The LAX4LIFE fundraising event brought 55 teams and hundreds of spectators to Copper Sky Regional Park for its annual lacrosse tournament and fundraiser on Saturday.
The event raised approximately $5,000 to donate to leukemia survivor Brady Weins and his family, cancer survivor and Desert Vista Lacrosse player Evan Johnson, and the Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
This was the eighth year for the event but the first time it came to Maricopa. Copper Sky was chosen as the event location this year due to its large number of available fields.
“Copper Sky allows us to bring more teams,” event organizer Dan Lannon said. “Our previous venues only had five fields, Copper Sky has eight. We were able to fill up our openings over the last few months.”
LAX4LIFE raises money by charging each team an entry fee for the event. LAX4LIFE then supplies the field equipment and referees, and each team gets to play three scrimmages.
The referees come from the Arizona Lacrosse Officials Association and donate half their pay back to LAX4LIFE.
“There’s nowhere in the country that I know of where officials donate their fees like this,” Lannon said. “It’s a tough job being out there, and it’s great that we have this group here in Arizona. They’ve been with us since the beginning, and they allow us to cut a check to the Phoenix Children’s Hospital. We’d have to charge double to be in the tournament if they didn’t give back like they do.”
This event started eight years ago with six local lacrosse teams playing to raise money for local coach Mike Weins’s son Brady after he was diagnosed with leukemia. LAX4LIFE was able to raise $1,200 that first year, and the tournament has continued to grow since.
Brady Weins has also continued his fight with cancer. After being diagnosed with leukemia at 6 months old, Weins has been in and out of the hospital receiving treatment. When he was 2, doctors didn’t believe he’d survive the year. Now that he is 7, the Weins family uses his story to push forward and motivate others around them.
“Play every shift like it’s your last, because you never know when that will be,” Mike Weins said. “Mom and Dad, love your kids more than you do. Kids, love your mom and dad and let them know how much you love them. Be proud of who you are. Do good things in life, and good things might come back.”
After his father’s emotional speech, Brady unexpectedly took center stage. Just as his dad was about to lead the crowd in a “1, 2, 3, Brady!” chant, his son tugged on his leg and stated he wanted to lead the cheer.
The crowd cheered as Brady stepped up and shouted, “One, two, three, Brady! Four, five, six, family!”
The tournament teams ranging from high school to elementary school were able to participate.
