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Minnesota Swarm's Andy Arlotta Wins Good Leader Award

February 28, 2015 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Minnesota Swarm News Release


SAINT PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Business Magazine awarded Andy Arlotta, co-owner and president of the Minnesota Swarm, with the Good Leader Award Thursday night during the 2015 Community Impact Awards at Aria in Downtown Minneapolis.

Arlotta, 38, was chosen as the winner amongst a group of four finalists; the Good Leader Award recognizes a Minnesota business leader for making a positive impact through service, character, and leadership by fostering an environment of corporate giving.

"It's an honor to win this prestigious award from Minnesota Business Magazine," Arlotta said. "Since day one, the Swarm organization has made it a priority to engage ourselves and give back in the local community as much as we can. I would like to thank our entire staff for their work in the community and efforts in aiding the growth of lacrosse in Minnesota. Over my seven years with the Swarm, I've learned that organizations win awards, not individuals."

Since purchasing the Swarm in 2008, Arlotta has had a profound impact in helping the sport of lacrosse reach new heights in the state of Minnesota. Arlotta's efforts take root in his dedication to community service, where he has played active roles with local lacrosse organizations, non-profit groups, and Minnesota's tribal communities. In 2014, the Swarm organization was awarded the Jefferson Award for Corporate Giving; the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal and Jefferson Awards Foundation selected the Swarm because of the time, talent and energy it dedicates to local charitable causes.

In the community, Arlotta has helped lacrosse grow on the youth level, overseeing and creating the Swarm's Youth Box League in 2009 - the largest indoor youth lacrosse league in the country - and a Jr. Swarm program, which gives Twin Cities youth the opportunity to play on an elite youth box team that travels the country and in Canada. On the national level, Arlotta is the CEO and Chairman of the Box Lacrosse Association of America (BLA), the national governing body for box lacrosse in the U.S, which provides insurance for youth athletes to play box lacrosse all across the country.

Arlotta and the Swarm have also instilled youth programs across the state to increase lacrosse participation amongst Minnesota's tribal communities. In 2010, he helped establish an after school program on the Prairie Island Indian Community that kept kids involved in lacrosse on a year-round basis. Because of his efforts, a competitive team in Prairie Island participated year-round in multiple lacrosse leagues in the Twin Cities, and became the first Minnesota Native American youth team to compete in over 100 years.

That same year he also helped established Lax-4-Life, an overnight lacrosse camp open to boys and girls from all 11 Minnesota tribal communities. Campers not only learn about the history, tradition and game play of lacrosse, but also life skills, such as the importance of education, healthy living and abstinence from drugs, alcohol and violence. The camp celebrated its five-year anniversary this past summer and has received national recognition from the Obama Administration. In the summer of 2014, Arlotta spearheaded the Swarm's efforts to start a lacrosse camp on the White Earth Indian Reservation in Northern Minnesota and over 150 boys and girls attended the four-day camp in July.

Arlotta and the Swarm are big supporters of local lacrosse organizations in the Twin Cities, and makes annual donations to Minnesota Lacrosse Association (MLA), Youth Lacrosse Minnesota (YLM), Minnesota Boys Scholastic Lacrosse Association (MBSLA), and Minnesota Schoolgirls Lacrosse (MSSLax). The Swarm also annually sponsors the Mr. & Ms. Lacrosse Awards hosted by the Minnesota Minute Men.

Outside of the Swarm, Arlotta serves on several non-profit organizations, which includes the Minnesota Lacrosse Association (President), Homegrown Lacrosse and the Minnesota American Indian Chamber of Commerce (MAICC).

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