While the MICDS boys lacrosse team is renowned for its success as a program, the team members are not without apprehension. The team annually faces the pressure of having to defend their title as the best team in the state. The boys’ team currently has a seven-year win streak at the state championship and the competition only grows each year.

Despite their impressive record as a program, there is also a strong expectation of continuing the legacy and making their school proud.

Senior captain, Landon Gelven, experiences these struggles on a daily basis. He thinks “the expectation from outsiders is to win,” but counters by saying the team “can’t take anything for granted and expect to win.”

Gelven and the other captains encourage their team to live up to the high expectations of their fans without adopting a mindset that winning is guaranteed. The boys are held to a standard of sportsmanship to take their wins with grace and persevere through their losses.

While many players feel the pressure to uphold the intense expectations of being a lacrosse player at MICDS, Coach Andy Kay has a somewhat different outlook on the situation.

According to him, if the team does suffer some losses, it would be beneficial because the boys “would learn what it is like to struggle about something they care about.” He explained that they will learn skills that will last them a lifetime with their teammates supporting them along the way.

At the end of the day, the world moves on, and the team is stronger for the challenges they overcome.

While Coach Kay has one outlook on his team, his players still feel it is their job to maintain the reputation of their lacrosse team. Landon and the rest of the team may not be as open to the idea of risking potential setbacks as a chance to grow, but it is nice for them to know they have a community that will support them up no matter what.

Not only the MICDS community, but the team itself is always there for each other. Landon thinks of his teammates as being “like a family” to him. Through all of their challenges and pressure, the team lifts each other up and looks out for one another.

Ultimately, the boys may feel burdened with demands to excel and impress, but they will always have each other and a community that will welcome them, win or lose.