In partnership with NCSA, the official responsible recruiting services provider of US Lacrosse, we are proud to highlight our newest Impact Athletes — boys’ and girls’ high school lacrosse players who are supporting their communities with special efforts.

We all recognize that these are unusual and unprecedented times, but great challenges also offer great opportunities, and US Lacrosse continues to receive and share some of these stories. Once per month through the end of 2020, US Lacrosse will recognize these athletes.

US Lacrosse has created an easy-to-use online submission form so you can share your stories and photos with us. US Lacrosse reviews all submissions and selects exemplary high school athletes to recognize. These are their stories.

SAMUEL PIKUL, Chanhassen, Minn.

Pikul, a student at Benilde-St. Margaret's, has used lacrosse as a gateway to lifelong friendships. He has also created a service initiative that creates lifelong change.

His grandparents live in Botswana, Africa, on the Mokolodi Nature Reserve, a nonprofit about 20 minutes out of Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana. When Pikul visited his grandparents last Christmas, he brought with him 155 pairs of used shoes to donate to Mokolodi Village, a poverty-stricken area.

He enlisted the help of the Mokolodi Swallows, a local soccer team, to distribute the shoes. Noticing that the soccer team played with worn out shoes or sometimes without cleats, he asked the team manager for their shoe sizes. 

When he returned home, he and his friends started "The Cleat Project" to help the Swallows. They started a GoFundMe site and raised close to $5,000 to properly equip the team with cleats and new soccer balls.

SUMMER CARPENTER, South Grafton, Mass.

Carpenter has aspirations of playing both lacrosse and basketball at a Division I institution that will allow her to study forensic science or engineering.

A role model for many girls of color in lacrosse, Carpenter has helped open the door for young players from lower socioeconomic communities. They become inspired by coming to support and watch her play the sport she loves.

Carpenter gives back through her empathy and kindness. Through the calling and posting of positivity messages, she encourages other to find the bright spots during the tough times. She's also an emotional caretaker for her great-uncle, who is battling Stage 4 lung cancer.

She brings him food during their visits and continually inspires him to continue his fight.