Club sports often get overlooked by the wide variety of sports in Vandal Athletics.
With the basketball regular season coming to a close this week and spring sports in the midst of their season, many club sports are showcasing their talents. One club in particular, the University of Idaho men’s lacrosse team, hasn’t picked up a win yet but will look to change that with their home opener against the University of Montana on Saturday.
The Vandals experienced a roster change with the influx of freshmen they received this season.
“There’s definitely a good amount of turnover, and the majority are young guys. But these (freshmen) are coming out every day and working hard. It’s good to see the young guys pushing the team to be out here every day,” Head Coach Colton Raichl said. “Some of the younger guys are the most committed, and that’s what we want going forward.”
Saydee Brass | Argonaut
The Vandals are 0-3 for the season but are looking to win their first game of the season. Nine new freshmen are experiencing college lacrosse for the first time and are getting a glimpse of collegiate-level competition.
“In our first two games (the freshmen) were a little bit slower on the draw than what they’re used to in high school,” Raichl said. “They’ve just got to not be so hard on themselves. They’re freshmen, and it was their first weekend. A lot of them are in their own heads and once they get things going and start playing a little better, they’ll be good.”
With a new team dynamic this season, the Vandals had to build up their chemistry with new faces on the team.
“It takes a little time, but you just keep building on (team chemistry), trying to get everyone to practice every day,” Senior Kade Wagers said. “The biggest thing is being there and communicating. Traveling is one of the best ways to build it up, because you’re stuck on a bus for so many hours. That’s always a great time to get to know people. Team building activities create a great community for everyone.”
Saydee Brass | Argonaut
The Vandals prepare for their first home game against Montana. The game will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday on the SprinTurf. Wagers said fans and friends of the team come out and show a lot of support for home games. Raichl expressed the team’s thoughts on the upcoming home game.
“We are really excited, especially with Montana being one of our biggest rivals,” Raichl said. “A lot of guys are in Greek houses, so we get a lot of support. It gets rowdy and it’s a lot of fun.”
Armin Mesinovic can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @arminmesinovic