Blaxers Blog: Pulling the Next Generation Ahead of Us

Baltimore Lacrosse Elite co-founder Lantz Carter believes that a championship mindset requires focus, confidence, faith and a will to overcome adversities.

“It’s imperative to reach back and pull the next generation ahead of us,” Carter said. “Without our help, the youth can’t grow and move forward.”

LANTZ CARTER

Hometown: Baltimore, Md.
College: Salisbury, Monroe CC
High School: Northwestern

Notable Accolades:

2011-12 NCAA champion
2013 NALL champion (Boston Rockhoppers)
2013-14 LXM Pro attackman (Team Maverik)

BE MORE ELITE

From 2018-20, Carter served as boys’ program director at Harlem Lacrosse-Baltimore via the Commodore John Rodgers School. In 2020, he transitioned into the high school director role at ACCE High School while Hampton alumnus, Kier Johnson II, managed the former.

“It’s awesome to serve for four years with Harlem Lacrosse, as I cemented my name as a local lacrosse figure,” Carter said. “I’m thankful to connect the organization with the Baltimore City lacrosse community. I’m excited to continue working and seeing what the future holds.”

During a conversation with co-founder Kenny Brown, they collaborated on a solution by launching a makeshift team of seventh graders (Class of 2024) in 2018 dubbed Baltimore Lacrosse Elite. The coaching staff was completed with Nic Hazell (training and team coach) and Johnson II.

“It’s a win-win by giving back and sharing the game with kids of all backgrounds while showcasing high level lacrosse,” Brown said. “The sky is definitely not the limit as our trajectory climbs stronger for future seasons.”

The idea behind BLE was sparked by Carter’s return to Baltimore in 2016 after witnessing California’s emerging club lacrosse scene and Baltimore City’s lack of elite programs. Many kids couldn’t handle the financial demand of club lacrosse or they played in the suburbs.

“It was a lot of hard work and inquiring in our circles as Kenny knew some club kids,” Carter said. “We included some experienced players from the Baltimore Terps. I called Johnny Christmas, and Encore made some dope uniforms.”

In 2018, the 2024 team won the Bay Bridge Brawl tournament. Afterwards, the championship team was recognized by Baltimore’s mayoral office.

Subsequently, in 2020, more age groups (2025, 2028) launched as BLE’s competitive spirit grew.

“We’ve built ourselves a winning culture while strategically playing in certain leagues and tournaments,” Hazell said. “We maintain a family atmosphere while preparing and training our players for high level competition.”

This season, the 2028 team won the Hershey Lacrosse Shootout and Lax Federation Members Cup championships, as BLE celebrated their first year-round operation with multiple teams.

BALTIMORE BRED

Carter grew up in a lacrosse household as his father, Lloyd, played attack at Morgan State during its final varsity season in 1981.

“As a kid, I was blessed to meet these legends people speak upon today and learn all of their stories,” Carter said. “I didn’t realize how lucky I was to be part of our lacrosse family. It gave me a sense of pride knowing who came before me and knowing my destiny later.”

In 2003, Lloyd Carter and Anthony “Merc” Ryan co-founded Blax Lax, a Baltimore non-profit that provides lacrosse instruction, camps and travel opportunities regardless of experience and financial means.

“It was empowering to play for Blax Lax because at tournaments we were normally the only predominately Black team,” Lantz Carter said. “Our coaches instilled self-pride into us being Black lacrosse players while pushing the brand forward.”

In middle school, Carter was exposed to Baltimore City high school lacrosse while watching his father coach Northwestern High School standouts such as Shawn Medlin and Roy Caster. Hence, he knew it was his destiny to compete there.

Despite beginning at Randallstown, he transferred to Northwestern to play attack and midfield with city peers like his best friend, Devon Boyd.

As a senior in 2006, Carter nearly totaled 90 points while his friend and 2005-06 Baltimore City Player of the Year Eric Pitts led Maryland. Boyd, Carter and Pitts would represent Baltimore City in the Maryland senior all-star game.

“Because I never played in the spring before, it was time for me to cement myself as an all-time Baltimore City great,” Carter said. “It was crazy that you had the top two scorers in the state come from rival Baltimore programs. It was a great experience playing against some of the city’s best talent.”

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

Carter began his college career in 2008 at Monroe Community College, where he led the Tribunes with 33 goals. In 2009, the sophomore became team captain and scored 46 goals.

“Monroe helped me grow as a student and lacrosse player,” Carter said. “Coach Rocky Delfino took a chance on me. He never saw me play in person and during a campus visit with my dad, he saw my stats and offered me a scholarship.”

Carter joined Salisbury in 2010 as a redshirt attackman due to its proximity to Baltimore and its championship caliber.

“Salisbury was lifechanging,” Carter said. “It humbled me in many ways since I was used to being the best high school and junior college player. At Salisbury, I had to work my way up from the bottom. During my junior year, I was a second line attackman. My game took off after practicing against the nation’s best defense.”

In 2011, Carter’s contributions propelled the Seagulls to the program’s ninth national championship. During that offseason, his role changed as he trained with the midfielders. As a first line senior midfielder and Andy Jones Most Improved awardee, Carter helped Salisbury repeat with a perfect 23-0 record.

“From the top down, everyone worked hard and built our championship mindset,” Carter said. “Staying healthy and playing at your best showed me how hard it was to win two national championships.”

In 2019, Inside Lacrosse named the 2012 Salisbury squad “Best of the Decade: The Ultimate Men’s DIII Champion.”

“In my opinion, playing for the best coach of all time, Jim Berkman, was amazing,” Carter said. “He treated me like a man and seeing the dedication he put into himself everyday taught me how to be a true student-athlete.

TRAIN UP A CHILD

After matriculating in 2012, Carter returned home to become Blax Lax’s co-director and coach. Coaching helped Carter stay connected to the game he loves. He mentioned that coaching isn’t made for everyone as patience is required.

“Since I was a kid, I wanted to be involved in athletics,” Carter said. “I was hugely impacted by my dad, Uncle Bennett Carter, Donnie Brown, Coach Merc and other lifelong mentors. As a Blax Lax alumnus, it was an honor giving back and growing the brand that developed me.”

His family’s wisdom and Salisbury’s championship mentality shaped Carter into preparing his teams with mental focus and discipline. In-depth knowledge, relationship\-building and balance are successful coaching intangibles Carter promotes.

“I enjoy helping kids reach their goals, developing them and winning championships,” Carter said. “Always remember the passion of why you coach because things can be blurred between business management, competition, politics and parents. Coaching is more of a job than a profession by itself.”

In 2013, Carter moved to Los Angeles to play as an LXM Pro Tour attackman while coaching the Santa Monica Dragons and City Lax fulltime.

“Playing professionally proved my abilities while inspiring kids from Baltimore and abroad that anything is possible,” Carter said. “I’m grateful to the Santa Monica Dragons organization and my friend Eric Krum for allowing me to grow their program while sharpening my coaching skills. I enjoyed coaching phenomenal players from the West Coast.”

He described his former boys’ programming role with Charm City Lacrosse as a learning experience.

“They gave me an opportunity when I came home from California to run clinics at local elementary schools,” Carter said. “It was different teaching lacrosse to kids who wasn’t introduced beforehand. I found creative ways of making clinics enjoyable and having them interested in returning.”

From 2016-19, Carter coached alongside his father as a volunteer assistant at Hampton University.