Lacrosse By: Lukas Hein

     I never would've thought in second grade, when I first picked up a lacrosse stick that I would be at the place I am now. For some people, lacrosse is just a reason to get out of the house, or kids are forced by their parents to play. It was never like that for me though. Lacrosse became an important part and played a pivotal role of my life. Lacrosse has given me the desire to never give up, and you could be down a million to nothing, but giving up is never an option. Everything I've handled in life that was challenging, I faced with that mentality. Whether it was a hard test, impossible homework, or other things, I've learned to keep my head up and keep going. This sport has become an important part of my life because it went from just a thing on the side to a huge focus. For me, it's not just another thing to do. Year round training, constantly playing, receiving emails all came from the hard work I put into the sport, and showed that if you work hard enough, the results will favor you.
     Growing up playing allowed for me to mature differently than anything else. It built a toughness, mentally and physically. You fall down, and you shoot right back up knowing that might've not been your play, but you just have to forget about it. Just like getting a bad grade in school. You forget about it, move on, and focus on what's coming up next. Being able to move on from things involving school is always hard, but lacrosse allowed for me to realize how easy it is to forget about it and rebuild the confidence to say I'll get the next one. I'll score that goal the next time, I'll get an A on the test next time. Lacrosse's importance in my life is something like no other, and the goals I set for myself and the achievements I've accomplished would've never been a reality had I never picked up that stick in second grade.