us still had lingering sand from Playa Samara on our sandals and shoes, dirt under our fingernails, or stubborn paint that refused to wash off. As we move away from our trip, these tangible mementos will eventually wash off and we’ll be left with images and experiences that are now part of our life stories. As I told our players at our final team meeting, my hope for them is that they would return home changed, different in some way however large or small…(read MORE).


August 7, 2017: Costa Rica, Day Six by Matthew Howley

Today was our last day in Costa Rica. Many of us (myself included) could not believe that this trip was nearing its end. Even though we were sad about leaving we still had work we needed to complete. After everyone finished their breakfast, we all gathered an assortment of arts and crafts ranging from construction paper to face painting kits that we brought to Samara Elementary…(read MORE).


August 6, 2017: Costa Rica, Day Five by Brendan Murphy

Day 5 started with an amazing breakfast at 7:30 am. Next we went to the Carilo field to play lacrosse with the Costa Rican national team for the second time this trip. First we practiced with them and showed them some new drill and skills to practice. After the practice we scrimmaged them so they could work on the new skills they had learned from our practice earlier in the day. And it payed off…(read MORE).


August 5, 2017: Costa Rica, Day Four by Andres Simbeck

Day 4 started out with some delicious rice and beans and eggs for breakfast starting at 9 o’clock. We then proceeded to clean up the left side of the beach where we found a lot of trash and even a puffer fish! Right after that amazing experience, we went straight into the warm water where we body surfed but also got smacked by the waves…(read MORE).


August 4, 2017: Costa Rica, Day Three by Alex Strauch

The day began with an early morning with breakfast at 7am. Fueled up, we headed to Carrillo Elementary to lead a lacrosse clinic for the students of the school. We began with throwing, catching, and practicing ground balls. Then we split into teams and scrimmaged, and the kids showed tremendous progress…(read MORE).


August 3, 2017: Costa Rica, Day Two by Chris DiSibio

Waking up in the warm, Costa Rican weather on our first full day feels incredible. Also, knowing we get to start our day zip lining through the beauty of Costa Rica got me out of bed right away. This being my first time zip lining, I feel lucky to be able to have experienced it here…(read MORE).


August 2, 2017: Costa Rica, Day One by Ryan Murphy

Today we spent most of the day traveling. Having just got off the red eye and a 6 hour drive (with a stop for ice cream and team pic next to an unusual statue…), everyone was pretty exhausted and ready to rest.  However, after consuming some quality arroz con pollo, everyone was feeling much better and happy to be on their feet. Next, we headed back to the hotel and got ready for the beach….(Read MORE)


July 27, 2017: Costa Rica ’17, Pre-Trip Thoughts by Cam Baker, 11th Grader

Coming from a community as fortunate as mine, I cannot help but feel as if my blessings as well as my tight-nit and supporting family have blinded my outlook on the rest of the world. It is for this reason that I reached out to Matt Bond, my high school lacrosse coach after hearing about his annual service trip to Costa Rica…(Read MORE)


Jan 24, 2013: High school boys who play lacrosse invited to compete in Costa Rica while participating in service projects

A local youth sports company is combining an unusual pair of ideas — competitive high school sports and socially-conscious service projects. SixFifty Lacrosse, led by Menlo-Atherton High School lacrosse coach Matt Bond, is planning a summer “Lax & Serve” trip to Costa Rica from June 13-21 for high school boys…(Read MORE)


Jan 15, 2017: Costa Rica, Why We Serve

By harnessing the passion of the lacrosse community, we have the opportunity to make a positive social change in a small part of the world. Philosopher Frederick Buechner said, “Where our deep passion and the world’s deep hunger meet, there we find purpose.” Finding ways to use that which give us the greatest joy and those things at which we excel for the greater good of humanity brings to life a deep transformation, life-long satisfaction, and lasting fulfillment…(Read MORE).


Feb 10, 2017: Growing the Game with Pura Vida by Joey Lohmann, 12th Grader

Surrounded by the culture of a Costa Rican beach town, I now have experienced the true essence of living a “pure life” or “Pura Vida.” Away from the hustle and bustle of the Bay Area, I was able to unplug and live life without a constant buzz on my phone or news story flashing on the television…(Read MORE)


Feb 5, 2017: Changing the Game: The Race to Nowhere in Youth Sports

As I said to my wife recently, the hardest thing about raising two kids these days, when it comes to sports, is that the vast majority of the parents are leading their kids down the wrong path, but not intentionally or because they want to harm their kids. They love their kids, but the social pressure to follow that path is incredible. Even though my wife and I were collegiate athletes, and I spend everyday reading the research, and studying the latest science on the subject, the pressure is immense…(Read MORE)


Jan 29, 2017: Fuller Youth Institute: The Only Six Words Parents Need to Say to Their Kids About Sports—Or Any Performance

Mainly I get concerned about the ways our culture obsesses about kids’ performance. All kinds of parental anxiety and dysfunction plays out on the sidelines and in the bleachers, and you only need walk to your local park to catch a glimpse for yourself. Sports have such potential to build character, perseverance, and skill. Sometimes they succeed, and other times coaches, parents, and mobs of hot-or-cold fans burn out or puff up kids in quite damaging ways…(Read MORE)


Sept 15, 2015: Lacrosse coach Matt Bond talks about why he loves sports and what it’s taught him

I learned not to fear hard work, but to pursue it because the most rewarding things in life often come at the greatest cost and therefore require the deepest level of commitment. It doesn’t mean living without fear of failure but embracing the possibility of failure and yet committing to move forward in the direction of your goals regardless. I learned that mistakes and failures are often the only way forward and the best catalysts for growth…(Read MORE)


Dec 17, 2015: Mission Driven: How SixFifty Lacrosse is Leveraging Youth Sports to Develop Better Athletes, and Better People

When we arrive at SportsHouse in Redwood City, it’s noisy—there are tremendous numbers of kids engaged in everything from flag football to volleyball in the indoor space that spans a city block. Then, in walks Matt Bond, and quickly, he’s surrounded by lacrosse players. Only, they’re not noisy—they’re organized, and they’re ready to play almost before we can help Matt get the goals in place…(Read MORE)


Sept 29, 2013: Parent Resources for Youth Athletes

As if the last 8 or 10 years hasn’t been challenging enough, now your little buddy is approaching an exciting, difficult, and quite possibly the most formative time of their young life: adolescence. There’s no instruction manual and questions regarding identity, decision-making, ethics, morality, worldview, and priorities come up as regularly as Facebook updates. Sometimes it’s a breeze but all too often parenting can feel like stumbling around in the dark in an unfamiliar room hoping to find the light switch…(Read MORE)