Page 62 May 2015 AHS Lacrosse team heading to the playoffs after 13-2 season By Jessica Morrison Arcadia High School boys lacrosse team won their fi nal game of the regular season on April 24 against Phoenix Country Day School, moving on to the playoffs. The team ended the regular season at 13-2. “The two games we lost were to Desert Vista and Desert Mountain. We played a really good fi rst half, but on the second half we started losing trust between us, and we started losing goals, and once you lose goals you lose your momentum,” said player Matt Keating. Heidi Loftin, president of the Arcadia Lacrosse Parent Board, said the lacrosse team is a club sport at the school. This means lacrosse, unlike such sports as baseball or football, is not sanctioned by the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA). Heidi said Arizona Interscholastic Association sports such as football and baseball have fees of $150 per student to play, while club sports such as lacrosse cost $650 per student, because the school is not allowed to fund the sport, due to AIA regulations. As a result, the team must come up with its own money through fundraising. Grant Loftin, a sophomore, and a varsity lacrosse player for Arcadia High School, said that the total sum necessary for the team to play a full season is about $40,000. This amount covers renting the fi eld from the school, paying referees and security for the games. “We do all of our own fundraising. We At press time, the Arcadia Titans Lacrosse team was on their way to the playoffs. For more details go to arcadianews.com or the lacrosse team’s website: arcadialax.com. don’t get any money from the school. We have to go out and ask and get advertising banners from sponsors who donate. The organizations donate because the kids themselves ask,” said Grant. Banners sporting advertisements adorn the stands outside of the football fi eld where the team plays. Sponsors who donate over $500 get a full banner; those who donated smaller amounts are placed together on one banner. Coach Stephen Weis, whose full-time job is in sales for health care software and 3-D imaging products, said he makes the boys work hard to get donations for the team. “I’m in a sales role, so I think it’s imperative to not just learn how to catch and throw… but to be set up for life in general, to get more out of this than just a sport,” said Weis. “They are going around to different businesses in Arcadia, cold-calling, knocking on doors and getting sponsorships from local businesses.” Weis said playing sports is important for all aspects of the players’ lives in the future. “Sports teaches you how to be competitive, how to win, how to lose. It teaches you hard work pays off,” Weis said. Weis said the school is very supportive of the team, which was formed two years ago. During the fi rst year, the team was junior varsity, and has become a varsity team. Weis said the team had 23 students the fi rst year. This year they have 31 students. Weis said that next year, the lacrosse organization expects to have a junior varsity team, as well as a varsity team playing for Arcadia High School. The players and parents are happy to have a genuine camaraderie on the team “Without the parent board, [the lacrosse program] wouldn’t have happened,” said Weis. “I come up with various ideas, and bounce it off them. So the players play, the coaches coach and the parent board takes care of the rest.” The parents have also found that the team bene fi ts them in different ways. Courtney Engle, who is the team’s parent treasurer, said she formed new friendships with other parents when her family moved to Arcadia from Virginia, and her son Michael started playing lacrosse. “It’s sort of that place to meet people,” said Courtney. “It’s helped me to build that friendship base that I wouldn’t have if my son wasn’t in a sport.” Courtney also said the players bene fi t scholastically from playing a sport in high school. Courtney enjoys seeing her son learn to work as a team with different people and opinions. “They have this opportunity – they have LOCAL SPORTS salon SANDOVAL 3703 east indian school phoenix, az 85018 602.957.9910 www.salonsandoval.com celebrate mom MOTHER’S DAY IS MAY 10 Treat her to a gift card from Salon Sandoval. It’s a wonderful way to make Mom’s Day! ©Aveda Corp.
Page 63 May 2015 to work together with a lot of different personalities,” she said. “They learn that they might not always like the people they work with, but they have to work with them.” JD Van Arsdall is in his second year playing lacrosse, and he is “de fi nitely getting experience at a higher level. It’s been going well so far, I’m hoping we go to the state championships.” Player Jack Beckis said he just loves winning. “Lacrosse is life. It’s pretty sweet.” Next year, in their third year, the team will be split into two teams, giving them both a junior varsity and a varsity team. Eighth graders from Ingleside Middle School are already planning to join their team and practice with them following the conclusion of the season. The Arizona State Lacrosse Championship games for Division 1 and Division 2 will be held at Arcadia High School on Saturday, May 9, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. The Arcadia Lacrosse team wouldn’t be possible without its parental support. PLAN YOUR SUMMER NOW & Keep your kids active! 4 SPORTS CAMP LOCATIONS MAY 26 - AUGUST 7 learn the skills to play basketball, soccer, baseball, ÃÜ}]>ÀV iÀÞ]ÛiÞL>Ewi`ëÀÌÃ>iV>«t £ÜiiÃiÃÃñÕE>v`>Þ± ÝÌi`i` >Ài±č}iÃ{¤£Î HUBBARDSPORTS.COM 602.971.4044