Whether it is the stadium full of devoted screaming fans that come out for each football game or the spotlight that shines on other teams, like soccer or baseball, once their seasons roll around, the lacrosse team cannot help but feel they go unnoticed.
Although the team has existed for six years, junior captain Sebastian Gualy has just recently received approval from administration to make lacrosse a club and an official part of Cinco Ranch. Because lacrosse is not a UIL sport, the team has a difficult time getting word out about its activities and are hoping that becoming affiliated with Cinco will help spread awareness.
“Lacrosse is the number one fastest growing sport in America right now,” Gualy said. “Now that we’re a club at Cinco, we will be able to advertise the sport to other people at Cinco, as some don’t even know how [cool] lacrosse is.”
According to head coach Peter Marin, while most sports may take for granted the class period they have each day dedicated to practice as well as the school funding they are lucky to receive, lacrosse does not have such things. They also lack formal recognition from the school district and are on their own to find training facilities.
“We practice in the evenings and on Saturdays, we maintain our own fields, we carry our own water, care for our injured, supply our needs from our own budget, schedule our own games, design our spirit wear and uniforms,” Marin said. “We play because we love to play.”
The lacrosse team’s prime motivation to become an official club and be acknowledged as a part of the school is to bring in more players. In Texas, lacrosse has failed to reach the popularity it has reached in the North and many kids would never think to join it, but throughout the last 10 years, no other sport’s popularity in America has grown faster.
“The more support we can get from the school the better,” junior midfielder Austin Anthis said. “It will link the school and the club more closely and inspire others to join the awesome sport. Now that we are recognized by the school, we at least receive some recognition from the staff and are one step closer to eventually being UIL.”
Gualy believes that gaining the school support that official UIL sports have would help draw larger crowds and provide great inspiration for the team.
“If we had more school support at our lacrosse games, it would definitely be a huge step for the team and the game,” Gualy said. “Our team would definitely benefit from seeing classmates cheering them on just as any high school athlete in any other sport.”
The players, as well as the coach, seem to be feeling optimistic about this season and have high hopes for what they will achieve with their new players and strong staff. The team’s competition varies from teams as far as the Woodlands, to private schools like Strake Jesuit and local schools such as Taylor, Memorial and Katy.
“Although we struggled last year, it wasn’t too unexpected since we are not affiliated with the district and get no funds or advertisement, and we are a ‘new’ team in division-one lacrosse,” Anthis said. “But, we are improving every year, and with the help of a good crop of freshman from the junior high level, we will be a competitor this year.”
This February, when lacrosse’s season starts, the team expects to step up their game from previous years and impress teams everywhere.
“Our team this year is shaping up to be the best team out of my three years on the team,” Gualy said. “We are looking forward to shocking teams around the city, and hopefully the state.”
