During a game at IMG Academy, senior Cade Bauer made a save and ran the ball down the field, leaving the goal unprotected. He threw the ball to an open teammate who got a chance to score, sending his team to sudden death overtime.

“I ran it about a quarter way up the field, and I just threw a bomb to my friend, and he just put [the ball] in the net,” Bauer said.

At IMG, he would attend school from 8 a.m. to noon and then practice for about four hours before going to lift weights.

“Lacrosse was pretty intense because it was 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. every day,” said Bauer. “And it was five days a week for the whole year, and if you weren’t out there on Saturday or Sunday, the coaches would notice and you would look bad.”

On days the players did not lift, they would use that time for drills and continuous scrimmaging, Bauer said.

Bauer has returned to Glenbrook North this year as one of the goalies on the varsity team.

Bauer is already an essential part of the team, as his goalie skills help the offensive players improve their shooting, senior Cooper Ade said.

“He’s like the heart of our team,” said Ade. “If we didn’t have a good goalie, we couldn’t stay in [games], despite how well our defense and offense do.”

According to Bauer, his experience with some of the top lacrosse players in the country at IMG has prepared him for the upcoming season.

“At [IMG], we had a bunch of D1 commits on the team, and they could all really shoot the ball,” said Bauer. “[GBN] has good shooters on the team, but it’s not quite the same speed on the shots or the same placements.”

According to head coach Justin Georgacakis, there is pre-existing trust on the field between Bauer and the team because he was one of the varsity goalies before he left for IMG.

“As a former player, there’s a lot of connection,” said Georgacakis. “Way back in the day, [Bauer] was trained by guys who are now on the coaching staff with us. He’s got a large support group on the field. You could tell that the guys on the field play for him.”

As of April 5, the team has a record of 3-1, with Bauer averaging nine saves and 3.75 goals allowed per game.

It has been an easy transition to GBN, as Bauer has grown from his time at IMG and gained more experience by leading a team, he said.

“I’ve gotten much better at communicating and running a defense,” said Bauer. “I now know how to tell people where to be and get across what I’m saying more clearly so [the team] can be more prepared.”