As many of you may agree, summer has flown by at an incredible pace and fall is quickly approaching once again. Back in May, I was dreading the end of the school year when I had to say goodbye to my friends, but I had long anticipated the moment when I stepped outside the doors of Schoolhouse into the open arms of summer. However, instead of jumping into the passenger seat and heading north up to Plymouth, NH, my dad and I took the highway west to Amherst, MA for my first lacrosse tournament of the summer. I was exhausted from exams, but ready to begin the marathon of summer lacrosse.
I play for a club lacrosse team, which entails traveling to practices and tournaments all over New England (and sometimes further) to play against other teams from across the country. My first games of the summer in Amherst were part of a huge recruiting showcase, which put on the pressure to play well. However, it also provided for lots of fun, despite the heat; I ran into lots of my teammates from Groton, who were also playing at the tournament, and it was refreshing to see them in an environment outside of school. Over the course of the summer, I repeatedly saw many of them at different lacrosse-oriented events.
The weekend at Amherst went very well, and my dad and I were even able to explore the quaint town of Northampton that was near the fields; we found ourselves ambling along streets packed with live music, vintage clothing shops, and rainbow sidewalks. We even finished the weekend by dancing in the streets to Latino music with about fifty other people, our stomachs full of homemade doughnuts and lemonade! Exploring the small towns like this across New England turned many routine lacrosse tournaments into wild escapades.
The rest of June and July were packed with similar lacrosse tournaments, practices, and camps. I even played a few games right on the Groton campus! I concluded the summer season by traveling to Virginia with my mom for yet another tournament. We had a blast; it was an absolutely scorching weekend, but the games were competitive and the small amount of exploring we did around Richmond made the trip worth the travel hassle. I finished the lacrosse season on a happy, fulfilled note, but was thankful that I was headed home for some relaxation.
When I returned to NH, my two older brothers (who also went to Groton) came from NYC and Boston for a visit. They were instrumental in getting me involved in lacrosse; they both played in college and have supported my development as a player extensively, whether by coming to one of my school games or playing pass with me in the backyard. This weekend wasn’t all lacrosse, however—our days were filled with guitar tunes, long swims, and lots of Catan (my family’s favorite board game), but ultimately was topped off by my brother proposing to his girlfriend right on the dock! It was a fantastic way to end the weekend, and I was grateful to be with the entire family on such a special occasion.
Although I am more than excited to return to school, I’ll miss long days on the field and summer time with my friends and family. I can’t wait for next summer with the promise of more tournaments, camps, and even a wedding! For now, I’ll be looking forward to when I return to campus to start soccer preseason.