Play It Forward Sport Foundation Inc. + Women's Pro Sports
empowering women ~ cultivating leaders ~ changing the social landscape

A female owned and operated company, PIFS was established by two women to advance gender equity in sports at all levels. A primary objective is to create and enhance more opportunities for women as professional athletes, as managers, as leaders in the profession. To that end, we’ve created a unique and contemporary model that empowers female athletes to play forward their talents and sport experiences by educating, training and nurturing other athletes and the community. As sport ambassadors ‘off the field’, they’ll be able to extend their potential earnings as professional athletes. In turn the communities they are impacting will play forward their support by engaging in and attending women’s pro sports events.

May 21, 2015

Play It Forward Sport and STX Announce Semi-Professional Women’s Lacrosse League

Boston, MA – Play It Forward Sport Foundation, Inc. (PIFS), a non-profit organization focused on increasing opportunities for women in sports at all levels has partnered with Baltimore based STX, LLC to launch the United Women’s Lacrosse (UWLX) league, an elite-level post-collegiate women’s lacrosse league in the US. STX will be the exclusive, official equipment sponsor of UWLX.

“Post-college opportunities for elite women athletes to continue playing the sports they love are very limited, and the mission of PIFS is to change that and expand access across all sports. Creating this league is designed to bring together the most talented players, providing a place for them to continue their elite level of play and get this great sport entertainment product in front of more fans,” said Digit Murphy, co-Founder of Play It Forward Sport Foundation. “Through UWLAX and our partnership with STX, our goal is to increase the opportunities for female athletes in a way that empowers them to ‘play forward’ their talents and skills.”

UWLX plans to launch with teams in Massachusetts, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. This summer, each team will select its first five elite-level athletes to create a UWLX All-Star Team that will compete in tournaments during the summer and fall. The four teams will draft their complete 17-player rosters before the beginning of the first season, in the Spring of 2016. All operational expenses will be covered by UWLX, using a parity model similar to other emerging women’s professional sports organizations in the market today.

“We are extremely excited to partner with PIFS to develop an elite level league for female lacrosse players to continue to play the sport they love.” Said Jessica Bieber, Women’s Lacrosse Category Brand Manager at STX. “When we first had the idea for Team STX, our goal was to expand the women’s game and help female athletes champion the sport. We’re thrilled to take that idea to the next level with a competitive women’s lacrosse league.”

“There are very few post-collegiate opportunities for female lacrosse players,” said Alyssa Murray, Team STX and Team USA member. “I am lucky to play on Team STX and Team USA, and now with the creation of UWLX, more players will have the opportunity to continue to play the sport they love at an elite level. It’s an exciting time for female athletes to continue to grow the game!”

About Play It Forward Sport Foundation:

A women owned non-profit organization, Play It Forward Sport Foundation (PIFS) was created to push forward gender equity in women’s sports at all levels, with special emphasis on providing ways for professional athletes to earn a living in their sport. We’ve created a unique contemporary model that empowers female athletes to play forward their talents and sport experiences by educating, training and nurturing other athletes at all levels within an economic system that compensates them for their time and talents. For more information, please visit http://playitforwardsport.org/.

About STX:

STX is a global sporting goods leader in the sports of lacrosse, field hockey and ice hockey. With its 1970 introduction of the first synthetic lacrosse head, STX ushered in the “modern era” of what is now the fastest growing team sport. Based in Baltimore, the home of lacrosse, STX has been universally recognized for innovation in product design and development. STX continues to strive for new performance standards in sporting goods equipment at the highest levels of competition. For more information, visit http://www.stx.com

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