Lacrosse: No pressure, no playoffs, just re-lax-ing

The Salisbury University club lacrosse squad stepped off the bus onto Homewood field in full uniform to find nine Hopkins players waiting for them, wearing different colored helmets and mismatched practice jerseys, unified only by different shades of blue. To play a game, a lacrosse team needs a minimum of 10 players. A call was made and within a few minutes, freshman Kyle Keane, the 10th man, came sprinting from the AMR dormitories, his lacrosse bag swinging from his shoulders. He grabbed a jersey and got suited up, and the ten men took the field, ready to play a full game with no chance of substitutions. The only referee was another Hopkins student, the brother of junior team captain Eric Fishel, and not a single fan sat in the bleachers that surround the legendary Homewood Field. It was a typical scene for the Hopkins club lacrosse team.

In a school where the word "lacrosse" is synonymous with legend and grandeur, the club lacrosse team suits up twice a week not for fame or publicity, but for the simple love of the game. They sprint under the shadows of National Championship banners, surrounded by empty and silent bleachers. They have no coaches except for junior team captains Vanti Davis and Fishel. They swap equipment in the sidelines and simply play the game whenever the opportunity arises.

"I think it's cool just to step on that field, where all these huge games go on," midfielder Keane said. "You think to yourself: wow, I'm playing lacrosse here. It's a real fantasy feeling."

Most of the Hopkins club players came from top-ranked high schools. They've fought their way to state titles, undefeated seasons. But when they step onto Homewood Field, memories of glory take a side-seat, and without pressure, they play the game they've been playing their whole life for the sheer pleasure it gave them when they first picked up a stick. Comparing his club lacrosse experience to that of high school, freshman defenseman Alex Thibau said, "It's a different kind of fun. In high school you always have a game, you always have a practice. With club we just have fun getting together, having a good game, joking around a little bit."

Fishel, a defenseman, said, "I just love the game, so I keep playing. It's just a good sport to keep me in shape and help keep other things off my mind."

One advantage to the club lacrosse experience is the somewhat lackadaisical approach to the usually strict rules and regulations of the game. Since the referees for many of the games are students and former lacrosse players themselves, they recognize that the players are just out there to have a good time. There are no titles on the line, no conference rivalries.

"There's a lot less regulation in club lacrosse," Thibau said. "You get a lot less calls, and things get a little more violent. That makes it a lot more fun. I don't have to hold myself back as much as I did in high school. I can let my stick fly a little bit more."

However, despite the fun that ensues when everything falls together, the club lacrosse team has suffered through many difficulties regarding organization and recognition from other sports. The team is often only allotted late night time slots for the practice field, and it is not uncommon for the team to be stuck waiting outside the practice field for a half-hour while a varsity team goes over their time limit.

"We kind of get brushed aside sometimes. That's hard but we try to do the best we can. It's still lacrosse, it's still fun. We play for the love of the game," Thibau said.

The team has also had several recruitment issues throughout the season. Between studying, homework and the other myriad pressures placed upon Hopkins students, many players simply don't find the time to pick up their gear and head out to a practice. Not to mention those practices usually start as late as 10 p.m. The unusual Baltimore weather has also been a major factor.

"We've had a lot of cold weather, so people don't show up and we end up not having enough kids to play," Fishel said.

When all these players want to do is play the game they love, it becomes frustrating when so many obstacles stand in their path. But despite their problems, they still manage to strap up their helmets, pick up their sticks and step on the field. It's the true essence of sports -- the love of the game. It's all they care about, and really, it's all that matters.