As all the boys lace up their cleats, running onto the field, they remember all of the memories that they’ve made throughout the years. Fighting through the last seconds of the game the players scream and shout as they win their final game of the season.
The boys lacrosse team starts off this season with brand new everythings, including a new coach, new teammates and new opportunities. This sport involves courage and dedication. Within the years lacrosse has gotten more and more popular, with it being its 20th year in ISHA players are still loving the thrill.
“It’s everything,” junior Gavin Larose says, “I’ve been playing it my whole life. My teammates are like brothers to me. I’ve known them and played with them ever since I was little.”
Rick Rewiako has been a lacrosse coach for 8 years but he also coached hockey for 21 years. With a total of 29 years of coaching under his belt this is one of the first years that he is a student resource officer as well.
“I have to always put in perspective is, when I’m here doing my job, I’m doing my job,” Rewiako says, “If a lacrosse kid does come into the office, holding that kid accountable, not imposing a harsher penalty, just because he is one of my players, and obviously not ignoring it because he’s one of my players, right? So staying consistent in my job and what I do, I’m not showing any favoritism to the kid one way, either positively or negatively.”
New coach means more changes to the season and this year Rewiako is planning on bringing positive change to the boys team on and off the field.
“We’re going to hopefully have a JV team,” Rewiako says, “So we’re going to be able to establish two teams. I want to pick up the pace of the way these guys play, because I think we have the talent to to to run teams, and I think it’ll help us as we go forward with playing some seasons, playing a little faster, right, playing faster than you used to, playing which is going to result in making more plays and scoring more goals”
Not only can fans expect a different play style from the teams, but players can expect more play time in this coming season.
“I made it a point to try to talk to all the kids that played lacrosse last year,” Rewiako says, “I’m still working on that, but I think a lot of kids kind of got upset and didn’t want to play this year because the roster was so big. And that’s nobody’s fault, that’s not the previous coach’s fault. It’s just a number thing.”
Not only is having a new coach exciting but players on the team are excited to see the changes coming this spring.
“He’s a disciplined guy,” junior Devin Elbert says, “He’s a security at MCHS so he wants his guys to do well in school and on the field, so I’m really excited. He’s had plenty of coaching experience so he’s not new to lacrosse, so I’m excited to see what he can do for us.”
With the season making it’s approach players are goal setting to make the most out of their season.
“As a team, we want to make a run in the playoffs further than we have ever,” LaRose said, “We’ve only ever gone in the first round, so we want to go further than the first round this year.”
During this season the boys will be playing intense and quicker than ever under the wings of their new coach.