Today we’d like to introduce you to Vince Walch.
Hi Vince, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
After graduating from Georgia Southern in 2016, I moved back to Atlanta and jumped headfirst into coaching lacrosse at various levels across the metro area. While building my career in tech recruiting, lacrosse has always been my true passion. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to work with some incredible programs and families, and those experiences helped shape my perspective on what club lacrosse could—and should—be.
At the time, there weren’t many options for families looking for a program that balanced competitive lacrosse with a positive, supportive environment. I saw that gap and decided to build something from the ground up.
In 2021, I relaunched Dirty Birds Lacrosse—an existing brand that had gone quiet during COVID. Through my connection with Coach Spotz and the Walton community, I saw an opportunity to revive the program and grow it into something special across the Atlanta Metro area. Like most small businesses, it started small. We hosted a few clinics, coached out of borrowed fields, and leaned into word-of-mouth to get our name out. What kept us going was our core mission: helping players fall in love with the game while building confidence on and off the field.
Over time, we grew—not just in numbers, but in impact. We brought on great coaches, formed teams, and partnered with national organizations like Team America and the American Lacrosse Collective. Today, Dirty Birds is heading into its fourth summer, serving over 200 families and creating a true community. We recently launched an annual alumni scholarship to further support our players beyond lacrosse, which is one of the things I’m most proud of.
It hasn’t always been easy, but every challenge has helped shape who we are. I’ve learned to trust my instincts, lean on mentors, and stay rooted in why we started in the first place.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not a smooth road—but I think that’s part of what makes this journey meaningful.
One of the biggest challenges early on was breaking into a space dominated by larger, more established club programs—many of which are now backed by private equity. We were the underdog, trying to carve out our place in an industry where families often commit to a program for an entire year. That yearly cycle meant that even when families were interested in what we were building, they usually weren’t in a position to make a change until the following season. It took patience, persistence, and a lot of trust-building to gain traction.
While we had strong logistics and infrastructure in place, we didn’t have much brand recognition in those early days. We leaned heavily on word-of-mouth and let the quality of our coaching and culture speak for itself.
Another ongoing challenge has been balancing growth with quality. As interest in the program grew, I had to be intentional about not expanding too fast and making sure we stayed true to our mission. Building a great culture takes time, and you can’t rush trust with families. I’ve had to learn when to say yes, when to say no, and how to surround myself with people who align with our values.
And of course, juggling a full-time job at Amazon while running a growing lacrosse program isn’t always easy. Time management has been a constant struggle, but passion has a way of pushing you through long nights and early mornings.
What’s kept me grounded through all of it is our purpose—giving kids a space to have fun, compete, and grow. The road hasn’t been smooth, but it’s been incredibly rewarding.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Dirty Birds Lacrosse, we specialize in providing a competitive yet supportive environment for players of all ages and skill levels. We focus on helping kids develop a true love for the game while building confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills. What sets us apart is our commitment to creating a culture that balances athletic development with personal growth. We want every player to leave feeling not just like a better lacrosse player, but a more confident and well-rounded person.
We’re known for our emphasis on player development, which is not just about improving skills, but also fostering a love for the game that lasts beyond the season. Our coaching staff brings a wealth of experience, both at the high school and collegiate levels, and we emphasize that lacrosse is about more than just wins and losses. It’s about creating an environment where kids can make mistakes, learn, and grow, while still having fun.
What I’m most proud of is the sense of community we’ve built. We’ve been able to grow quickly, with over 200 families involved, but we’ve stayed true to our roots: offering a family-oriented environment that prioritizes both player development and a positive, inclusive atmosphere. One of our proudest moments was launching the Dirty Birds Alumni Scholarship in 2025, which supports our players as they transition to the next chapter of their lives—whether that’s continuing their lacrosse journey or pursuing higher education.
What sets us apart is the combination of competitive lacrosse with a focus on character-building. We’ve built something that is competitive, but also approachable—where players feel supported, heard, and valued. Our relationships with families are built on trust, and that’s the foundation of everything we do.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Luck has definitely played a role in our journey—both good and bad—but I think it’s more about the people we’ve attracted along the way that has been the real “good luck.”
When we first launched Dirty Birds Lacrosse, we didn’t have much beyond a vision and a lot of passion. But the good luck came in the form of the coaches who took a risk to join me early on. Some of them left established clubs to be a part of something unproven, and their belief in what we were building has been crucial to our success. To this day, those same coaches are with us, and that consistency has been invaluable.
Of course, we’ve faced some challenges, too. We’ve had coaches and players get recruited away by larger, private equity-backed clubs—often with the allure of bigger programs and resources. But what’s been really rewarding is seeing some of those same people return, because what we offer is different. Our culture is family-oriented, where every player is seen as an individual, not just another number in a program. That sense of community has been a huge draw and something that I think sets us apart, even in a crowded market. That return to our core values, both from coaches and players, has certainly felt like good luck.
Ultimately, I think luck has been less about random chance and more about the people we’ve attracted who truly believe in what we’re doing. It’s been about building something that feels real, where people are willing to take a leap with us, even when we were just getting started.
Pricing:
- U9 (3rd grade and under): $2,400 for Full Year, $1,700 for Summer Only
- 4th-11th Grade (Older Age Groups): $2,800 for Full Year, $2,100 for Summer Only
- Clinics: $75-125 Average
- Private Lessons: $50/Hour
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dirtybirdslax.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dirtybirdslacrosseatl/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dirtybirdslacrosseatl
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dirtybirdslacrosse/
- Twitter: https://x.com/dblaxatl
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DirtyBirdsLacrosse
- Other: https://g.page/r/CV1OptF41pagEBM/review
