Chasing Purpose On and Off the Field: James Brings Lacrosse Passion to Bocconi

James Silva, currently an MBA student at SDA Bocconi, first began playing lacrosse at age 11 in San Francisco as the sport was gaining popularity in the US West Coast. He immediately built a great passion for the sport and carried his enthusiasm through high school and into university where he played 4 years of NCAA lacrosse while studying economics at Centre College in Kentucky. One of his most transformative experiences came during a study abroad semester in Buenos Aires, where he had the unique opportunity to train with the Argentinian national team as they prepared for the 2019 world games.

After graduation, James spent five years working in sales for a tech company in San Francisco. But eventually, he reached a crossroads – either continuing along a stable corporate path or stepping back into education to pursue a more entrepreneurial future. His dream led him to choose an MBA, and precisely at SDA Bocconi where he began last September.

“SDA is a top school for MBAs and offers the perfect balance between high-level academics, networking, and the chance to gain specific skills in entrepreneurship,” James explains. “And Italy itself played a big role in my decision. My grandparents are Italian and ran a family business in agriculture; something that continues to inspire me and that I’d like to reconnect with.”

 “SDA was a career decision; but the fact that it has a top-level lacrosse team was an amazing bonus,” he adds. The Bocconi lacrosse team boasts an impressive legacy, winning six consecutive national titles between 2012 and 2018, and finishing as runners-up in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons. James’ talent and enthusiasm quickly earned him the position of player-coach of the team, which he led to another second place finish this 2025 season. Now he is focused on building a successful team culture and training his new players, as he aims to win a national title next year. 

“The team has a great mix of experienced players and novices to the sport,” says James. “My goal is to be competitive and win the championship, of course; but just as importantly, I want to help new players grow and keep their excitement for this new sport alive. Lacrosse is still a young sport in Italy, and passing on that enthusiasm to new generations is key to building its future.”