By: Hooper Neale
After high school graduation, most people in Baltimore are stressed about transitioning to college life. 25-year old Sergeant Mac Caltrider, however, had a lot more on his plate. After graduating from Towson High in 2009, he spent five years in the Infantry and was deployed twice to Afghanistan before getting out to attend college.
Caltrider played in the Veterans Game in last week’s Baltimore Shootout for Soldiers. This was his first time attending a Shootout for Soldiers event, although he has known about then non-profit for a few years. “I spent I first heard about Shootout for Soldiers in 2013 when my dad mailed me an article he had cut out of the newspaper,” Caltrider explained. “Growing up in Baltimore, lacrosse was always a big part of my life, so I was excited to get involved with SFS this year.”
Caltrider talked to his brother-in-law, an Army veteran, and convinced him to get involved with him. The Veterans Game was a fun way for the two of them to participate in the event. “The Veterans Game was very relaxed, everyone was just there to have some fun and support a good cause,” Caltrider said. “There were guys ranging from all different skill levels and ages enjoying the game.”
Players lined up for the National Anthem before the start of the Veterans Game.
Overall, Caltrider’s first Shootout for Soldiers was a resounding success. “I was amazed by the scale of SFS; it’s incredible how much money was raised in Baltimore alone,” he explained. “I was happy to see the beneficiaries of this event are all reputable charities. I look forward to getting more involved with future SFS events.”
