Growth does not just take place on the field for the boys varsity lacrosse team. The athletes meet in a classroom to discuss mental and physical goals during weekly meetings they call “Man Mondays.”
“We get into smaller groups, and they may never be kids you really ever talk to, and just talking with kids that are in the same sport as you that you may not really know, it really just connects the whole program,” senior Mac Downey said.
“Man Mondays” include mental health discussions and help players strengthen their relationships with each other. The team hosts an annual Mental Health Awareness Game, scheduled for May 9, against Stevenson. Mental health clubs and local businesses are invited to set up activity stands at the event.
“There’s this stigma, I feel like, with a lot of male athletes that mental health is just not a very serious thing, and that they shouldn’t worry about it,” said Downey. “But I think that when our program, which is a pretty dominant program, shows that [mental health matters], I think other teams will realize that and understand the message we’re trying to convey.”
One of the ways the team tries to convey its message is by wearing ribbons on jerseys during the mental health game and passing them out to people in the building the day before the game, Downey said.
According to junior Sawyer Siegel, the mental health game brings two teams together.
“Even though we’re playing against each other, it’s bigger than that,” Siegel said.
The team hosts aparent-playermeeting to set goals at the start of the season.
Players put together presentations to discuss goals and realistic expectations with their parents, including how to define success and what it means to be a part of the program, said Justin Georgacakis, head boys varsity lacrosse coach.
The team has a really good core group of returning juniors, Georgacakis said.
“Last year we graduated a very exceptional senior class, not just in talent, but just the way that they carried themselves and they led,” said Georgacakis. “But a lot of those guys left the tradition so that our [younger,] returning guys have hopefully learned and can carry it on, because leaders build leaders.”
According to Downey, he wants to get the team really close if possible and try to lead how he was led by his teammates in former years.
“They were just really good to me,” Downey said.
According to Siegel, in previous seasons he was quieter since there were other leaders, but now he has to help out his teammates.
As of April 7, junior Zach Ocampo is the leading scorer with 25 goals and six assists whilst junior Carter Meyer leads the team with 30 ground balls. Siegel leads the team with 12 takeaways.
The team traveled to St. Louis over spring break to play a series of three games.
“[The trip] was definitely a positive impact on our team,” said Downey. “It showed our capabilities as an offense and defense. It showed that our team can overcome adversity.”