By Katherine Kelly, Sports Editor
Spring sports are just around the corner, and that means lacrosse for both boys and girls. The lacrosse season begins with the first game for each team on March 4, 2017.
And although it appears they are all beginning the same sport, some beg to differ.
“I think that girls lacrosse and boys lacrosse [are] the same sport in general,” junior Duncan McMillan, goalie for the Vultures said. “However, the specifics of both genders of lacrosse is very different.”
Both lacrosse seasons begin practice in the middle of February and usually tend to run through May. They both practice five days a week, with two hour long practices. Both teams receive equal practice times and equal training.
One of the things that might stand out when attending a boys or girls lacrosse game is the different uniforms. In boys lacrosse, full body protection is a necessity. On the other hand, in girls lacrosse, the only equipment needed is goggles and a mouth guard, with the goalkeeper also wearing body pads. This all has to do with the rules in each game.
Girls lacrosse, below high school level, does not allow players to hit other players sticks or have body contact, but at a high school level, you are allowed to hit sticks.
“I would say that skill-wise girls lacrosse is a lot more difficult than boys lacrosse,” McMillan said. “You have so many rules prohibiting you from touching each other in girls lacrosse, and this means that you have to use any other means to take the ball from the other player or posses the ball.”
Boys lacrosse, on the other hand, is arguably a more aggressive sport. You can have full body contact, and you can also hit sticks. The sport is a lot like football. The boys lacrosse head, which is the netting at the end of the stick, has a deeper pocket, and you cradle the ball at a sideways position, whereas for girls, the head is shallow, and you cradle the ball at a vertical position. The boys goalie, like the girls goalie, wears full body pads, and has a large pocketed stick as well.
“I play lacrosse because I love the sport, it’s a lot of fun,” McMillan said. “Also, I consider my teammates my family.”
Junior Presley Roggenbuck is the captain of the girls lacrosse team. The team has been growing closer, and Roggenbuck is hopeful that this year will bring the team together.
“I can’t say which is harder since I have never played in a boys lacrosse game,” Roggenbuck said. “Both are very hard I assume.”
There are many different reasons that people play lacrosse, and why they enjoy being on the team.
“I play lacrosse because it is the time that I am happiest,” Roggenbuck said. “There is so much competition and intensity with the sport and it gives you an adrenaline rush everytime you play.”
McMillan agrees with Roggenbuck.
“I play lacrosse because I love the sport it’s a lot of fun,” McMillan said . “Also I consider my teammates my family. We are all pretty good friends, and all have a great time on and off the field.”
Roggenbuck is a leader on the lacrosse team, and she will be helping some of the younger, less experienced girls get the hang of the sport.
“This season I look forward to training the new girls into becoming lax goddesses,” Roggenbuck said.
Freshman athlete Shira Stahl is new to the team, and does not have experience in the sport. Stahl decided to play because she heard about it from her friends.
“I’ve always wanted to try it, and it seemed really fun. I wanted to try something new,” Stahl said.
Both the boys and girls lacrosse team will be working hard throughout their season, and training hard under coaches Daniel Macca and Laurent Dubois. Dubois is the coach for the girls high school lacrosse team. Macca coaches the high school boys.
The season for both girls and boy lacrosse is currently in full swing, and the athletes are working hard to achieve their goals.