Paul Rabil facts for kids
Rabil in June 2023
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| Born | December 14, 1985 Gaithersburg, Maryland, US |
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| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight | 220 pounds (100 kg) |
| Shoots | Right |
| Position | Midfielder |
| NLL draft | 2nd overall, 2008 San Jose Stealth |
| NLL teams | San Jose Stealth Washington Stealth Philadelphia Wings |
| MLL draft | 1st overall, 2008 Boston Cannons |
| MLL teams | Boston Cannons New York Lizards |
| PLL teams | Atlas Lacrosse Club Cannons Lacrosse Club |
| Pro career | 2008–2022 |
| U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame, 2024 |
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Paul Rabil (born December 14, 1985) is an American sports leader and a retired professional lacrosse player. He is known for co-founding the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) with his brother, Mike Rabil. Paul is currently the president of the PLL.
Paul played college lacrosse at Johns Hopkins University. He was recognized as an All-American player for all four years. He also holds records for playoff goals, assists, and points. He helped his team win two championships in 2005 and 2007. In 2007, he was named the best midfielder in the country. He was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022.
Paul Rabil played professional lacrosse in Major League Lacrosse (MLL) for eleven years. This was from 2008 until 2018, when he started the PLL. He then played in the PLL for three years, from 2019 to 2021. He won the MLL Offensive Player of the Year Award three times. He also won the MLL MVP Award twice. Paul won the MLL Championship twice, in 2011 and 2015. He holds the record for most career points in professional lacrosse, with 657 points.
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Paul Rabil's Early Life and Journey to Lacrosse
Paul Rabil was born on December 14, 1985, in Gaithersburg, Maryland. His parents are Allan and Jean Anne Rabil. His mother was an art teacher. His father, who worked in sales, encouraged him to try many sports. Paul grew up in Montgomery Village. He went to a local public school.
As a child, Paul enjoyed many activities. He played basketball, soccer, and swam. He also learned to play several musical instruments. Paul's mother encouraged him to stick with lacrosse. He soon fell in love with the game. He played lacrosse throughout elementary and middle school.
High School Lacrosse Achievements
At Watkins Mill High School, Paul Rabil became a starting player on the varsity team in his first year. Many private high schools noticed his talent. Paul then moved to DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. This happened after he played in a summer tournament with their team.
During his three years at DeMatha, Paul led the team to three championships. These were the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) championships. The team's record was 49 wins and 16 losses. Rabil scored 288 points in his high school career. This included 80 goals and 73 assists in his last two seasons. He was named a 2-time All-American. He was also a 2-time All-State selection. He was ranked as the #4 prospect in the high school class of 2004. Paul chose to attend Johns Hopkins University. He admired Coach Dave Pietramala's leadership. He also liked the program's history of championships.
College Lacrosse Career at Johns Hopkins
Paul Rabil started at Johns Hopkins University in the fall of 2004. Keeping up with college studies was hard for him at first. Paul has a condition called auditory processing disorder. This makes it difficult to process sounds.
Despite his academic challenges, Rabil's lacrosse career at Johns Hopkins began well. In 2005, his freshman year, he scored 37 points. This included 23 goals and 14 assists. He earned Third Team All-American honors. His efforts helped Johns Hopkins win the national championship. In 2006, his sophomore year, he continued to play well. He scored 25 goals and 13 assists. Rabil earned First Team All-American Honors. He was also a finalist for the 2006 Tewaaraton Award. However, Johns Hopkins lost to Syracuse in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals that year.
As an older student, Rabil scored 53 points in his junior season. This included 27 goals and 26 assists. He received First Team All-American honors for the second year. He also won the McLaughlin Award. He was a finalist for the Tewaaraton Awards again. Rabil led his team to its ninth national title. They beat Duke University 12-11 in the championship game. In his senior year, Rabil scored 50 points. He had 36 goals and 14 assists. He earned First Team All-American Honors for the third year. But Johns Hopkins lost to Syracuse in the 2008 National Championship game. Paul graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 2008. He studied political science and minored in entrepreneurship and management.
Paul Rabil's Professional Lacrosse Journey
Major League Lacrosse (MLL) Highlights
Paul Rabil was the first player picked in the 2008 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft. He was chosen by the Boston Cannons. In his first year, 2008, Rabil played in the MLL All-Star Game. He quickly made a big impact on the Cannons' offense.
In 2009, Rabil won the MLL MVP and MLL Offensive Player of the Year awards. He also played in his second MLL All-Star Game. In 2010, his third season, he made his third All-Star Game. He was also named to the First Team All-Pro MLL Team. Rabil won the MLL MVP and MLL Offensive Player of the Year again in 2011. He led the Cannons to their first MLL championship in 2011.
