Panthers, CYLA To Merge

Panthers Athletic Club and Chesapeake Youth Lacrosse Association are merging.

After a period of consideration, the decision was made this fall that joining the two organizations will benefit individual youth athletes, their families, both organizations and the Pasadena community as a whole.

Panthers President Lisa Elliott and CYLA President Lois Warner were influential in bringing the organizations together in a partnership they see as beneficial to the youth athletes in Pasadena.

“The merger brings together two small, well-established athletic programs on the Pasadena peninsula operating in different seasons into a larger, year-round athletic organization,” said Warner.

Board members from each association see the merger as a chance for both programs to grow. Warner cited “strength in numbers” when working together with Anne Arundel Recreation and Parks to ease the organization of facility use at Loopers Field and Lake Shore Athletic Complex. She said bringing the two clubs together should also ease registration and enable cost savings for families through better insurance rates and uniform/equipment vendor contracts.

Eventually, registration for all Panthers sports will be streamlined under the same umbrella on the new Panthers website, although registration for the 2018 CYLA season will remain unchanged for this year. CYLA lacrosse families will not see any changes this season for registration (which began December 1), uniform fittings, the ChargeUp Tournament or the CLYA logos on uniforms. For the 2019 season, the CYLA logos will change to Panthers logos, and registration will be conducted through the new Panthers webpage. Lacrosse will have representation on the Panther’s executive board with a lacrosse commissioner, assistant commissioner and boys/girls lacrosse directors.

Warner and Elliott also hope that the merger encourages and enables more kids to try multiple sports.

“For the kids and families, we are hoping this merger will encourage kids that may only have wrestled or cheered or played football to take up lacrosse or vice-versa because their ‘sports family’ now has these other sports to offer,” said Warner.

The Panthers now offer football, cheerleading, wrestling and lacrosse. Elliott, a founding member of the Panthers organization, which has operated in Pasadena for 18 years, said the successful addition of wrestling to the organizations offerings five years ago provided a blueprint for continued growth.

“Five years ago, we merged with Chesapeake Youth Wrestling and added another winter sport, which has proved to be a positive, great partnership,” said Elliott. “With the new merge with CYLA, it makes us a year-round organization, which is so exciting. We are thrilled to share this venture with Lois and CYLA and have no doubt that with joining forces, and putting our heads together that we will continue to strive to be the best youth sports organization in Pasadena for many years to come.”