Founding director Michael Desmond, a former elementary school PE teacher and athletic director moved to Charlotte in 1998 from Long Island, NY. After two seasons as a varsity lacrosse assistant at Charlotte Latin School, then one season at Providence Day School, Desmond started Mecklenburg Youth Lacrosse in the spring of 2001. That year 83 third, fourth & fifth-grade boys, participated in a “skill development” camp-like atmosphere. He launched StickWithUs.org the next year – with the help of dedicated Charlotte area high school lacrosse coaches and numerous parent volunteers he grows the organization into year-round programs for boys and girls from first grade through high school. His staff of professionals & volunteers built StickWithUs & the CLA into one of the most respected youth programs in the Carolinas, leading Team Carolina to national recognition as one of the best programs in the Country.

By 2008 more than 2,500 families participated in one of twenty-plus StickWithUs & CLA lacrosse programs.

By 2020 more than 280 Team Carolina/Team Charlotte athletes go on to play college lacrosse at the D1, D2, and D3 level. Boasting players are on starting rosters in National Championship wins in every division. Including Tewaaraton finalist Mike Sawyer (Charlotte Catholic/Loyola 2012), D2 Will Canata (Marvin Ridge HS) who’s hat trick in the semifinals lead Lenoir-Rhyne to the National Championship in 2023, and a D3 National “defensive player of the Year” Tommy DeLuca (Apex HS/Cabrini University 2021).

For his contributions to the growth of lacrosse in the Carolinas, Coach Desmond was named the US Lacrosse-NC Chapter “Man of the Year” in both 2009 & 2015, and will be inducted into the chapters “Hall of Fame” in January 2025.

In June 2022 Coach Desmond sold the Carolina Lacrosse Association (including Team Carolina) programs to Reyes Sports Enterprises, a professional sports management company that helps club teams and event organizers across the country deliver a premier experience. In July 2022 the StickWithUs Organization sold the tournament section of the Carolina Lacrosse Association to Bobby Thompson of Carolina Lacrosse Tournaments. The new leaders are committed to delivering the same premier tournament experience you have come to expect from us. 

After the sale of CLA teams & events, Coach Desmond continues to run his non-profit, The SickWithUs Organization, that each spring produces the Heroes Bowl.

Coach Desmond is still active in the local high school scene, after 5 seasons at the helm of Fort Mill HS in SC, Coach Desmond was named the first ever Head Coach to lead the Ballantyne Ridge Wolves in their inaugural 2025 season. Prior to Fort Mill, Coach Desmond spent the 2019 season at Charlotte Catholic as the offensive coordinator.

Michael is a 1985 graduate of Niagara University, NY with a degree in Business Management then completed his Masters in Education at Stony Brook University, NY in 1998. He lives in South Charlotte with his wife Suzanne where they raised their two sons, Andrew, a graduate of The Ohio State University; and Ethan a graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder.