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A lacrosse business that began brewing webbing wax in a suburban family home has now expanded into a $13 million Hunt Valley headquarters, as its founders realize their vision of becoming an industry leader in a growing sport.
ECD Lacrosse was founded by twin brothers Mike and Greg Kenneally in 2011. With roots in their parents’ home in Towson, ECD has grown from a small company focusing on mesh coatings into full-spectrum operation offering heads, shafts, complete sticks, protective gear, mesh, strings, and apparel for women and men.
ECD (an acronymn for East Coast Dyes) recently invested $13.3 million in an 80,150-square-foot facility on Gilroy Road near Beaver Dam Road in Hunt Valley. The new headquarters, which combines nearly 50,000 square feet of warehouse space with 30,400 square feet of office space, also features expanded turf space for product testing and community engagement.
The move represents an enormous leap forward for brothers who began “making the ‘secret sauce’ [for webbing] in a crockpot,” their father, John Kenneally, fondly recalls.
In Towson, where they were raised, lacrosse is as much a way of life as it is a sport.
“We started playing when we were probably five,” Mike Kenneally recalled. “Had a stick in our hand before that—our dad played and coached us. So that was a big part of our lives growing up and definitely something we identified with.”
Now 35 years old, the brothers graduated from Elizabethtown College, where they played in their college years.
Mike serves as ECD Lacrosse’s CEO, steering the company’s strategic vision, while Greg, as COO, manages daily operations. Employing over 50 individuals, ECD Lacrosse continues to contribute to the local economy and the broader lacrosse community.
Their upbringing instilled in them a passion for the game and a commitment to hard work and teamwork, values they credit to their father.
John Kenneally, a longtime youth lacrosse coach, often shared a mantra with his players: “Hard work pays off.” That phrase would later become the company’s motto.
“I’ve coached youth lacrosse for 30 years now,” John said. “I always try to help those I coach become better citizens, not just better teammates.”
John’s influence went beyond the field. As the owner of an accounting firm, he provided his sons with invaluable lessons in entrepreneurship.
“Our dad also started his own business in Towson, which had a huge influence on us,” Mike said. “We grew up seeing what it was like to be an entrepreneur and got tons of advice from him.”
Putting points on the board
After graduating college, Greg found himself stringing lacrosse sticks for extra cash.
“Then I decided it might make sense to try and make a better mesh because the ones we used back then just didn’t hold up in bad weather and took too long to break in,” Greg said. “That’s when it turned from a hobby into a real business.”
The breakthrough came with the creation of their proprietary wax mesh formula.
“The formula itself wasn’t that complicated—similar to lip balm,” Greg acknowledged. “But getting the wax deeply into the mesh with no flaking and making it smooth, that process took years to perfect.”
Dad John recalls the early days with pride. “Not a lot of people nowadays make their children work hard for things, but they did,” he said.
Greg said starting a business right out of college was the ideal time to take a leap.
“You don’t have much responsibility—no kids, minimal expenses—so there’s almost no need for the business to make money right away,” he said.
Long nights defined that period of his life. “I worked all day, then spent my evenings making mesh from 8 p.m. to midnight.” Greg said. “Those long nights were exhausting but incredibly rewarding.”
Rising stars
Scaling the business required careful planning.
“The biggest challenge has always been fulfilling orders while maintaining high quality and great customer service,” he said. “We’ve expanded gradually—always waiting until we’ve run out of space to say, ‘We need to grow.’ That’s worked well for us so far.”
Being based in Maryland has been a cornerstone of ECD’s success. “Maryland is a hub for lacrosse,” said Mike. “We’re able to go to a lot of games and connect with top high school talent. Being in the Greater Baltimore area is a huge benefit, and we’re committed to staying here long-term.”
Sean Keehan, an Executive in Residence at Loyola University Maryland, highlighted the advantages of Maryland’s strategic location.
“For a lacrosse-based business, being in a hotbed for the sport like Maryland outweighs other factors,” Keehan said. “The Port of Baltimore may help with shipping, but the real advantage is the ability to get products to customers quickly, which boosts customer satisfaction and repeat orders.”
The Hunt Valley investment marks a significant milestone for ECD Lacrosse.
“Owning our headquarters allows us to take a 20-year vision instead of a three- to five-year lease,” Greg explained. “We can make it exactly the way we want and focus on improving customer experiences.”
The new facility includes expanded turf space, allowing for product testing and community engagement.
“Visitors will see how lacrosse sticks are made, view a museum wall showing our history, and even test products on the turf where the pros play,” Greg said.
‘More than a stick’
Beyond business, the Kenneally brothers are committed to making a difference.
“We’re proud of our partnership with Harlem Lacrosse’s Baltimore chapter,” a relationship that will continue to benefit scholars as they pursue a secondary education.
“Our scholarship programs have significantly boosted their players’ graduation and GPA rates. We also gave out six scholarships last year for players to continue their education and lacrosse careers.”
John Kenneally underscores the importance of these efforts.
“They have this motto: ‘more than a stick.’ They want to be in the business of helping people,” he said. “They’ve sent out sticks to somebody struggling—sick, hurt—as a way of giving back. There are a lot of things they never tell people, but the work they do helps those who come from underprivileged circumstances.”
With the sport’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympics, Mike foresees tremendous growth. “It’s still East Coast-heavy but growing in the South and Midwest. We’re excited to see what worldwide exposure will bring.”
The company’s commitment to innovation remains steadfast. “Our goal is to continue making the best lacrosse products humanly possible,” Mike emphasized. “We’re expanding into protective gear and will keep innovating to make better products while staying true to our core.”
For aspiring entrepreneurs, the Kenneally brothers offer practical advice. “Crawl, walk, run – building a business takes time, discipline, and consistency. People only see the end result, but there are so many challenges along the way.”
Greg encourages others to seize the moment. “It’s a low-risk time when you’re young—just take a bite and see what happens. Lacrosse still has plenty of opportunities, from stringing to accessories. People are always tinkering and coming up with new ideas that can grow into something big.”
