Seniors are who underclassmen look up to. They are the experts, the role models, the ones who always know the answers. But in lacrosse, that is not totally the case.

As most are already aware, this is the first year our school has a Girls Lacrosse team, so everyone is new. Considering most of the girls do not have a background in lacrosse, or even sports in general for some, the girls are learning together. Whether it be freshman or senior, there is no one who is any more a part of the team than another because they are all starting at the same point: the beginning.

A major part of the lacrosse dynamic is the fact that the girls are, for the most part, equal in skill. Senior Kayla Hickman attributes the team’s closeness to this fact. “I believe it does make us a lot closer because you’re all starting as one, as not knowing what you’re doing and ending up building that strength and that courage to do something you’ve never done before,” Hickman said.

For Hickman, the seniors are not any more important to the team than any other grade.

“As a whole as a team we are all trying to work together,” Hickman said, and the other players agree with this statement.

Senior Cameron Greer first-year athlete, finds this fact to be a relief.

“Normally, seniors are expected to know a lot, but since it’s a first-year team, it takes some of the pressure off,” Greer said.

Senior Samantha Taplin first-year athlete and Gabriella Bianchi, who has participated in sports throughout her high school career, both agree that while the team progresses together, seniors still hold more responsibilities than their underclass counterparts.

“I think seniors have a little more responsibilities than others, and we kind of keep things running,” Taplin said. Bianchi has a similar view.

“We do have more responsibilities because we’re older, but we’re all really equal with our skill level this year because it’s everyone’s first year joining,” Bianchi said. With this comes many different grade levels being represented on the team.

“I think it’s really cool that our team is so diverse,” Bianchi said regarding grade levels.

The ending of this season is bittersweet for the seniors of this inaugural team. They are leaving behind a sport and team they have come to love.

“It being my first and last year on the team is kind of upsetting mainly because I can’t see the team grow as a unit anymore. This was the first and the last time I’m going to be playing with this team,” Bianchi said, “Being able to play with this team has been a real privilege.”

For Taplin, learning the skill is something she will miss.

“I think the hardest part is knowing you can’t get much better than you already are. Everyone else has the summer to practice,” Taplin said. “For me going into lacrosse, this is as good as I’m going to be at lacrosse since I’m not playing in college.”

All of the seniors will miss their team, but after leaving their legacy with the new team that has given them a home, they will look back on the season and personal high school lacrosse experience with a smile. Bianchi, who played when she was younger, looks at it as a way she impacted our school.

“It’s kind of exciting that I had my mark left on our fields,” Bianchi said.