The art of running across the field, lacrosse stick in hand, with determination etched onto the player’s face, is what led junior Lars Dupuie to fall in love with the sport of lacrosse.
Soon after Lars first engaged in lacrosse at the age of seven, he could no longer imagine a world without it. At his first impression, Lars was unsure whether or not lacrosse was “his thing;” however, as he dove deeper into the sport, he quickly realized that lacrosse was more than just a side activity.
“I first got into [lacrosse] when I was only seven years old, so since I was very young, I’ve been playing,” Lars said. “I got into it because one of my friends convinced me to come play it with him, and what made me stick with it was the fact that I liked it so much when I only played once. I quickly realized it was more than just a hobby when my team won the championship in our division in eighth grade, back when I lived in Missouri.”
During Lars’s freshman year of high school, he faced difficulties while moving across the country to the state of Michigan. To him, it seemed as if everything in his life was left in Missouri. Through the inconveniences of moving, though, lacrosse stuck with him.
“Handling the difficulties of moving was rough, but I handled pressure and nerves by always playing my sport,” Lars said. “When I was pressured during that, I focused on getting into my calm state of mind and just focusing on the next faceoff as I play fogo in lacrosse.”
Lacrosse is not only a physical sport, but also a mental one. Throughout Lars’s life, he has faced many challenges. Whether fighting over a toy during elementary school or facing the reality of moving to a new state, nothing compares to the challenges he has faced playing lacrosse, as they have taught him how to grow as a person, as well as a player.
“My biggest mental challenges in my sport are when I lose a bunch of faceoffs in a row, and I just can’t find a way to beat the guy, because then some of my teammates start to doubt me and my abilities,” Lars said. “This sport has changed me as a person because it has taught me to work hard even when no one is looking and to always build everyone up.”
Lars has big dreams, but these dreams are not just fantasies—they are goals. Since winning championships in eighth grade, Lars has been determined to work to the best ability to reach the top. From long hours of practice to thinking about the sport daily, he won’t let his dreams go easily.
“I have one goal I’m chasing right now, and that is being First Team All-State next year and also winning a state championship,” Lars said. “I see myself in my sport, in the next few years, playing for a team in college, because during the time that I’ve played hockey, I have just now begun to get some college attention and offers to play college lacrosse.”
All student athletes have their proudest moments, but many simply use these moments as bragging rights. Lars sees his proudest moments as motivation to continue to perform well, while also growing as a player.
Criticism overall is difficult to manage, but instead of letting it tear down his confidence, Lars believes that it’s best to use this as motivation to continue to try his hardest.
“One moment in lacrosse I’m most proud of is when I won All-State Honorable Mention as a sophomore last year,” Lars said. “I’m most proud of this because, to be honest, I really didn’t think I could do it; lots of people doubted me along the way, and the only [people] who believed in me were myself and my family.”
Lacrosse has taught Lars many valuable life lessons. Since the moment he first played, he would have never enjoyed the sport as much, along with learning about himself, if he had simply given up at the beginning.
Sometimes, stepping out of your comfort zone is what’s needed to achieve success. Along with dedication and passion, it is what Lars believes to be most important.
“If you’re ever nervous to try something,” Lars said, “just try it, because you never know the friendships and community and people you will meet and how much it will benefit you as a person, too.”
