Janelle Strawsburg
Staff Writer
Despite the chilly weather this past weekend, the women’s lacrosse team braved the cold and assembled at Alumni Park to share its passion for the game with young lacrosse hopefuls.
Why?
Because it’s not just a ball. And it’s not just a stick.
It’s lacrosse.
And these Pepperdine women athletes love it.
They really love it.
With the recent negative media attention surrounding the lacrosse world (words such as Duke, rape, and racial tensions should come to mind), the Pepperdine women’s lacrosse team is an example of the camaraderie, skill and talent for which lacrosse should be recognized.
This past weekend, as the majority of students left for road trips and vacations or enjoyed the warmth of the indoors, members of the women’s lacrosse team instead helped teach their talent to 75 high school girls from around the country who came to Pepperdine to participate in the Pepperdine women’s lacrosse camp, a fundraiser for the team.
“Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport at the middle school and high school level right now in the country,” said Head Coach Paul Ramsey.
Growth that is evident on the Pepperdine team.
Although they are a club sport, the lacrosse team can boast of the largest roster of any women’s sport on campus, club or varsity.
Thirty-six athletes comprise a team that is so large it has to be split into both an A and B team, with separate tournaments and away schedules.
Since they are a club team, Pepperdine lacrosse is not a member of the West Coast Conference or Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, but instead participates in the 26-team Western Women’s Lacrosse League.
The team competes in the Northern Conference Division II comprised of Cal Poly, Sacramento State, Sonoma State and UCSB. Coming off an 8-6 record last year, with a regular season upset of Cal Poly, and playoff semi finals upset of UCLA, the team is looking to win their division this year and advance into the first division.
“I’d like to see our team advance up a division,” said sophomore attacker Annie McKinley. “Because then we can play even more competitive lacrosse against even better teams. I want to blow everybody out of the water this year and come back next year in a higher division and face even harder competition.”
Sophomore defender Jenna Lands shares the competitive sentiment, “Our goal for the season can be summed up in one word: Win. We want to win and learn in the process.”
With two-hour practices four days a week and games on the weekend, the women will have many opportunities to learn lessons this season, lessons that hopefully will bring numerous successes on the field thanks to the dedicated coaching of head coach Ramsey and assistants Juliet Mittleman and Sydney Green.
“We have three very different coaches with very different approaches to the game,” said junior attacker and club treasurer Alexis Padis. “And when the three of them work together leading our team, they are a very powerful force.”
A powerful force that could potentially bring women’s lacrosse to the varsity level at Pepperdine.
Although rumors and speculation always circulate regarding admittance of new teams, women’s lacrosse can still hope that maybe, one day, they too will be able to represent Pepperdine at the NCAA level.
“I’d be ecstatic if we became a varsity sport,” said McKinley. “I doubt it will be in my time here at Pepperdine though, but it would be great to say that I was a part of a program that became a varsity sport here. And it would be great for Pepperdine athletics for women’s lacrosse to join at the varsity level.”
However, other teammates say that it is the club level that allows new players to experience playing a sport in college while still starting at a beginning level. “I think good and bad things about becoming a varsity sport,” Lands said. “Because I think that we would lose a lot of players that we have, beginners like myself, if we went varsity. I know I wouldn’t have the opportunity that a club sport offers to not be so competitive, especially with recruiting.”
Whatever their official level is, one thing is evident: The enthusiasm and passion these women demonstrate for lacrosse has the potential to take them to the top.
“I love lacrosse because it is a combination of my favorite aspects from all sports,” said McKinley. “It’s competitive; you have to be both mentally aware and physically fit. I want to tell everybody about lacrosse and get them to love it like I do.”
“I like the teamwork of lacrosse,” Ramsey agreed. “It’s not a game where one person has the ball and everyone gets out of the way and one person runs the show. It’s the passing, the finesse, the skill, the vision. It’s a ‘use your teammates’ type of game.”
Fan who want to see the competitive and passionate spirit of these women in action can catch their first match Sunday, Jan. 21, at the University of Redlands, and the home opener for both the A and B teams is Saturday, Feb. 10, against Santa Clara and UC Irvine.
As always, the team is constantly on the look out to recruit more young women to their ranks.
“Pepperdine lacrosse is a great chance for women to play a sport on the rise in a program on the rise,” Padis said. “We have a great program that has grown tremendously and I can see the potential of just how far we can go.”
01-18-2007
