Starting Off Right

Ever-growing+family.

ILS Photography Crew

Ever-growing family.

Miguel Gomez, Writer

Every team and athlete has to keep on going to get to the top if they want it enough. No matter what your background or athletic ability may be, you can be successful. Last year, with the pandemic schedules and practices became limited, but every team like ILS’s lacrosse team are looking to make up for that by starting off their season with a win against Westminster Academy, 11-7. Despite the future challenges this team will face, these boys aren’t afraid of any team that may come their way, and they just have to go one game at a time.

“ We just went on the field and everything just clicked because we’d been practicing for so long, and it’s become second nature for us,” explained long stick midfielder Umi Noritake.

Lacrosse is a sport that requires a team to communicate in order to work in unison, and without that communication, a lot can go wrong. Last year they lost to Westminster Academy, but now they returned home victorious, leaving the other team’s parents on the bleachers upset and angry. Even the rookies felt good about their performance.

“I got nowhere near the best performance, but for my first game ever I did really good, and obviously I hope to get better,” said Juan Luzardo.

Coaches Jose Companioni and John Ierardi are training them for moments like these where practice is more challenging than a game. A lot of the sports programs here at ILS do that and everyone in whatever field of work can learn from that.

“By giving them as much live action at practice as we can, and there’s no better time to get practice in-game, but we’re trying to make practice as game-like as we possibly can,” stated Coach Companioni.

Athletes of any sport have to realize that training for muscle during season is doable, but very difficult, and coaches want their athletes to know what to do when they are in-game. Since their coaches have been training consistently for so long, they have complete trust in their team.

“ I’m very optimistic… we just have to show up every day,” commented Coach Ierardi.