Boys’ lacrosse cradles new experiences for athletes
California Interscholastic Federation [CIF] data has noted an 11 percent increase in lacrosse participation from the 2022-23 season to the 2023-24 season. Newbury Park High School’s boys’ lacrosse team is embracing this momentum with a welcoming attitude toward new players and a strong sense of community. Since the 2022-23 season, the boys’ lacrosse program has been able to consistently form a junior varsity team supplement to the varsity division due to an increase in players. For many athletes, what started as a quick decision has turned into a meaningful high school experience built on teamwork, perseverance and a willingness to try out something new.
Erik Johnson, senior, joined lacrosse his freshman year and believes he has now learned the ropes of lacrosse, which can be challenging to do. “The hardest part is just learning the nuances and everything there is with the way the rules works,” Johnson said. “I didn’t even really understand how the game worked until my sophomore year… I just learned as I went.” Johnson hopes to encourage others to join lacrosse to continue growing the team. “Anyone that wants to join can join, because we still don’t have a whole ton of people…and it’s a really fun community,” Johnson said.
From his experience playing lacrosse, Johnson hopes to apply the lessons he’s learned in college. “I’ve kind of moved positions a lot through my time, but I really enjoy playing defensive midfielder. [I’ve learned to] have fun doing what you do. And then, of course, hard work, practice, dedication,” Johnson said.
An athlete of many sports at NPHS, Tyler Nowak, junior, was enticed to play for the boys’ lacrosse team this year because of its positive reputation. “I joined because I thought it was a fun sports team, [and] something to do besides track,” Nowak said. From his time with the team, Nowak has come to appreciate the close dynamic between players. “It’s like a sense of family over here. Like every sport, we’ve got [our] own different ways of feeling included,” Nowak said. “It’s like we’re brothers.” Nowak finds that the team is composed of a multitude of students from various athletic backgrounds, like himself. “I feel like a lot of people come [to the team] from different kinds of sports, like a lot of basketball [players] or football [players],” Nowak said.
With no prior experience, Cyrus Dae, senior, began his lacrosse journey four years ago for a simple reason. “My friends would always tell me, ‘Come play lacrosse.’ And [also] we didn’t have many people [on the team],” Dae said. Though it may be intimidating to join a new sport, Dae found that this was a commonality on the team. “At the start, everyone basically [learns] from the beginning. I also used to be [a] new [player] freshman year, but I think you’ll eventually make a bunch of new friends [and learn] a new skill,” Dae said. Dae notes the uniqueness of the sport, which also drew him to join the program. “[Lacrosse] is like a combination of all different [kinds of] sports,” Dae said.
With a current record of four wins and six losses, the Panthers are pushing to qualify for CIF playoffs. As the boys’ lacrosse team continues their season, they remain focused on building skills, friendships and memories. “If I had to take any lessons away, it would just be, enjoy doing what you’re doing,” Johnson said.
