Testimonials
Angie Osburn in 2015
I have two girls (11 & 9) who have been a part of the Team 180 Mini program for the past two years. My older daughter had the opportunity to play with the team in the Vail tournament for two summers now. As a family, we have been involved with many clubs, teams, programs, coaches, etc. (as we have an older son as well). I have never been a part of an organization that is better run than this one.
The communication is fantastic, the clinics are extremely valuable and the level of coaching is top notch. But – the best part for me, as a Mom, has been to watch my daughters truly blossom under the mentor-ship of these young women. Their coaches, Olivia, Maddie, Allie and Megan, are not only very gifted lacrosse players but they are young women of character and kindness. I could not find better role models for my girls anywhere! It honestly makes me emotional sometimes because these young women treat my little girls as friends. They speak truth to them, challenge them and most importantly love them up when they are down.
It has been an experience we will cherish and I hope that we have the opportunity to be a part of this program for years to come. It is the best!
Angie Osburn in 2024
As I sit to write this, so many memories come flooding back - memories that span 12 years and two daughters. Tess and Eliza literally grew up with Team 180. Every summer and fall traipsing to and from Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, and California; rain, mud, heat, humidity, lost bags, passenger vans, delayed flights, unique hotels, championships, and heartbreaking losses – and all of it with arms linked together with the very best of friends. There has been more laughter, singing, and TikTok making from these experiences than from any other source in my girls’ lives. And that doesn’t even begin to touch on the game of lacrosse that has been ingrained in them.
What Sam has built here is truly something special. She has taken a game she loves and poured that into the hundreds of girls who have gone through the program. She believes in girls’ sports and in the beautiful things it instills. One of my favorites of these is the ability for girls to root for girls. They learn how to support one another, have each other’s backs, and truly rejoice with one another’s achievements. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always come organically, and I am so grateful that it is fostered within Team 180.
I am grateful that my daughters have been given the opportunity to play at the collegiate level and a large part of that has been because of the tournaments Sam tirelessly advocated to get them in. She believed in the talent of the teams she had from Colorado, and she did whatever was necessary to get them on the National stage. Between that and the behind-the-scenes conversations with college coaches she has helped to place countless girls on college teams (across all divisions) and made the dream of playing this sport at the next level a reality for so many.
I truly could go on and on about the many benefits my daughters have received from being a part of Team 180 but I will summarize with this. As I look back and take in the tapestry that makes up my girls’ “growing up” years, yellow and black are the colors that stand out most. I am deeply thankful and could not recommend this program highly enough. I would even go so far as to say, in my opinion, Sam and Team 180 have done more for the growth of girls’ lacrosse in Colorado than any other person or club. It has been a joy to be a part of that story!
Sarah Hunsche - Team 180 '25 & '30 Parent
Our family’s experience with Team 180 has been remarkable! Sam’s leadership has created a positive, winning team culture that is carried out by the highly qualified coaching staff. The coaches have extensive resumes and strong connections in the lacrosse world which brings many opportunities to 180 players. I have two daughters who have benefited greatly from being a part of 180. My high school daughter receives elite skills training and had unwavering support from her coaches throughout her college recruiting journey which ended with a D1 commitment. My middle school daughter is learning to love the game in a FUN, fast-paced environment because her coaches are attentive and encouraging. She is quickly developing her skills and lacrosse IQ while enjoying new friendships. We are very grateful and proud to be a part of Team 180!
Kim Ezrine, Team 180 '26 parent
KWAI KENDALL, TEAM 180 '22 PARENT
Ken and Michelle Lanuza - Parents of Kendra Lanuza '15 (Denver) and Jen Lanuza '16 (Oregon)
Team 180 has been an incredible experience for our daughters. As parents, we want our daughters to be hard-working, respectful, and able to handle adversity. The Team 180 group has reinforced these values throughout our daughters’ journey. The talented coaching staff, all former college athletes, teach fundamentals, game strategies, and other lacrosse insights that improved our daughters’ overall confidence and play.
With Team 180 our daughters were part of a proven system that has produced over 200 college recruits. The exposure through tournaments combined with the quality, national reputation that Team 180 projects is a distinct advantage during the recruiting process. However, being recruited was not our main goal as a family. Our daughters wanted to be part of a lacrosse club that was rigorous and competitive. We also wanted them to be surrounded by teammates who shared these same values. Most importantly, our daughters had fun with Team 180! From the early Sunday morning practices to the many miles of traveling to face the best competition, our daughters had an experience of a lifetime.
