FOUNDER

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 taught his approach to lacrosse to over 400 boys and girls though the Stars & Stripes platform, including his three sons (Evan, Niko, and Alex). Evan Karetsos (Class of 2021) was an All American at Pace Academy High School and Dickinson College, where he captained the team its 4th Centennial Conference Championship in a row and a DIII National Title Finalist in 2025.  Niko Karetsos (Class of 2023) graduated from the lacrosse power-house Boys' Latin School of Maryland and is currently a senior on the top-ranked UNC lacrosse team. Alex Karetsos (Class of 2028) is a junior at Allentown Central Catholic High where he has racked up almost 200 varsity points in his first two years.  All three boys have their roots in Stars & Stripes training.

In addition, Coach K runs several Stars & Stripes Alumni events each year for the Roughnecks and he is excited be sponsoring the Black Lab girls lacrosse team.

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.