In October 2025, Oakland Lacrosse Club launched the Helmets Rising Initiative with a bold vision: to expand boys lacrosse programming to six high schools in Oakland by Spring 2029.

Helmets Rising’s objective is to expand access to lacrosse while building a holistic support system around student-athletes, one that includes leadership development, mentoring, college and career counseling, mental health support, and a safe, structured environment where young people can grow on and off the field.

As we remove financial barriers and provide consistent guidance on and off the field, young men from Oakland build confidence, resilience, and leadership skills. Each high school Helmets player gains access to caring mentors, culturally competent mental health resources, college and career counseling, and a safe, structured environment to grow.

By Spring 2029, OLC aims to grow participation to 150 varsity players across six high schools and introduce lacrosse to 3,500 high school boys across the city through the Helmets Rising Initiative.

This first season was about building the foundation: proving demand at a new school, strengthening two existing school-based teams, adding dedicated staffing, and showing what can happen when young people are given consistent access to coaching, mentorship, and community support.

After just seven months building, planning and fundraising, that vision feels more possible than ever. Together we are creating a stronger network of support and opportunity for young men across Oakland.

Year One at a Glance

In its first year, funding for the Helmets Rising Initiative helped Oakland Lacrosse Club:

Serve 50 student-athletes across Oakland high school boys programs
Introduce 1,700 high school boys to lacrosse
Hire OLC’s first High School Helmets Program Coordinator
Launch a third high school boys team at Skyline High School in Spring 2026, bring Skyline boys lacrosse back for the first time since the 1990s

We exceed the $130,000 FY26 fundraising goal for the initiative and are going into year two on solid footing.

These numbers only tell part of the story.

They show us there is interest, energy, and opportunity for boys lacrosse in Oakland. When barriers are removed, young people show up. Teams can grow quickly when there is consistent coaching, dedicated staffing, and a community willing to invest in their success.

Dedicated Staffing Made Growth Possible

A major part of success in this first year was the addition of dedicated staffing through OLC’s first High School Helmets Program Coordinator position. Aric Moirao joined the team in the fall, supporting our student-athletes and coaches at Skyline, Oakland Tech, and Oakland High.

OLC’s success hinges on our ability to deliver on our long-term commitments to our kids and schools by securing resources for key staff and programming. Our staff and coaches are the heartbeat of our year-round programming, providing direct services to our youth on and off the field.

Expanding from two schools to three, supporting coaches, building relationships with students, coordinating school-based programming, and keeping teams moving forward requires consistent leadership behind the scenes. For Aric, the first season was a glimpse into what’s possible through this initiative.

“This year proves that lacrosse in Oakland is building and here to compete,” Aric said. “It is growing quickly at each high school and building programs and culture to compete with schools outside of OAL.”

Under Aric’s coordination, this year showed the difference that dedicated staffing can make. With Aric focused on high school boys programming, OLC was able to support multiple teams and begin building the systems needed for future expansion.

Skyline’s Return to the Field

One of the biggest achievements of the inaugural year of Helmets Rising was the return of boys lacrosse to Skyline High School .

Skyline has a long lacrosse legacy, but the boys program had been dormant since the 1990s. Bringing the team back was a major step forward in the effort to expand boys lacrosse in Oakland and reconnect a new generation of students to a sport that once had deep roots on their campus. Coach Jake reflected on what it meant to put lacrosse sticks into the hands of Skyline students:

“Being able to help bring boys lacrosse back to Skyline has been an incredible honor. Oakland has such a strong culture of resilience, diversity, and community support, and I think this team reflects that. Watching these players represent Skyline and take pride in building something new together has been extremely rewarding.”

From the beginning, Skyline players showed an eagerness to learn, improve, and compete. As a new team, they faced difficult losses, low numbers, and the steep learning curve that comes with building a program almost from scratch. But instead of getting discouraged, they kept showing up.

As the season went on, the players’ confidence and skill level grew tremendously. According to Coaches Skipp and Jake, players learned how to respond to adversity, stay disciplined through setbacks, and keep competing no matter the situation. That resilience paid off. In its first season back, Skyline earned a win over Lincoln, the program’s first win coming out of retirement, and made it to the championship game through pure grit and determination. But, for the coaches, the most meaningful growth was not just measured in wins.

“What’s a bit funny is they don’t even know yet everything they have learned,” Skipp said. “Down the road they will discover what great teammates they had, how much fun they had learning to play lacrosse, and the lifelong friends they have made.”

Skipp knows that legacy firsthand. A Skyline alumni himself, Skipp is still close with players from his team, gathering from time to time to play catch, attend alumni events, and stay connected through the camaraderie built on the field. Now, today’s Skyline players are beginning to build that same kind of bond.

For Coach Jake, players' growth in character was the most rewarding part of the season.

