This year, the Riptides lacrosse team continues its tradition of including girls from both Peninsula and Gig Harbor High School, creating the team we have today. Every day, these girls work together to become better and better as a whole in order to prepare for the years ahead. Unfortunately, this season has been quite rough for the girls, but that didn’t discourage them from having fun and making new memories together. The only way to go now is to build back up and make the team their own.
The girls lacrosse season started off interesting with the addition of a lot of new players to their family this year. Some have played, some haven’t, but that never stopped them from welcoming each and every player. Kylie Klipper (12) has played lacrosse for nine years, so she’s had experience with having a new team with different players each year. “Even though this year has been a little rough, it’s always fun to make new friends and to teach each other how to work together the best that we can,” said Klipper. Being able to learn from one another allowed the girls to expand their abilities in all areas of play, including defense, attack, and midfield. As much as sometimes meeting new people isn’t easy for some, it can be adapted into a better team throughout the season itself.
As the season went on, Riptides’ lacrosse team suffered a couple losses that may have been disappointing to some, but for the girls, it was an opportunity to continue to grow. After losing eleven seniors last season to graduation, only a few girls were left, making them the leaders now. Courtney Myers (12) has also played for many years, and becoming a senior this year allowed her to be the leader the younger girls need. “I love showcasing my leadership skills this year by taking that experience with me to college as I continue to play lacrosse and help other girls achieve their goals,” said Myers. Her and other upperclassmen have been able to help multiple girls improve their skills and keep moving forward. This mindset has brought up the overall spirit of the team, allowing their first win on Saturday, April 27th.
Jumping into May, the Riptides lacrosse season is soon coming to a close with one last game on Friday, May 3rd. The season started with a brand new team and is now ending closer together as a family. Having a new team and new players is never easy, but that didn’t stop the girls from playing their hardest and working together to become the best version of themselves as lacrosse players. Cassie Garay (12), who has played both on the JV and Varsity teams in the past, has seen growth throughout the lacrosse years, especially this year. “In all honesty, this was not our best season, but it was a great opportunity to start from square one and build up together this season and for the future oncoming seasons,” said Garay. As the season is coming to an end, these girls have learned and grown a lot this year. Being able to teach one another and learn from one another really represented what this team was all about.
In conclusion, the Riptides lacrosse team has pushed through this 2024 season with their heads high and the support of one another, finishing this year with one final bus ride. Not everything can be the same, and this year definitely showed them that things can change, but that shouldn’t discourage them from playing their hardest and having fun.