My name is Joe Proud. I got my first lacrosse stick as an Easter gift from my parents when I was in 4th grade. This would start me on a wonderful, beautiful, life-long journey with The Creator’s Game. I’ve made some of my best friends and memories through this game.

I grew up just outside of Syracuse, NY, a region steeped in lacrosse tradition.  This is where the Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) have played lacrosse for hundreds of years.  I was fortunate to play at West Genesee High School, one of the most historic schools in the game, led by Coach Mike Messere, one of the top coaches in the history of our sport.  I was honored to be named captain of my WG team.  I then went to Duke University to study and play lacrosse.  There, I was fortunate to be named captain and All-American for a top-10 Division I program.

I started coaching lacrosse during summers in high school and college.  Following graduation, I spent 17 years coaching at the college level, including being a head coach at UC Berkeley (Cal) and Vassar College.  I was an assistant at Cornell, Univ. of Vermont and SUNY Plattsburgh.  I led USA West, a college all-star team to the United Kingdom and Czech Republic, winning the Prague Cup. I've coached countless camps and clinics.

After leaving Vassar, I moved to Philadelphia. There, I spent 7 years as the head coach of Harriton High School while working at the school. I also directed and coached Ashbee, the Lower Merion Township program that fed Harriton and the other local high schools. I coached kids in grades K-8, from beginners to future college stars. I also coached for several club programs during this time, including Nationals, Duke’s, Headstrong and Rhino (out of Oregon). These clubs ranged from moderate level through to premier, top-level national programs. Throughout this time, I’ve also ran several private lacrosse businesses that focused primarily on skill development for kids from elementary grades through high school.

In the summer of 2020, my Mom passed away. I decided to move from Philadelphia to Bel Air, MD to live with my Dad and be close to my sister and her family. During this time, and with COVID putting a damper on things, I scaled way back on my coaching. I got a job at The John Carroll School and served as the Assoc. Head Coach of their team. This was a program that had just moved into the A Division of the MIAA after winning multiple championships at the B Division. We took our lumps, but it was an amazing experience to compete in the top HS league in the country.

After a year coaching with JC, I decided to step away from coaching to further focus on my personal life. This included getting both my knees replaced and cheering on my nephew, Brady, who was beginning his high school experience as a 9th goalie for Calvert Hall, one of the top high school programs in the nation. I joined my family watching all of his games and scrimmages (except one scrimmage in DC) and got to be just “Uncle Joe.” It was wonderful. Brady ended up earning the starting spot about halfway through the year and Calvert Hall went on an exciting run that ended in the semi-finals.

I also shot video of all of his games with a camcorder from the stands. I’ve been shooting video and pics as a hobby for about 15 years. But, early in the season, my 4K camcorder bit the dust. I continued shooting with an older camcorder, but the footage wasn’t great. I decided to invest in some quality camera gear and take my hobby up a notch. I’ve since been developing my skills at a higher level, while getting to shoot video of some of the top lacrosse in the world.

With my new knees getting better and better, I’m also going to be getting back into coaching. Proud Lacrosse will be my platform for sharing my passion for lacrosse with others, whether it’s through coaching or media. I look forward to seeing what The Creator’s Game has in store for me during this next segment of life.