Katy Richardson, Former D2 National Champion, Financial Advisor & Volunteer Coach
Some people choose the game. Others are chosen by it.
For Katy Richardson, lacrosse wasn’t love at first sight—but it quickly became a lifelong commitment.
She grew up playing every sport she could—soccer, tee ball, ice hockey, and eventually lacrosse, thanks to a push from her soccer teammates in South Florida. Even though she was better at soccer, something about lacrosse just clicked.
She went on to play her first two collegiate seasons at Adelphi University, where she reached the NCAA Final Four as a freshman and won the 2014 National Championship as a sophomore.
But in the middle of her rise, life threw her a curveball.
When Life Changes, So Do Your Priorities
Within 18 months, Katy’s closest Aunt was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, her mom was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, and her dad had a heart attack. She made the incredibly difficult decision to leave New York to move closer to home.
She transferred to Presbyterian College in South Carolina, where the coach welcomed her with understanding.
“He told me family comes first,” she said. “He made it clear that if I needed to miss practices to go home for my mom’s treatments, that he understood and expected nothing less. That level of compassion from a college coach during one of the hardest seasons of my life? It stuck with me. It changed how I saw leadership.”
That moment became a turning point—not just in her playing career, but in how she showed up as a coach, mentor, and now a financial advisor.
Paying It Forward
While still in college, Katy joined LaxManiax as an intern and in many ways grew up in the club over the next 12 years—working her way up to coach, recruiter, director of ops, and eventually Club Director before leaving at the end of 2024. She helped countless players chase their goals, whether they made it to college lacrosse or not. Some she’s now watched grow up, graduate, get married, and start families of their own.
These days, Katy has stepped into a new career as a financial advisor. But she never left the game.
She still volunteers with Florida Southern College (currently competing in NCAA playoffs), trains players, and helps educate families on the recruiting process. In a full-circle moment, she has since coached the daughters of Brett VanAlstyne, the coach who put her very first stick in her hand, as well as coaching players at the collegiate level who she had the opportunity to coach when they were in middle school.
The Sideline Is For Life
One of her former coaches, mentor, and boss at LaxManiax, now the first assistant at Cornell, once told Katy:
"We are not just on the sidelines for players while they wear a pink jersey. We are on their sideline for life.”
That quote passed on to her by Sarah Burlingame has become her compass.
In every career shift, every practice, every conversation, Katy brings the same heart and humanity her coaches gave her.
Lessons That Transcend the Game
The best part? Everything she learned on the field applies just as much in the real world:
- Do right by people
- Put the team (or client) first
- Compete with integrity
- And lead with love—even when the bar is high
"Lacrosse gave me everything," she said. "Now I stay in the game to give something back."
Why Stories Like Katy's Matter
Katy’s story isn’t about stats or championships.
It’s about the relationships built along the way—and the people who showed up when it mattered most.
When her world shifted, the sport gave her a support system.
When she stepped into leadership, she modeled what she’d seen from the best.
And when she walked away from the game professionally, she found new ways to stay connected.
This is what the Grow the Game Newsletter is all about.
Real stories from players, coaches, and parents who know that youth sports aren’t just about wins. They’re about who you become.
Because when we grow the game, we grow the future.
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