Coach Sophia Aragon (Los Al 2012 alum) held what she hopes to be an annual alumni lacrosse game on Friday, Dec. 23. It was a fun yet, competitive event in which old and young faced off on the field fighting for something they both believed in: the beauty of the game.
Coach Sophia Aragon (Los Al 2012 alum) held what she hopes to be an annual alumni lacrosse game on Friday, Dec. 23. It was a fun yet, competitive event in which old and young faced off on the field fighting for something they both believed in: the beauty of the game.
The Los Al lacrosse program, which was established in 2008, holds the bragging rights of winning three consecutive CIF championships but has somehow lost its steam in the last few years, along with the majority of its funding. How did a program that boasted three CIF championships and multiple D1 scholarships sink so quickly?
Some would say it was a result of poor coaching or a lack of funding, but regardless, Los Al Lacrosse girls are motivated to make a comeback. And with a coach like Sophia, it just may be possible. Boasting an impressive track record at D1 Fresno State, (MVP twice, defensive player of the year twice, all time leader in caused turnovers, all time leader in ground balls and second team all conference), Sophia is serious when it comes to stepping up the program.
When asked about her thoughts on the upcoming season, Sophia said, “I feel like we are up against everyone’s idea of who Los Al is now… we have a lot to prove, but we also have a lot of raw talent and a hungry group of girls who want to win.” Ericka Knapp, an 11th grader at LAHS is one of those hungry girls. “We want to bring it back to what it was. There’s a lot of haters out there that think we can’t do it, but we can.” There is no doubt that these players are burning for a winning season, but do they have it takes to sustain the flame?
According to Victoria Hansen, a sophomore who has been playing for three years, the girls are “working harder than ever before with practices designated towards conditioning, attack, and defense.” And with seniors like Kyli Rael who hope to “come back and inspire young players after graduation to keep producing CIF Champions,” they just may have what it takes to not only resurrect the program, but to make it better than ever before.
If you want to come cheer on the Los Al lacrosse ladies, their first home game of the season will be Tuesday, March 7.