“Beyond the wins and losses, I was most proud of the leadership and character the players developed throughout the year. Several players stepped into leadership roles, supported their teammates, and helped build a strong team culture. Watching them grow as young men and leaders was the most rewarding part of the season for me.”

Skyline’s return also became an opportunity to reconnect generations of the lacrosse community. In celebration of the program’s comeback, Oakland Lacrosse Club convened Skyline alumni on multiple occasions, honoring the school’s history while helping build support for its future.

As Skyline looks ahead to year two, the foundation is in place: dedicated players, committed coaches, growing family and alumni support, and a team culture built on resilience. The first year was not easy. But it was absolutely worth it.

Oakland Tech Builds Consistency and Culture

At Oakland Tech, our Helmets Rising Initiative helped strengthen an already thriving team with a meaningful legacy. The first win this season was becoming a California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) sanctioned team, ensuring fair play, proper safety, eligibility enforcement, and, most excitingly, allowing participating athletes to advance to regional or state championships.

Tech had a large roster of 18 players, with 17 to 18 student-athletes consistently practicing every day. The player's commitment reflected not only a love of the game but a growing team culture where players want to build community, improve, and be accountable to one another.

This year also brought a powerful full-circle moment: two former Oakland Tech players stepped into coaching roles. Coach Jackson, a former Tech goalie who graduated in 2017, and Coach Denzel returned to help lead the next generation. As coaches who know the school, the program, and what it means to wear a Tech jersey, OLC couldn’t have asked for better mentors for the spring 2026 Tech team. The connection between past and present became one of the strengths of the season. Coach Jackson shared:

“ As a second year program our players have laid down the foundation that this team will stand on for years to come. They understand how far we need to go to reach the level of competition we are striving for. It's going to be an uphill battle but they are willing to put in the work brick by brick to help this program achieve its potential.”

Coach Denzel acknowledged that this first year with players newer to the game, was ripe with character-building opportunities: “Throughout the year this team battled adversity, learned, and grew together. I personally watched my players stick with it and get better as the season progressed. I'm excited to see this program grow and watch our guys build their own love for the creator's game "

Players returning to coach exemplifies OLC’s efforts to build a long-term pipeline of players, mentors, coaches, and alumni who can keep the sport rooted in Oakland for years to come.

Oakland High Makes Program History

At Oakland High, the season was defined by growth, grit, and history-making firsts. Like Tech, OHS was also CIF sanctioned this year.

Led by returning coach Max, the Oakland High team continued to grow in spite of facing numerous challenges. The roster included 16 players — 14 freshmen and two sophomores — meaning most of the team was competing against older, more experienced players throughout the season. Still, these underclassmen held their own at every practice, scrimmage and game.

They brought intensity to practice and showed a high level of commitment. And they carried real aspirations to compete at a high level. That effort paid off in a big way: Oakland High earned the first win in program history when they beat Skyline. They went on to beat Lincoln as well, giving the team its first two wins ever.

For such a young roster, those wins, and the dedication to build for the future, were proof of what can happen when players have mentors, wraparound support, and can see themselves as part of something bigger.

Community Made Year One Possible

The momentum in this first year of our Helmets Rising Initiative was made possible by the donors, partners, coaches, volunteers, alumni, families, and community members who believed in the vision early and chose to invest in it.

Donors helped remove financial barriers so students could participate regardless of their ability to pay. Coaches and mentors showed up day after day to help players learn the game, build confidence, and grow as teammates and leaders. Community members opened doors through their time, networks, and support.

Helmets Rising goes beyond building more teams. It is about building a stronger network of opportunity around young people in Oakland and making sure students have access to caring adults, consistent guidance, and a team environment where they can be challenged and supported.

Alumni engagement will also be an important part of what comes next, especially through efforts like the Skyline Bench — a school-based alumni community designed to support current Skyline players through game attendance, guest coaching, networking, career days, and other forms of connection.

Looking Ahead to Year Two

Year one proved that the vision is possible. Year two is about building on that momentum.

OLC will continue working toward the long-term Helmets Rising goals: expanding boys lacrosse to six Oakland high schools, growing to 150 varsity players, and introducing 3,500 high school boys to the sport by Spring 2029.

To get there, sustained investment will be essential.

Growing boys lacrosse in Oakland requires more than sticks, helmets, and uniforms. It requires staffing, coaching, mentorship, mental health support, college and career guidance, school partnerships and alumni engagement. And a community that is ready to keep showing up.

The first year of Helmets Rising showed what can happen when that community comes together.

Skyline came back. Oakland Tech deepened its legacy. Oakland High made history. Student-athletes showed up, worked hard, and proved that boys lacrosse has a future in Oakland. And this is only the beginning.

If you believe in expanding opportunity through sport, there is a place for you on this team. You can give, volunteer, coach, make an introduction, or help build the school-based networks that will sustain this work for years to come.

Because growing lacrosse in Oakland takes a team. And year one proved that this team is just getting started.

Laying the Foundation: The First Year of Helmets Rising