The pipeline of Kirst brothers to the PLL grew with the first selection of the 2025 College Draft presented by Q-Collar.

The Philadelphia Waterdogs used the No. 1 overall pick to select Cornell attackman CJ Kirst. He's the fourth -- and highest-drafted -- of the siblings to compete in the PLL, and he enters the league with considerably more hype and fanfare than any of his three older brothers.

But, why?

What makes the second-youngest Kirst the gem of the bunch and the no-doubt top choice for the Waterdogs, who hope he can help return them to championship contention after a last-place finish in 2024?

The answer can be found at a small home in Bernardsville, N.J., where the brothers clashed in the backyard in intense two-on-two matchups.

“We had a decent-sized backyard. If you heard one person on the bounce-back, we were all racing out there,” Cole Kirst said.

“We had a lot of good matchups with [CJ], Colin, Cole and myself,” Connor Kirst added.

“I think that’s where we all grew and got better,” Colin Kirst said.

It was iron sharpening iron between California Redwoods midfielder Cole, Boston Cannons midfielder Connor, Cannons goalie Colin, CJ and the youngest, Caden, who's currently a freshman goalie at Rutgers. As many little brothers do, CJ faced an uphill climb when he was thrown into the mix.

What wasn’t normal was CJ’s relentless urge to grow.

“He worked on his own then playing our games against each other, he learned lessons through that,” Connor said. “He would go work on his own again, and the next time we’d go back, he'd be better and better and better.”

The constant work in private and battles against different talents in the backyard made CJ a versatile and persistent attacker. Outside of the person he is in the locker room, each brother agreed that these two traits made him special. 

“Playing with that fearless mindset, that no-back-down and complete edge … he will treat every opponent the same, and that's leaving absolutely everything out there on the field,” Cole said.

“There were times we’d switch on and off of each other if someone was hot or giving us trouble,” Colin said. “He was just constantly going to make a play whoever was on him.” 

Whether it was cutting, picking off-ball or taking it to the rack, CJ never shut down and strived to create an opportunity.

When a lane opened up, it was time for CJ to show off what he worked on alone, scoring off a cut, dodge, step-down or other mind-blowing way across the yard.

“His versatility and ability to score on you from wherever it may be on the field is fun to watch,” Connor said. “Not only that, but his relentless push against a defender that kind of makes it hard for anyone to guard him.”

The backyard brawls prepared CJ for every stage he’s played on, with Connor, Colin and Cole always a step ahead. The Crease Dive Podcast co-host Matt Nestler, a family friend of the Kirsts, saw firsthand what the brothers were about when he played with Colin.

"Those Kirst boys are all business," Nestler said. "They do lacrosse 24/7. Every hour of the day, they breathe it."

When CJ was in high school, his brothers brought college talent to the two-on-twos. In college, he faced what his siblings learned in the PLL. 

Kirst chasing Kirst 😃 @RUmlax @CornellLacrosse
📷: Me for @USALacrosseMag pic.twitter.com/P3pKhyfEsv

— Rich Barnes (@Firstteamphoto) June 1, 2022

The exposure to that level of play made him the most pro-ready player in the 2025 draft clas. It’s why he was the “clear-cut choice” for Tierney at No. 1 overall.

What was once a private game between brothers in a small Jersey home has grown into a series of country-wide matchups the Kirst family will have circled on their calendar for years to come. CJ's rookie-year schedule features three games against his brothers.

He'll see Connor and Colin on June 13 when the Waterdogs clash with the Cannons in Phildelphia, then again on Aug. 1 in Denver. Cole and CJ are set to meet on June 28 for the Waterdogs and Redwoods square off in San Diego.