The game that sophomore Jackson Robinson will never forget is one straight out of a movie.

“One time, [my friends and I] were at a team championship,” Jackson said, “and the referees blew the whistles for the [lacrosse] games around us, but the people we were playing against thought it was for [our game]. After the whistle, the other team stopped playing because they thought it was for our game, but we figured it out and got back in and won with a last-second goal.”

Lacrosse has been a long journey for Jackson, from getting his first lacrosse stick in kindergarten to being on his first team in first grade. What kept him playing was his brother.

“[I started playing lacrosse] because my brother played it, and I was inspired by him,” Jackson said. “My brother tried to help me, but he wasn’t very good back then. While I was on my team, I got coached up real good.”

As of now, Jackson is playing on the junior varsity lacrosse team as a goalie, where people are just as kind as they were when he first started playing.

“[When I first joined the lacrosse team], it was easy to make friends,” Jackson said. “Everyone was mostly [nice and welcoming], and they’ll help you out.”

Lacrosse will undoubtedly take up a lot of time, as do most sports. Spring is going to be a season that Jackson will be the busiest due to consistent practices for two hours after school. 

Even though lacrosse doesn’t start until spring, Jackson will have to start going to the gym early to get back into shape and start working on his goalie skills. 

“We are [going to start getting back] in the gym soon. [On] Dec. 1st, we will start to have practices and conditioning,” Jackson said. “Practices will be getting back into the groove and working on certain skills, and just overall, warming back up.”

While lacrosse may take up a lot of Jackson’s time and energy, he’s found a way to best balance both school and lacrosse. 

“Right when I get home, I have about an hour until I have to go to lacrosse practice,” Jackson said. “I try to get as much homework done as I can, and then, I go to lacrosse practice and [finish the rest when I get home].”

Jackson has had experience with many sports such as football, basketball, and lacrosse. Despite having all these experiences with these sports, Jackson has decided to stick to lacrosse for this year to lessen his load. 

Jackson’s passion for lacrosse has brought him all the way from kindergarten to his sophomore year and maybe even through the rest of his high school career. While it isn’t something he plans on doing for the future, it’s still something he will remember.

From the friends he’s made along the way to the challenges he’s faced, lacrosse definitely holds a special place in Jackson’s heart.

“I just like to win,” Jackson said. “I always like to tell myself before the game that if I don’t win, I lost. I don’t get how it motivates me exactly, but when I say it [it gives me inspiration].”