Leecy Handrick - Team 180 '16 and Team 180 '20 Parent
I have been fortunate to have both of my daughters a part of the Team 180 family. My oldest, Mary Koch (2016), is now a senior and my youngest, Jane Handrick (2020), is an eighth grader, and they have participated in the program for five plus years.
I can honestly say that when I send my girls to practice I don’t have a doubt in my mind that they will be safe, and the time and money invested in this program will be well spent.
My girls both look up to the coaches as role models and the team is not only helping them become better players, but helping them mature into young women. The coaches have provided my girls the right tools to help them succeed now and in the future; from perseverance to time management, my daughters have learned how to handle both failure and success, and they have a new sense of responsibility on and off the field.
Team 180 has provided recruiting and scholarship opportunities to compete at the college level for a plethora of athletes as part of the program, including my oldest daughter.
Team 180 has far exceeded my expectations as a parent. I could never repay the valuable experience Team 180 has been to our family. I would recommend the program to any young athlete who wants to take their lacrosse skills to the next level.
Jojo Franklin, Team 180 '14 Athlete
I have been a part of the Team 180 family since I was in the seventh grade. I began playing lacrosse in the fourth grade and I am an original member of the first class of Denver City lax. While on City Lax I played on the boys team for two years and then transitioned to girls lacrosse.
When I joined Team 180, I was very much stuck in my old ways of cradling, passing and carrying on like I did when I played boys lacrosse. Sam definitely had a project on her hands - one thing I knew I brought to the table was my speed and that was about it. Thankfully Sam was patient and put relentless effort into my skill development and my Lax IQ. Coming from an underprivileged background I was worried I wouldn’t be able to compete in out of state tournaments, but Sam made this happen, and in doing so changed my future.
At Team 180, I was able to fully comprehend what it means to be a competitive athlete. I had the opportunity to travel and get exposure as an elite athlete, as well as forge bonds with my teammates that will never be broken. Also, I was able to make the Colorado National team, I was recruited to play for a Division III lacrosse team, earned rookie of the year my freshman year, and became an All- American. I recently transferred to Wofford College to help start and play for a new Division I program.
I undoubtedly would not have been able to accomplish all these things without the help of Team 180 and Sam.
Rod Allison - Denver City Lax, Executive Director
Sam and her Team 180 staff have really made a difference to Denver City Lax in helping create pathways to success on and off the field. Our organization provides lacrosse at no cost in under-served neighborhoods to girls that otherwise wouldn't be playing, and Team 180 has supported us for eight years. Through Team 180's generosity, City Lax girls have the opportunity to take part in high level training, skill development and competitive play. We now have girls playing at the collegiate level thanks to Team 180, and young elementary and middle school girls dreaming big.
Doug Gordon - Team 180 '18 Parent
Team 180 has been the greatest choice we could have made for our daughter and her lacrosse dreams. We’ve always been parents who support rather than push, and Team 180 has been just the program let Meghan grow and develop into her full potential. When our daughter wanted to work overtime to get better, 180 gave her the tools she needed. We have absolutely loved watching her progression through the program, starting at the bottom and working, earning her way upwards. It has been an absolutely wonderful opportunity to forge new relationships with the other parents as well. Traveling to other states, watching our kids play some of the best teams in the nation and sharing an occasional “beverage” has really made our experience special.
Getting exposure at different showcases and tournaments is also something we never could have done on our own. It provided a format where our daughter was able to focus on different college programs with an actual “lacrosse eye.” Nothing was done for her, but the framework and advice was there when it was asked for. Having so many 180 players who have already entered college was an extremely valuable resource for us to use. Getting insights from someone who is on the other side of high school really has made all the difference when deciding what to do after graduation.
The only drawback to all of this adventure is that it has to end for us in 2018!
Susan Tandler - Team 180 '14 Parent
"If it weren't for lacrosse and Team 180 Talia never would've found Wellesley College, actually, Wellesley would have never found Talia. Since her coach saw her play in tournaments while on Team 180 and at camps she invited Talia to visit the school. Wellesley was never on her college search radar until that call from the coach! Wellesley is such a highly ranked liberal arts college in the country, ranked number 4 from U.S. News & World Report, it was a perfect fit."