As of July 27, 2022, we are excited to announce the merger and future rebrand of Team KC into Project Kansas City, effectively partnering with Project Missouri and The Project Pipeline!
This merger has been years in the making and is built on the groundwork laid in successful previous partnerships between Team KC and Project Missouri. Kansas City and St. Louis make up the two largest lacrosse markets in our region and our programs are hyper focused on the development of hard working young men and the communities they are involved in. By working together, both programs can better serve our community-based players and provide a path forward to national-level exposure for our top end talent.
From the day our players pick up a stick to the day they compete for a State Championship, we believe our mission, through lacrosse we help young men become the best versions of themselves, helps boys navigate the challenges of life and competition. The greater Project Missouri staff includes the largest coaching roster of varsity head coaches and collegiate coaches in the State, all working together to develop the next generation of athletes and people.
“We see the groundwork being laid in Kansas City in youth player development and recognize that is a philosophy we align with. Player and personal development starts the day a kid joins his local recreational team, not once they’ve entered the challenges of high school. Partnering with the committed staff in Kansas City allows us to work together to develop tomorrow’s team captains instead of competing for their limited time.” – Andy Kay, Project Missouri and Project Midwest founder.
“Partnering with Project Missouri gives Team KC more than a decade of knowledge and experience as our 2026s and younger transition into high school athletics. Andy Kay, Sam Heaton, James Spink, Mike Liebreich and the rest of the Project Missouri staff consist of the top coaching talent in the St. Louis market and all lead varsity programs. They are committed to refining our product, the unification of the State, development of quality young men and granting Kansas City players into the Project Midwest pipeline. This will help our players get the competition and collegiate exposure they need and open opportunities that Kansas City players would not have without Project Missouri. We are excited to officially merge with Project Missouri and enter The Project Pipeline.” – Brenden Surface, Team KC founder.
Are you ready to enter The Project Pipeline?
The Project Pipeline
Outlined below is the Project Pipeline. This is provided to better educate current and prospective families and what they can expect for tournaments for each team and what the path up the ladder is for players who value themselves as someone who expects All-State recognition and/or to use lacrosse as a vehicle for college enrollment.
The Project Pipeline starts in our youth school programs and increases in opportunity as the boys enter into high school, where the added pressures of varsity sports and college enrollment begin. The Pipeline creates a refined process for players from St. Louis or Kansas City to develop and experience success locally while also providing opportunities for increased level of competition for the players who excel.
Project Missouri St. Louis
Project Missouri St. Louis is the core of our program and consists of the Stars travel teams our families have grown accustomed to over the last decade of success. It is focused on providing training and tournaments throughout the year, promoting individual growth and fostering relationships amongst boys around the metro. The type of player who makes Project Missouri St. Louis is one who is, or will earn, team captain of their varsity team and all-conference accolades or higher.
Project Missouri State Team
For players who are in full status with our local Project Missouri teams, and who are deemed to be the top athletes and players, there will be 1 State Team event per year in the Summer. Expectations are that players are asked to support this team on a per-event basis with an estimate of 10 players from St. Louis and 10 from Kansas City making up each graduation year roster. The type of player who makes the State team roster is a team captain, all-state player, and one looking to use lacrosse as a vehicle to college at any level.
Project Midwest
For players who are in full status with our Project Missouri teams will have an exclusive opportunity to try out for Project Midwest. Project Midwest (https://projectmidwestlacrosse.com/) is one of the top 10 National Team programs in the country and the unification of the top 8 travel programs in the Midwest with total player enrollment in the 1000s amongst all clubs combined. Each club will nominate 1-3 players per age group to represent their team. That means we will nominate 1-3 players to represent the State of Missouri, including the greater Kansas City market, on Project Midwest and for those players to play in the very best national level tournaments. The type of player who makes the Project Midwest roster is an all-american player looking to play high-level college lacrosse.
The Circuit
Launching in 2022-23 for boys at the 5th-8th grade age levels, The Circuit Powered by Nike (https://lacrossecircuit.com/) is lacrosse’s only AAA national team event series. Composed of the top 10 national teams from the US and Canada, The Circuit is designed to provide structured competition for national teams to compete against other elite programs. Project Missouri players have the exclusive pipeline in Missouri to try out for the Project Midwest teams competing in The Circuit. This is the highest level of youth lacrosse in America and will conclude with the top four teams advancing to the Circuit Final, which takes place during Memorial Day weekend in conjunction with the NCAA Men’s Final Four.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
With over a decade of dominance in Missouri, The Project Pipeline has given aspiring athletes the tools needed to become the top lacrosse players in the state. We develop players into state champions, All-Americans, and NCAA commits. Numbers don’t lie.
- 180+ All-State players
- 45+ All-Americans
- 160+ NCAA Commitments
Beginning Spring of 2023, Team KC will officially launch as Project Kansas City and unify the two major lacrosse markets of Missouri. We’re excited for new beginnings and opportunities to grow the game we love. We also look forward to the value it brings our families by increasing our resources and building a more structured pipeline for our top end talent.