Coach K's Lacrosse Bio

Spyro Karetsos (Coach K) formed Stars & Stripes Lacrosse as an alternative to regional high-priced lacrosse clubs in 2013. The goal of Stars & Stripes is to teach life lessons such as discipline, respect, and sportsmanship using only a ball and a stick.

Coach K played high school lacrosse in Westchester County, NY where he was a two-time high school captain for Yonkers Lacrosse before playing four years of Division III defense for the Dickinson College Red Devils in Carlisle, PA. Coach K still plays Masters Lacrosse for Old Glory (a Stars & Stripes team for men over 40), Philadelphia Masters, and the Flatliners (now Honey Badgers) in ATL.

Coach K utilizes a back to basics coaching approach where players are expected to master the basics before progressing to the next level of technical challenges. Coach K instills a blue-collar work ethic into young players as they learn what it means to “punch in” and “go to work”.

Coach K established Norsemen Lacrosse as a feeder program to the Allentown Central Catholic High School Vikings in 2015. The Vikings compete against some of the best high school teams in the country on an annual basis and are positioned to make a run for the PA state title in the coming years as the original Norsemen become upperclassmen on the team.

Coach K has brought this proven coaching model to Atlanta, Georgia where all three of his boys play lacrosse. Evan Karetsos (2021) is a junior three-year varsity letterman for the Pace Academy Knights and a defenseman on 3D Georgia Elite. Niko Karetsos (2023) was a two-year captain for the Pace Academy Middle School, and is now a varsity starter as a freshman for Pace Academy High School and an attackman for ATL Thunder Blue Elite. Alex Karetsos (2028) is a fourth grader at Pace Academy Lower School and an attackman for the 4th/5th grade 3D Georgia Elite team. All three boys have their roots in Stars & Stripes training.

Coach K now focuses his efforts on the boys of Pace Academy Lower School. These Noble Knights from Pace Academy are enhancing their skill sets and lacrosse IQ to be better prepared to succeed at the Middle School, JV, and Varsity levels.  In addition, Coach K runs several Stars & Stripes Alumni events each year and he is excited to kick-start the National Program.

Coach K’s wife, Laura, is a proud lacrosse mom and a devout supporter of the Stars & Stripes Lacrosse program. She is the foundational bedrock of the family and is loved tremendously by all four of her lacrosse boys.