Our History

About the Tenacity Project

Founded by Theresa Sherry—Princeton alumna, championship coach, and Hall of Fame athlete—the Tenacity Project uses lacrosse as a platform to empower girls and young women. Through elite training, mentorship, and leadership development, Tenacity has impacted thousands of athletes nationwide, helping them grow into resilient, confident leaders on and off the field.

Our History & Growth

2007 – Sherry Sports is Born

Founder Theresa Sherry launched Sherry Sports (DBA BearLax) with just 70 participants in the San Francisco Bay Area.

2012 – The Tenacity Project Emerges

The Tenacity Project began as a charitable fund under a fiscal sponsor, expanding the vision of using lacrosse to empower girls through sport, mentorship, and leadership.

2016 – Becoming a 501(c)(3)

The Tenacity Project incorporated as an independent nonprofit, serving over 1,000 athletes—a 1,300% growth since 2007. Regional programming expanded to the San Francisco Bay Area, Greater Sacramento, Portland (OR), Greater Houston (TX), and Utah.

2016–2020 – Regional Expansion

Tenacity built thriving communities across multiple regions, creating opportunities for athletes, coaches, and families to grow together.

2020–Present – Widening Our Reach

Programming now serves athletes in Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Florida, Texas, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, Pennsylvania, and Idaho.

2025 – Signature Programs

Today, the Tenacity Project continues to innovate with a powerful suite of programs:

  • Western Winners Showcases
  • Tenacity National Teams
  • Super Sixes Teams & Tournaments
  • Pursuit of Better Academies
  • Leaders in Training Workshops
  • Play With Tenacity Camps

Our Founders

Dani Ellis

Director of Operations

  • Dani Ellis brings to Tenacity Project a deep passion for lacrosse, leadership, and athlete development. A proud alumna of Winthrop University (’16), Dani holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology (cum laude) and earned her Master’s degree in Education in Sport Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University.

    Her coaching career has spanned multiple levels and institutions: from serving as Graduate Assistant and then Director of Women’s Lacrosse Player Development at VCU, to an Assistant Coach at Washington & Lee University, and then two seasons at Middlebury College—where she helped lead the Panthers to back-to-back NCAA Division III National Championships.

    As Director of Operations, Dani oversees program implementation, logistics, and daily organizational growth, drawing on her strong record in relationship-building, high performance coaching, and strategic leadership.

Naomi Radio

Director of Programming

  • Naomi Radio serves as Director of Programming at Tenacity Project, where she leads the design and execution of all programming—from showcases and national teams to camps, tournaments, and leadership workshops. She joined Tenacity Project bringing a track record of coaching, scholarship, and academic excellence.

    Naomi is a Penn State University coach and former Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach at Juniata College. She was the first-ever head coach of Juniata’s women’s lacrosse program, and in her tenure there led the team to strong seasons, including an 11-6 finish in 2022.

    As a player, Naomi attended Mount St. Mary’s University in Maryland, where she earned multiple academic honors: two-time Academic All-America First Team, NEC Student-Athlete of the Year (2004), multiple IWLCA Academic Honor Roll recognitions, and All-Northeast Conference distinctions including NEC Player of the Year.