Dear JH Lacrosse Friends and Families,

I have been meaning to email you since Monday, but haven't been able to bring myself to write this message.

Rad Spencer died on Sunday skiing in Grand Teton National Park. Many of you may already be aware or saw the articles in the paper. Rad was a dedicated and beloved JH Lacrosse Coach.

All who knew him are devastated, heartbroken, and missing him immensely. We are incredibly sad and sorry for his family and close friends; and also for our high school boys, who are crushed by the loss of their coach that they loved.

At the same time, we feel so fortunate and grateful we had him as a part of our lacrosse family for the time we did. We are better for it. He was a complete gift.

I will keep everyone posted - most likely with a follow-up message next week - as I get any more information. I have written more about Rad below, but want to give you some details here:

You can read Rad's obituary here.

Jackson Hole News & Guide wrote a nice story about Rad that they published yesterday, titled "Rad Spencer felt 'closest to God' in the alpine". There are some nice quotes from some of our coaches and HS boys in the piece.

If you want to get a sense of the guy he was and what he meant to people check out Rad's insatagram page "thats_so_rad", and specifically read the comments that people have posted this week on his last post.

Grieving the loss of a member of our lacrosse family is not easy. Regardless of how well you knew Rad, losing him deeply impacts all of us. There is no blueprint or playbook that tells us how to do this. If you are struggling, or need support, please reach out for support whether it is to me, a coach, or a teammate, a parent, a church, a counselor at school, or any other avenue of support. My door is always open.

For our Boys HS team, and club as a whole, we want to lean on each other and support each other. Sticking together, gathering, telling stories, sharing stories about Rad, moments of sadness and laughter, is often the most helpful way to process grief. A wise man once told me that "grief is an overfilled cup that must be emptied, and sadness is an empty cup that must be filled." We can do that. Together.

Rad's "candle burned out long before his legend ever did". We will make sure to carry his memory and legacy in our program. We will be doing meaningful things to ensure that this happens, some of which are already in motion.

With a heavy heart,

Dave

August 2019 his boss Shawn Asbell emailed JHL Boys HS Head Coach George Hein:

Rad promptly responded to George and me:

Later that day Rad came by the lacrosse office to meet with Megan Slater and me. We immediately knew he would be a great contribution to our program. He had been on the forefront of the growth of lacrosse in Georgia, and helped lead the prestigious Westminster School to a state championship. He had been a part of a club team that would travel north to play top clubs in Maryland, taking their lumps along the way. He knew first had the growing pains of a developing program in a developing region. He also had a ton of experience with kids of all ages, as the oldest brother of a large family.

That fall Rad coached the 8Us with Megan and me. The first practice was on September 12th, 2019 at JES Field. He texted the next morning: "Great day yesterday! Have a great weekend and looking forward to next week!" He also helped out with 12U, 14U, and HS frequently; all while balancing his busy work schedule. He was always eager to help wherever it was needed. Always volunteering. He was great with the kids at every age group and was fun to coach with.

Spring of 2020 he was slated to be a full-time coach with the Boys 14U team, but unfortunately, that season was canceled. In the Fall of 2020 he became a permanent fixture with the Boys HS team.

Rad immediately had a huge impact on the team and connected with every player on an individual level, especially the younger players who were just cutting their teeth at the high school level. The next season, Spring 2021, he was a part of the staff that led the Boys HS team to the state semifinals and their best season ever.

He insisted on being a volunteer, refusing any sort of pay or reimbursement for his expenses, and was a consistent donor to JHLC. He always wanted to help in every way possible. This included anything from compiling player surveys, picking up takeout for coach meetings, spearheading coach and player breakfasts, and volunteering to be the clubs liason to the local paper because he had a friend there. In my last text exchange with him last Friday he notified me how he had just submitted the application to his company to become a sponsor for JHLC.

Anyone you talk will say that the first time they met Rad that they were incredibly shocked, practically caught off guard, at how nice and jolly he was. HS Assistant Coach Rick Will jokes that he thought to himself, "what's this guys deal!? this can't be real." But he was - completely authentic and genuine. He had an incredible ability to brighten everyone's day and make them feel good about themselves. He connected on a personal level with every player, and they considered him much more than just a coach, he was also a friend. He loved lacrosse, giving back to the game, Jackson Hole Lacrosse, the camaraderie with his fellow coaches, but most of all he loved working with the kids and watching them grow as young men.

Once you met Rad, you would always bump into him around town, whether at at a restaurant, hot yoga class, or a hockey game where he was supporting his players in the offseason. He was fully immersed in the community. If you went anywhere with him, you felt like you were with the mayor; he seemed to know everyone and everyone loved him. He was truly a special one of a kind person.

Rest in Peace Coach Rad.

We love you and will miss you always.

We aren't saying goodbye, but see ya later.

-Your Jackson Hole Lacrosse Family