For a sport I’ve never played, lacrosse has always been a large part of my life. After watching my sister compete in tournaments across the country and capturing the game through my camera lens for so long, the nagging urge to try lacrosse for myself finally won. On a snowy Saturday afternoon, I met senior Sofia Calvitti in her backyard for my first lacrosse lesson.
Calvitti, an experienced member of the varsity girls’ lacrosse team and a Division I commit to Duquesne University, started me off with the basics. On my right side, throwing and catching came together surprisingly quickly. After a few minutes, I could pass the ball confidently. Then we switched to my left side, and my technique was shaky and inconsistent. Calvitti pointed out that I held my stick too far out to the side. Once I adjusted and kept it upright, passing on both sides felt much smoother.
We moved on to cradling, which proved more difficult. My wrists weren’t used to the rocking motion, and the ball fell out more than I expected. Calvitti reminded me to rely mostly on my top hand for motion and let my bottom hand guide the stick. By focusing on my arms, the movement began to click. As we casually passed the ball back and forth, I realized how much fun lacrosse could be, even with just the bare basics.
However, my true test was shooting. As Calvitti demonstrated, I was struck by how fast and powerful a shot could be. My first shot sailed well over Calvitti’s head and landed nearly twenty feet behind the net. After several adjustments — aiming for the center of the net and repositioning my arms — I finally sent the ball into the goal with a satisfying swish.
With growing confidence, we moved on to ground balls and dodges. I surprised myself by quickly picking up two-handed ground balls and was even brave enough to attempt a one-handed pickup. Encouraged by Calvitti, I learned a few dodges, including the roll dodge. For Calvitti, each move seemed like second nature. For me, every step felt clumsy, demanding far more full-body awareness and coordination than I expected.
We finished with stick tricks, where I attempted a spinning pass called a Twizzler — easily the hardest skill of the day. While I could do each part individually, combining them fluidly was a challenge and helped me appreciate the time and creativity players invest in mastering their individual twists on skills.
By the end of the session, I was proud of how much I’d learned. More importantly, I gained a newfound appreciation for a sport I’d long watched from the sidelines. Lacrosse looks quick and fluid when played well, but it takes coordination and practice to make it appear effortless. Learning the game in a snowy backyard, capped off with the best hot chocolate, felt like the perfect introduction. More than ever, I’m determined to pick up a stick again soon.
Lily Chen can be reached at [email protected].
