Plano Lacrosse Association

The Plano Lacrosse Association (PLA) was established in 1991 and has been one of the most successful High School Club Lacrosse programs in the State of Texas. The PLA is a parent and volunteer driven organization and serves as the umbrella organization for Plano Wildcat Lacrosse. With a dedicated group of parents that serve as the leadership of the organization and myriad other parents serving key volunteer roles, the PLA functions as the administrative, planning and fundraising element of the organization. Our philosophy is to allow our 'coaches to coach' without being distracted by the administrative functions of the organization.

The coaches of Plano Wildcat Lacrosse are passionate about teaching our young men the sport of lacrosse as well as instilling life long values such as commitment, dedication to hard work, loyalty and team work. All of our coaches at both Varsity and Junior Varsity levels have played at either the high school or collegiate levels or have been coaching youth and/or high school lacrosse for many years. Please learn more about each of our coaches in the "Coaches" section of our website.

Plano Wildcat Lacrosse is the original and most established lacrosse program in Plano and Colin County and one of the most respected programs in the State of Texas. Additionally, the Wildcats have earned a national reputation as well for it's style of play and good sportsmanship. In fact, the Wildcats have traveled to the east coast since 2001 on an annual spring break trip and have played and conquered some of the best high school teams in North Carolina and Florida.

Since the very beginning, our young men that are the Plano Wildcats have made an impact at the collegiate level. Many Plano Wildcat alumni have played at the collegiate level for clubs teams at Texas A&M, Brigham Young, Texas Tech, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Texas. In recent years colleges and universities from the north and east have finally discovered the lacrosse talent in Texas and especially with the Plano Wildcats. Wildcat alumni have left Plano and gone on to play at schools such as The College of Wooster, Hofstra, Army and Cornell. As a testament to the quality of Plano Wildcat Lacrosse, we have had numerous All-District and All-State players since 1991. And since 2006, Plano Wildcat Lacrosse has produced an All-American Goalie (Thomas Palesky, PSHS 2006 - Army); an All-American Attack (Ross Gillum, PSHS 2009 already committed to Cornell); and one Academic All-American (James MacGibbon, PSHS 2008 attending Army).

If you are interested in learning more about Plano Wildcats Lacrosse, please take a few minutes and visit our website. If you have any questions about Plano Wildcats Lacrosse please feel free to contact anyone on the leadership committee. Plano Wildcats Lacrosse is the ORIGINAL game in town ! Once you have experienced Plano Wildcats Lacrosse, you will be hooked. Come join the fun!

Growing up in Connecticut, Chris and Robert Braceland loved the lacrosse culture that was featured so prominently in their home town.

The two brothers played the game in Wilton, Conn., a lacrosse powerhouse that competes for a state title each and every year.

Therefore, when the Bracelands moved to Plano, it came as a shock to them that few Texans had even heard of lacrosse at the time.

“We found out pretty quick that lacrosse was pretty much nonexistent down here,” Robert said. “It was pretty disappointing at the time.”

The family desparately wanted to continue playing and watching the game that they loved in the northeast in their new home of Texas, so the Bracelands began the process of starting a team in the Plano area.

With the help of ex-Navy pilot Dick Kremer, the family got involved with the North Dallas Lacrosse Club which was an outlet for transplanted lacrosse players to continue playing the game in the Dallas area.

“In the first year we struggled to get 20 players on the field,” Robert said. “After a year or two, we had too many players for one team and had to make a junior varsity team.”

Chris joined the team in 1990, while Robert helped Kremer run practices and coach the players.

“It was great,” Chris said. “It was such a new sport to the area that anyone who had played before had such a big advantage.”

After the 1990 season, the North Dallas Lacrosse Club recognized that a majority of the players were located among three schools (Plano, Richardson and Jesuit) and decided to initiate a team at Plano Senior.

In the spring of 1991, the Plano Senior Wildcat lacrosse program was formed, with Robert and Chris becoming prominent members of the team.

Chris and former teammate Chip Russo were two of the first players on the team. Meanwhile, Robert took over head coaching duties for the team.

“[Robert] was probably a little harder on me than most of the other players,” Chris said. “But just because we’re related and he expected a lot.”

Eventually, Rick Winstel of Wilton and Mike Emmerich (a former All-American goalie at Cornell University) joined the coaching staff and helped bring Plano’s newest team to another level.

Despite boasting a competitive roster in its first year, the Plano lacrosse team got tired of playing only two schools and eventually decided to make trips to Houston and Austin to take on other programs.

“I think Houston had 11 teams and Austin had seven at the time,” Robert said. “So we at least got to play some different teams than we were playing all the time up here.”

In 1992, the Wildcats enjoyed an undefeated season, coasting to the Texas State Championship game before losing to Houston Episcopal by two goals.

The following season, Robert was honored for his success at Plano and was named Texas Lacrosse Coach of the Year. At the same time, Chris was selected to the all-district team two years in a row while the brothers’ parents continued working behind the scenes to help the lacrosse program grow.

“The whole thing was fully sponsored by parents,” Robert said. “There’s no way we could have gotten to the level it’s at now without everything they did.”

Chris said the program still has room to grow, after looking at the success of other teams in the area.

“The program at Highland Park is where we’re trying to get,” he said. “I don’t think it’s an unrealistic goal at all. Plano has some great athletes. If you’re athletic enough, you can be competitive at lacrosse.”

After graduating from Plano, Chris went on to play on the lacrosse team at Cornell and Robert turned his head coaching duties over to John Gioia.

And while neither Braceland brother is currently involved with the program, they both maintain the bonds built from the Wildcats lacrosse team.

“We refer to it as a lacrosse brotherhood,” Robert said. “Once you play together, you’re adopted into the family forever. No matter where you are, you will have that special bond with everyone else who has played.”

Plano is celebrating its 20th anniversary this season. The team has invited all Plano lacrosse alumni, parents and friends to the April 1 game against Plano West to celebrate 20 years of success in the program.

“Some of the best relationships I have built in Plano were because of the lacrosse program,” Robert said. “It’s been really cool to look at how it has grown over the years.”

Sam Woolford has taken over the current head coaching responsibilities for the team and will lead the Wildcats in the April 1 game against the Wolves.