by Jamie Langbein ’13

If I could name the single most important thing anyone has ever told me, it would probably be when the former JV soccer coach Kelly Hughes who looked me square in the eyes and said “play lacrosse.” The sport, with Hughes as the varsity coach, has taught me a lot about myself, but more importantly, it has taught me a lot about important aspects needed to succeed in life.

Preparation. For my lacrosse games, I have to get myself ready. I get a good snack, I make sure everything I need is in my bag and I plug in my headphones to drown out everything else but the task in front of me. When it comes to my life, I realize I can never be fully prepared, but what I know is that I trust myself to make do with what I have. Anticipating what is ahead of me requires me to slow down and figure out what I really need to succeed. As I have for my games, I have practiced focusing for the challenges of life. I know how I need to study for tests to do well. I know how far and how detailed I need to be when I make plans. I know what I need to do to ensure my success.

Awareness. In a game and as a goalie, one needs to know where the ball is at all times. In addition, I must know the whereabouts of girls on my team and where my opponents are relative to where I am so that I can get in the correct position to save a shot. It’s a lot to keep track of, and I know it’s exactly the same thing I will face next year when I go to college and then on to the real world. Millions of things will require my attention, but I am ready because I have practiced. I have prepared myself.

Friendship. I learned that I am not alone. Through up and downs, the wins and the losses, through tears and laughter, the same girls have been there for me the entire time. They taught me I’ll never be alone and that no matter how badly I may screw up, there’s always a way to fix it. From teammates like that, I’ve learned my greatest lesson: how to be a friend.