BELLAIRE • MEMORIAL • RIVER OAKS • TANGLEWOOD • WEST UNIVERSITY

Love for lacrosse

By Andie Kapiloff, age 17 | July 1, 2018

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LACROSSE LESSONS Andie Kapiloff, an incoming senior at St. John’s School, hopes to play lacrosse at the Division III collegiate level.

When I was 8 years old, my neighbor brought two lacrosse sticks and a ball to my house and taught me how to pass and catch. I’d never heard of lacrosse before, but she claimed all of her older cousins played, and being a typical 8 year old, I was interested in anything the older kids were doing.

The next fall, I signed up for my first lacrosse camp. The weather was awful, and my dad forced me into a pair of red sweatpants that I hated more than anything. The drills we did were tough, and I wasn’t sure if I would stick with lacrosse, but one thing I knew for certain was that the high school players who were running the camp were suddenly my new role models. They were so tall and fast and played the game so beautifully. Little did I know that not only would I stick with lacrosse, but those girls would be me one day.

To say I’ve stuck with lacrosse would be an understatement. I currently play for Tenacity Houston 2019 as well as the St. John’s varsity lacrosse team, which I will be serving as a captain for during my senior season. I spend the majority of my summer traveling up and back from the east coast, playing in camps, showcases, and tournaments. I hope to play lacrosse at the Division III collegiate level. I also coach younger girls in the same program I started out in. What started as a fun pastime has morphed into my greatest passion. I impatiently await the arrival of lacrosse season each school year, and while some people dread practices, I live for them.

Tournament weekends are the crown jewel of my lacrosse experiences, and I love spending time and making memories with my teammates. Over the years, lacrosse has taught me determination and persistence, optimism and sportsmanship, and that I can do anything I set my mind to. Even though I’ve devoted countless time and effort to the sport of lacrosse, I wouldn’t trade the friends I’ve met, the memories I’ve created, or the lessons I’ve learned through the sport of lacrosse for the world.

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