In 2012, Rabil broke the all-time points record with 72 points in a season. For this, he earned his third MLL Offensive Player of the Year award. In 2014, Rabil continued his success. He played in his seventh All-Star game. He also made his sixth MLL All-Pro First Team. In 2015, Rabil was traded to the New York Lizards. He finished his MLL career with the New York Lizards. With them, he won his second MLL championship in 2015. He was named the playoff's MVP. Rabil left the MLL in 2018. He did this to start the Premier Lacrosse League with his brother, Mike.
National Lacrosse League (NLL) Experience
Rabil also played in the NLL. He was drafted second overall in the 2008 NLL entry draft by San Jose Stealth. In his first season, 2009, he scored 16 goals and 18 assists. This totaled 34 points. Paul was named to the 2009 All-Rookie Team.
In 2009, the San Jose Stealth team moved to Washington State. They became the Washington Stealth. In 2010, Rabil scored 11 goals and had 26 assists. He led the Washington Stealth to an NLL Championship. In 2012, Rabil was traded to the Edmonton Rush. However, Rabil wanted to be closer to his home in Maryland. So, he did not join Edmonton and sat out the rest of the 2012 NLL Season. Rabil was then traded to the Rochester Knighthawks. Again, he did not report for training. Soon after, he was traded to the Philadelphia Wings. In 2013, Rabil played his last NLL season with the Philadelphia Wings. He scored 17 goals and had 21 assists, for a total of 38 points.
Founding and Playing in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL)
Paul Rabil co-founded the PLL in 2018 with his brother, Mike Rabil. When it started, the league received funding from many investment groups. The Rabil brothers created the league to help lacrosse players. They wanted players to earn higher wages and have better benefits.
At that time, Paul was one of the few players who could make a good living from lacrosse. This was thanks to his social media and endorsement deals. However, the Rabil brothers wanted all lacrosse players to be able to play full-time. They wanted lacrosse to be a real career for everyone.
The league's first season began on June 1, 2019. Eight teams took part in the league. As a founder, Paul Rabil also played in the PLL. He started with Atlas Lacrosse Club. In 2021, Paul was traded to the Boston Cannons. He finished his last playing season with the Boston Cannons in 2021. He retired from the PLL after that season. Rabil retired as a player to focus on the business side of the PLL. He wanted to continue building the league and his other business projects.
Paul Rabil's Business Ventures
Rabil founded Rabil Ventures in 2016. He started it with his brother, Mike Rabil, and David Acker. Rabil Ventures helps companies by providing money and advice. They also offer active support to the businesses they invest in. The company invests in various industries. These include sports, financial services, real estate, and health and wellness. Rabil Ventures is based in San Francisco, California. It has managed 38 companies and currently has 30 companies in its portfolio.
Rabil also founded Rabil Companies in 2008. This company is based in Baltimore, Maryland. It has about ten employees. Rabil Companies works to improve the sport of lacrosse. They do this in ways that are real and have a positive social impact. They create great lacrosse experiences for young players. These experiences focus on player development and competition. They also work to make lacrosse more accessible to everyone. This includes reducing barriers like cost or skill level. They also create high-quality content. This content shares the story of the organization and the people dedicated to lacrosse. Some of Rabil's projects under Rabil Companies include The Paul Rabil Experience and Project Nine lacrosse training.
Paul Rabil's Philanthropic Work
Paul Rabil started the Paul Rabil Foundation in 2011. He created it with his brother Mike, his mother Jean Anne, and his father Allan. The foundation helps children with learning disabilities. Paul himself had Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and auditory processing disorder as a child.
The Paul Rabil Foundation offers sports and academic programs. These programs help children with learning differences. They help them overcome challenges in the classroom. The foundation has given scholarships to students with learning differences since 2011. The foundation also helps learning through sports and activities. The Paul Rabil Foundation has donated equipment to public schools. They have also started lacrosse programs in schools in New York, Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Massachusetts.
Rabil also works with the PLL to help lacrosse grow. He noticed that many parks have basketball courts, baseball fields, and soccer goals. To help lacrosse grow, Rabil wants to donate lacrosse goals to parks in all 50 states every year. By doing this, Rabil hopes to make it easier for more people to play lacrosse. He wants to increase access to the game for everyone.
Film and Books by Paul Rabil
Filmography
In 2022, Paul and his brother Mike Rabil were in a Disney ESPN Film documentary. It was called 'Fate of a Sport'. Michael Doneger directed it. Matt Tolmach and Michael Doneger produced it.
Books
Paul Rabil wrote a book in 2024. It is called The Way of the Champion: Pain, Persistence, and the Path Forward. This book guides readers on how to think like a champion. It applies to sports, business, and relationships.
Paul Rabil's Personal Life
Paul Rabil was married to former lacrosse player Kelly Berger from 2014 to 2017. Since 2022, he has been in a relationship with British actress Vanessa Kirby.
