A tough season lies behind the Tornado girls lacrosse team, but athletes kept their heads up and will look towards upcoming seasons.
With a record of 1-11, the team will not be making it to States this season, nor will they be in contention for the GBL title. However, with zero senior players and many athletes expressing desires to return again next season, hopes remain high for future years.
There is, of course, no shortage of worries for future seasons. With only a few players on the team, this year's girls lacrosse team was not able to have a Junior Varsity team. Sophomore on the team, Belen Quispe Almendro, worries that there might not be enough players if sign-up rates remain at their current level. “There were a lot of people interested [in lacrosse] at the beginning, but like half of them left for other sports,” explained Quispe Almendro.
As a result, Quispe Almendro felt that the team felt “limited” and could not reach its full potential. “It's been a challenge… everybody kind of [moved] to different positions,” added sophomore Briana Morales Pacheco, “but I think we’ve kind of gotten used to it now and have gotten a lot better compared to the beginning of the season.”
In simple words, “join lacrosse” said Morales. “Lax is fun…we all kind of bond and communicate. We all built relationships with each other,” added Quispe Almendro, emphasizing that the group always makes sure everyone feels like “part of the team.”
Quispe Almendro wished to tell people thinking about joining lacrosse, and sports in general, “I know joining a team for sports can be nerve-racking especially if you're a freshman and you think you won't make new friends. I thought the same thing for track and all the other sports, but it's the complete opposite,” adding that, “when you’re older you might regret it” and, “its a great way to make new friends and get your fitness up.”
For future seasons to go well, Morales said, “we need a lot of work on the basics: shooting, passing, and catching.” Despite this, Morales believed that, “next year we will definitely be winning a couple more games,” adding, “we will have a really nice shot at GBL.” She even added that, “definitely in two years, I think we will win GBL.”
All in all, the girls remained upbeat despite a disappointing season. Their sights are set on future seasons and things look great. A number of players will be returning next year and have already shown signs of significant improvements.
