US Lacrosse Launches National Wall Ball Challenge

By Brian Logue

SPARKS, Md. — US Lacrosse is excited to announce the start of a national Wall Ball Challenge that will help players improve their stick skills while generating support for its First Stick Program. The challenge, powered by an app developed by SNYPR, tracks the number of repetitions that players complete playing wall ball, allowing individuals to see where they stack up on regional and national leader boards.

“We are thrilled to be joining forces with US Lacrosse to develop a first-of-its-kind fundraising program that gamifies wall ball,” said Doug Appleton, SNYPR’s CEO and co-founder. “This is a win-win: Players get better playing wall ball while raising money to provide equipment for new players. Every player remembers that special connection to their first stick, and now SNYPR’s technology turns a player’s hard work into the gift of a first stick for others.”

As part of the Wall Ball Challenge, players will recruit sponsors to pledge money on a per rep or flat rate basis. All money raised will benefit the US Lacrosse First Stick program, which provides comprehensive assistance, including protective equipment and sticks, to benefit new and developing youth and high school lacrosse programs across the nation. At the end of the challenge, every player completing 10,000 reps will receive a signed certificate of success.

“We’re excited to work with SNYPR on a fun activity for the national lacrosse community that benefits a very worthy cause,” said Susie Chase, vice president of philanthropy and partnerships for US Lacrosse. “Through the First Stick Program, US Lacrosse puts sticks in the hands of new players who might not otherwise have the opportunity to play. The Wall Ball Challenge gives us a dynamic way to engage the country in improving their own skills while passing the game on.”

The challenge sets a goal for players to complete 10,000 wall ball reps within a 10-week period (June 13 to August 20). Anyone can participate in the Wall Ball Challenge, although players under the age of 13 are required to provide parental consent and further information for validation. Participants will be able to download an iOS or Android mobile app that will use algorithms and sensors in the phone to count wall ball reps. Players must use a sleeve or sock to attach their phone to their upper right arm in order for the app to count their reps. The sleeve can be a sock with the toe cut off, a soccer shin guard compression sleeve, or a SNYPR sleeve, as long as it holds the phone tight to the upper arm. More information and links to purchase SNYPR sleeves can be found www.uslacrosse.org/wallball. The sleeves are also available at www.LaxWorld.com, which is helping to promote the challenge at events around the country this summer.

For more information or any questions regarding the Wall Ball Challenge, you can click on the link above to view the details on the US Lacrosse website. We hope you will step up to the challenge this summer!

About SNYPR:

SNYPR is a Silicon Valley start up company founded in 2015 to create a multi-sport practice platform for youth athletes. SNYPR uses wearable technology to improve a player’s skills and confidence by making practice a fun, social game. SNYPR launched their first mobile app for lacrosse in 2016, which uses sensors in a phone to automatically track a lacrosse player’s reps while playing wall ball or having a catch. Players compete and connect with friends, and coaches create practice programs for their teams. More information about SNYPR is available at www.snypr.com.

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