PLL's CJ Kirst Honors CityLax Mission with Custom Nike Cleats, Highlighting the Importance of Growing the Game

For more than 20 years, CityLax has believed that lacrosse can change lives.

That mission received an unexpected and deeply meaningful endorsement when CJ Kirst, this season's Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) leading goal scorer, took the field wearing a custom pair of Nike Huarache 9 cleats featuring CityLax branding. Designed through a partnership with Lax.com, the one-of-a-kind cleats allowed CJ to support  the CityLax organization and their mission to introduce the game of lacrosse to thousands of young people across New York City.

"Lacrosse has given me so much, and I believe every kid should have the opportunity to experience this sport regardless of where they grow up or what resources they have," said Kirst. "When Lax.com gave me the opportunity to design a custom pair of Nike Huarache 9 cleats, I knew I wanted to use them to highlight an organization that's making a real difference. CityLax is creating opportunities every day for kids across New York City, and I wanted to help tell that story. Thank you Lax.com for helping us spread this message."

CJ’s CityLax cleats were brought to life as part of Lax.com’s Cleats for Cause campaign, which launched this summer in partnership with Project 202. The campaign was designed to connect the brand’s Signature Athletes, a roster of men and women changing the game like CJ, with a charity partner of their choice and to get creative on a design that would live on their favorite footwear. Beyond the cleats, Lax.com provided an awareness campaign for each athlete’s cleat design and their chosen charity partner across social media and email marketing.

“Cleats for Cause is about creating something bigger than a product,” said Corey Schimoler, VP of Marketing at Lax.com. “This project gave us an opportunity to collaborate with athletes in a more meaningful way, elevate causes that matter to them personally, and create authentic storytelling that resonates with the lacrosse community.”

For CityLax CEO Rich Lisk, the gesture caught the nation's largest urban youth lacrosse nonprofit completely by surprise and represented something much bigger than a logo on a pair of cleats.

"This was a total surprise to us," said Lisk. "When someone like CJ chooses to work with Lax.com to create custom Nike Huarache 9 cleats featuring CityLax, it shows that our mission is resonating throughout the sport."

CJ's support comes at a remarkable moment for CityLax leadership. Earlier this season, Board President Rob Pannell became the Premier Lacrosse League's all-time points leader, cementing his place among the greatest players in the history of professional lacrosse.

Together, Pannell and Kirst represent two generations of lacrosse excellence. One is an established legend whose accomplishments helped shape the professional game. The other is one of the sport's brightest young stars, already making his own mark. Despite being at different stages of their careers, both share the belief that the future of lacrosse depends on expanding access and creating opportunities for the next generation.

"Seeing CJ embrace the CityLax mission is exciting because it shows the next generation of professional players is just as committed to growing the game," said Pannell.

CityLax introduces thousands of New York City students to lacrosse through its Discover Lacrosse program, bringing the sport directly into middle school physical education classes before providing pathways to clinics, camps, school teams, and year-round programming.

"We exist to create opportunities for young people who otherwise may never have picked up a lacrosse stick," added Lisk. "To see one of the game's brightest stars champion that mission is incredibly meaningful for our students, our coaches, and everyone who has helped build CityLax over the past two decades."

The custom Nike Huarache 9 cleats, brought to life by Lax.com, are more than a unique piece of equipment, they're a symbol of what happens when the sport's biggest names rally around a shared purpose.

"We would like to thank Lax.com for bringing CJ's vision to life," said Lisk. "By designing the custom Nike Huarache 9 cleats, Lax.com helped amplify our mission to thousands of lacrosse fans, demonstrating how companies across the sport can play an important role in growing the game and expanding access for the next generation."

Whether it's the future Hall of Famer Pannell leading CityLax as Board President or Kirst choosing to wear the CityLax logo on the field, the message is the same:

The future of lacrosse depends on making the game accessible to everyone.

For CityLax, that's a mission worth wearing.