When someone says “lacrosse,” the first thing that you probably think is, “what a strange and complicated sport.” What you may not know is that while it is a tough sport, it is “the most fun sport to play,” according to McDowell’s Head Boy’s Lacrosse Coach, Michael Korus.
Korus has been coaching McDowell lacrosse for two years and while he is still relatively new to McDowell’s team, he is not new to coaching nor playing.
“I’ve always liked coaching and when I moved to Erie, someone told me a good way to get involved was through MYAA, the youth association, and through doing that, I was kind of getting the itch for more,” he said. It’s clear that once you pick up lacrosse, it sticks.
Lacrosse is a multifaceted sport where anyone can join and enjoy playing no matter their athletic background or age. Michael Baginski, the varsity goalie for McDowell’s boy’s lacrosse team has been playing lacrosse since third grade.
“Lacrosse isn’t a sport where you have to be really good at one thing, where you don’t have to strictly be fast. Not everyone who’s good at lacrosse is quick, not everyone who’s good is strong, not everyone who’s good is skillful,” Baginski said.
Lacrosse is a sport players can get into for fun or to fall back on if one sport doesn’t work out. Anyone and everyone is welcomed to the team, even seniors who just want to get into something for fun their senior year.
“Some of our best contributors are seniors–guys who maybe played other sports and maybe took that talent from other sports and found a way to fit it into their lacrosse game,” Korus said.
Joining the lacrosse team also means finding new friends and fitting into a new family. Baginksi says that he loves his team and it is “definitely a good group of friends that I’m going to keep in touch with and keep talking to after high school, after I graduate.”
It is never too late to play lacrosse for anyone who is thinking of joining. In fact, you may have a skill you never thought could fit into a sport.
If someone is interested in lacrosse but has no clue where to start, Korus thinks the best way to start out is for students to come watch games, watch ESPN or YouTube highlights of lacrosse and even get a cheap stick and, “just give it a whirl.”
If anyone is interested in McDowell Boys’ Lacrosse, the team is working on making a summer camp as well as a goalie camp for both boys and girls. You can also show up to practices in early September to check out fall ball and speak with the coaches. Although, to officially join the team, you’ll need to sign up on the McDowell Athletics site.
