Daria Milovanova staff writer
Boys lacrosse concluded their 2020-21 season after a series of physical and mental challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. In their final game against El Segundo on May 13, the Normans lost 1-12. However, they remain hopeful about the team’s future seasons.
“We had unfortunate circumstances, like COVID, low numbers, no goalie, minimal conditioning and not much stick skills, but in the end, I think we made the most of it,” team captain attackman senior Vance Liu said. “We also had a negative mindset for much of the season which prevented us from truly playing to our fullest potential, but we got over it in the final week of the season. I believe that we have a good group of devoted new players who are strong and willing to learn, and with practice and time, BHHS lacrosse can become a formidable force.”
Although the team’s last game was a loss, senior Ryan Noorvash claims that it was a win in terms of the team’s efforts and determination. He notes that the team’s technical abilities have improved over the course of the season and could become better with time.
“I believe it was the best game we have ever played this season. We focused more, worked hard, and got our head in the game. We fought through the plays much more, and we most importantly got to open spaces to call for the ball upon our possession. We can improve on being more physical and to always move around the field,” Noorvash said.
Despite lower team enrollment and the challenges posed by the COVID pandemic, Noorvash believes that boys lacrosse players worked and improved greatly over the course of the season.
“Due to the effects of COVID, lacrosse had very few members and just two weeks to practice before our first game. The team struggled during the beginning of the season, but we made our way back up game after game,” Noorvash said. “Despite having fewer members on the team this year, I have never seen such sudden improvement from the start to end of the season with each and every player on the team.”
Freshman midfielder Jonathan Saeidian believes that the experience he gained from joining lacrosse extends beyond the playing field. He emphasizes the personal growth he accomplished during the lacrosse season.
“The thing is with joining sports, you don’t just learn sports. You learn so much more than that. You learn how to be hardworking, the work ethic. You see your best version of yourself in the end and the progress you make. You’ll never be happier,” Saeidian said.
Despite frequent losses throughout the 2020-21 sports season, lacrosse players expanded their skill set and improved their abilities during their games. Liu emphasizes that some aspects of their team’s play could be improved.
“The biggest piece of advice that I can give is setting an example through self-discipline, a positive mindset and hard work. Working on stick skills off the field, conditioning, watching game footage, etc., are all just as important as coming to practice every day. For current players: you are now the future of the program. Whether or not the program succeeds depends entirely on your initiative and the foundation of values and expectations you build for future players,” Liu said.
