LeagueApps Finalizes Stellar 2016 Free Agent Class With Three Superstars
By LeagueApps
December 15, 2016
5 min
An Interview With Ned Crotty, Alison Edell, and Chris Motley
Now that the free agency season is coming to a grinding halt, LeagueApps has had a chance to catch its collective breath. In striking succession, the startup based out of Union Square in New York City was able to recruit and sign three highly touted big-name players to the LeagueApps team.
Ned Crotty, Allison Edell, and Chris Motley, three of the top available superstars on the market, have all signed with LeagueApps, topping the 2016 recruiting class. Each will be directing the lacrosse, softball, and soccer partnership teams, respectively.
The additions remind sports organizers everywhere of the NBA’s versions of three headed monsters, such as the 2008-09 Boston Celtics (Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen) or 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers (LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love).
This move is sure to bring even more value to sports organizers everywhere from the LeagueApps team.
CEO Brian Litvack had this to say about the additions:
“We’re excited to welcome Ali, Ned and Chris to the LeagueApps team. They share many of our core values and are already displaying the passion to help our partners create great sports experiences in their communities. Plus, all three are great athletes that will help our intramural teams!”
“When free agency begins, the phone won’t stop ringing with all the agents pitching us. But we had our eyes set on our targets, and went out and got them. We’re excited to welcome them on the team,” President Jeremy Goldberg said.
We had a chance to sit down and talk with the three stars from this year’s top-ranked recruiting class.
LeagueApps: So tell us a little bit about each of your backgrounds.
Ned Crotty: So I played lacrosse at Duke, graduated in 2010. I was fortunate enough to win a national championship in 2010. Played for Team USA that summer and won a world championship. I’ve played in the MLL for the last seven years and won an MLL Championship in 2015. Also played for Team USA in 2014. I’ve been fortunate enough to play at every level and hopefully I’ll be fortunate enough to keep playing until 2018 and get another shot at the World Games.
Chris Motley: That’s awesome. Ned has quite the career and I’m not sure how to follow that. For me, a different path here to LeagueApps. I’ve played soccer my whole life. Grew up through the club ranks and won a few state championships. I played at Mount Union College in DIII and had some good years, plenty of playoff wins. Now I’m here at LeagueApps and couldn’t be more excited.
Alison Edell: I started playing hockey when I was 7 years old. There weren’t any girls teams at the time, so I started my playing with the boys for the NJ Colonials boys team- Ned and I actually played together when we were 9! It wasn’t really until high school that I stopped playing with the boys and headed to the Berkshire School in Massachusetts to play at an elite level with other girls. After spending four years playing for my boarding school, I headed to Colgate University to start my college hockey career.
LA: Lacrosse, soccer, hockey all on the playing field at the same time. It should definitely be interesting to see that gel in 2017. Why LeagueApps? What was the value you saw in bringing your experience here?
NC: Everybody here has a different background, but one thing everyone does have is their love of sports. Youth sports in particular. Growing up as an athlete, whenever I learned something that wasn’t from my parents, I learned from playing sports. I learned from teammates, I learned from coaches. So, the opportunity for me to give back to something that gave me so much, I just wanted to jump at.
CM: It was an easy choice. It’s us helping change the culture of sports and what we’re doing with organizers- giving them more time to assist with delivering great experiences for kids. I just wanted to make a bigger impact. I was making an impact with what I was doing previously, but in this environment and with these people, I just know that I can make youth sports better.
AE: I had such an incredible youth sports experience and was eager to find a way to pay it forward. It was also important to me that I stayed closely tied into sports and am in an environment that pushes me every single day. By coming to LeagueApps I was able to do exactly that.
LA: Let’s stay right there. How do you envision yourself helping softball organizers, Ali? And lacrosse organizers for you Ned? And Chris, soccer?
AE: Organizers spend so much of their own time to selflessly provide families with an amazing sports experience. I’m confident that I will be able to provide them with the best technology that will inevitably help get them some of their time back and run their organization with greater ease.
CM: Yea I think for me, it’s helping soccer leaders getting outside their norm and trying something different. There’s hasn’t been much change in soccer over the years and I just want to help them realize there are better opportunities out there. We can help them do the same things they are doing, but on a different scale that will improve their day-to-day. I’m excited for the opportunity to open soccer leaders’ eyes.
NC: Five years before coming here, I was running my own lacrosse program. So I kind of have an interesting perspective in that now I’ll be working with the people who are doing what I have been doing for the past five years. I know there’s a lot of things that are thrown your [sports organizers] way or different things that you’re going to have to deal with. So being able to show you how you can erase the admin side of running a program, things like chasing people down for money or registration, is something I’m excited to show. Now, they can focus on getting players better and the recruiting process, the real reason why all program directors get into this business.
AE: And it was an easy choice to make coming to LeagueApps. With the values, culture, and people it was a no brainer.
LA: Before we leave, what is one unique thing about yourself that the world needs to know?
NC: Chris, you go first.
CM: Well, I like to bake. So, all my partners can expect some cake pops and cake balls.
NC: Is that your number one?
CM: Yeah, that’s my go to. I’ll be giving great technology and great cake pops.
NC: For me, I’d have to say being one of six kids. Being the fifth of six kids. So no matter what happens outside the house, whenever I get home I’m still the low man on the totem poll no matter what.
AE: And I broke the all-time penalty minute record at Colgate my freshman year.