For more than twenty-five years, the athletic fields behind Monroe Middle School and Lanier Elementary School have served as a gathering place for students, families, and young athletes throughout Hillsborough County. What began as vacant land has become a valued community asset, providing recreational, educational, and competitive opportunities for children across the county. Its success reflects a partnership between Hillsborough County Public Schools and community volunteers who invested their time, resources, and vision to create a lasting public benefit.

Among those volunteers, David and Chrisi Laxer have been consistent supporters of both the facilities and the programs they serve, contributing decades of leadership, service, and philanthropy.

The origins of this partnership trace back to a time when the land behind Lanier Elementary School and Monroe Middle School remained largely undeveloped and underutilized. A group of community volunteers formed Tampa Knights, a nonprofit youth soccer organization, to expand athletic opportunities for children throughout Hillsborough County (Tampa Knights later merged with Hillsborough County United and now operate under the name Tampa Bay United Soccer Club). David Laxer, a founding Board Member of Tampa Knights and the organization’s first President, helped lead this effort. 

Recognizing the site’s potential, David approached Hillsborough County Public Schools with a proposal to develop the land into athletic fields serving both students and the broader community. In 2001, the two parties entered into a formal agreement under which HCPS provided the land, while the organization contributed volunteer labor, fundraising, and financial support to develop and maintain the facilities. The result was the transformation of the property into a community asset that has since benefited families across the Tampa Bay region.

Over time, the site became one of the region’s most widely used youth recreation resources. It became a place where children developed teamwork, perseverance, sportsmanship, leadership, and healthy habits, while families gathered to support them and volunteers helped sustain the fields.

Today, the fields serve multiple community purposes beyond youth soccer. They function as outdoor classrooms, training grounds, and gathering spaces. Students from Lanier Elementary and Monroe Middle School use them for physical education classes and school activities, while student-athletes from Robinson High School and youth programs across the region use the fields for soccer, lacrosse, conditioning, and other athletic programming. In 2025 alone, more than 5,000 children and teenagers participated in programming provided by Tampa Bay United Soccer Club, supported by over 300 volunteers contributing more than 6,000 hours of service.

Throughout this period, David and Chrisi Laxer have devoted significant volunteer time in roles including Board Member, coach, team manager, and field steward. Their support has included both hands-on involvement in field operations and personal financial contributions toward facility improvements, including field lighting, regrading, drainage upgrades, and other capital projects that expanded access and improved playing conditions.

David and Chrisi Laxer's commitment to youth sports continued long after their own children were no longer participants. Having seen the impact that athletics can have on youth development, they have remained engaged with a focus on ensuring that children throughout the community have access to opportunities to participate in sports.

Few could have anticipated the lasting impact of that original vision. Since David Laxer first approached HCPS in 2001 with the concept of transforming vacant land into athletic fields, the site has grown into a valued community asset serving children and families across Hillsborough County.

The Laxer Family’s involvement in soccer extends beyond these fields. They helped bring the Tampa Bay Rowdies back to Tampa in 2008 and were part of the ownership group that brought the Tampa Bay Sun to the region in 2024. Over twenty-five years, they have contributed to the growth of the sport at both youth and professional levels in the Tampa Bay region.

In recognition of their decades of leadership, volunteer service, and philanthropic support—and their role in the development and continued success of these community fields—Tampa Bay United Soccer Club asks you to join us in advocating for this change that acknowledges the generosity and commitment of the Laxer family. This is an opportunity to engrain their legacy into the daily lives of countless children and athletes who will use these fields.

Please sign this petition to officially name the athletic fields behind Monroe Middle School and Lanier Elementary School the "Laxer Family Fields." Your support will be instrumental in making this vision a reality.