By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/25/08
US Lacrosse announced today that Radnor Youth Lacrosse Peter Samson will be given the prestigious Founders Circle Award at the 2009 US Lacrosse convention in January in Baltimore.
The Founders Circle Award is a unique award given to someone who has founded a program, product or idea that has staying power within the sport. It is given to someone who has a positive impact on the youth game and/or its constituents and embraces the mission and vision of US Lacrosse.
This award is not given annually. It is only given when someone meets the very special criteria of the award.
Samson’s lacrosse accomplishments are many, including serving as the founder, director and coach of Radnor Youth Lacrosse for close to 20 years.
Samson also was past president of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Youth Lacrosse Association (SEPYLA). He may be most known for founding the Katie Samson Lacrosse Festival, which was created to raise money and awareness for spinal cord research in the name of his daughter.
“Obviously, I’m incredibly honored,” Samson said Thursday night, several hours after learning of the news. “I look at the people involved in nominating me. If someone is judged by the people who speak well of him, I’m a pretty lucky guy.”
Samson wished to thank local youth organizers Matt Flynn Jeff Pettit, Lee Stevens, Tim Udinski and Matt Higgins for nominating him and supporting him.
“I was thinking about the fact that someone would say, ‘Gee, you spend an awful lot of time for these programs,’ ” Samson said. “I was reflecting on how much I’ve gotten back form it; the enjoyment, the support of my family, the opportunity we have to be a positive force in kids’ lives.
“I think I’ve been very lucky to do what I’ve done, and to get recognition for it is more than you’d ever think would happen.”
The Katie Samson Lacrosse Festival has raised over $800,000 for spinal cord research and related causes since its inception in 2001.
