in 2010, cowperthwaite directed "city lax: an urban lacrosse story", making her debut in independent feature documentary-making. the subject was chosen by her classmate, tor myhren. the documentary tells the story of tor's brother erik, who at the time was an elementary school teacher that put together a lacrosse team in a rough urban neighbourhood to play a rich white kids' sport. the film debuted on espn in 2010.