Lacrosse has been at Inglemoor for several years as an outside body, but this year, lacrosse is a school-funded sport. Becoming a school-funded sport comes with a lot of benefits including more student participation and lower access costs to join the team and buy equipment.
“Next year with ASB funds, we could be able to buy team equipment so that we can all be wearing matching gear such as helmets and gloves,” senior Dean Smith said.
For years lacrosse has had difficulty drawing in players due to the high costs of joining the team and buying supplies. Individual players have to buy their own supplies, including helmet, cleats and a lacrosse stick.
“If you were a brand new player and wanted to play, it would cost over $1000 to join the team and get supplies,” Smith said.
While the players have to buy their equipment, the money the organization gets goes toward funding the current year, and typically isn’t enough to fund the entire year, causing the team to go over their budget frequently.
“A majority of our funds went to renting the football field and turning the lights on so that we could practice,” Smith said.
This year lacrosse is an ASB sport, and is reaping the benefits. ASB sports get a lot more attention from Inglemoor, both on and off the field.
“Access to the fields, they don’t have to pay to use the fields anymore they aren’t considered an outside user. They are including in our announcements, they are included in our assemblies.” Athletics Director Lance Gatter said.
But Last year the team finished the season with a 4-7 record, this year they went 6-9. Captain Junior Bilal Jaddi attributes this improvement to increased teamwork.
“[Captains this year were] uplifting and positive because of how many new players we welcomed, the team was better for it” Jaddi said.
Even before the team was an ASB sport, they remain strong in brotherhood. Lacrosse brings these boys together, but they all have something unique that they love about their time on the team.
“My favorite moment from last year was during our game against Juanita where it was super close and really competitive and the game was coming down to the wire and, with less than five seconds left in the game, we were able to put one in and win the game,” Smith said.
Other players favorite memories occur off the field, building bonds between the players and becoming a stronger team because of it.
“As a team we also did way more activities with each other off the field which built a very strong connection all of us almost like a family,” Jaddi said.
