Summer campers playing lacrosse in White Oak received a visit from a county native who made a name for herself through the sport.
Silver Spring native Tari Kandemiri — also known as “Official Lax Girl” — visited with the MOCO Lacrosse campers on Friday at the White Oak Community and Recreation Center.
Kandemiri was born in Zimbabwe and came to the U.S. as a child. She told MCM that last December, she hosted Zimbabwe’s first-ever lacrosse clinic. This summer, she was in Portugal to play in the Lisboa Lacrosse Cup with the USA All Stars. She brought her experiences back to White Oak to show local kids that they can find success through the sport, too.
Kandemiri gained a social media following through her love of the sport on platforms including Instagram and X. She co-hosted an ESPN women’s lacrosse show and has signed on as a Nike Lacrosse Athlete.
Jeff Wagner founded MOCO Lacrosse — now in its 26th year — to introduce the sport to underserved youths who may not otherwise have access to lacrosse. His mission is to level the playing field in Montgomery County. Kandemiri was a MOCO Lacrosse counselor as a student at Springbrook High School. She also returned to White Oak last summer as MOCO Lacrosse marked its 25th year.
