The Meaning of Lacrosse and the Power of Perspective

Lacrosse, a game devised by Native Americans in the eastern woodlands of North America, is simple yet complex. With just a stick and a ball, Native American communities gave birth to what’s now one of the fastest-growing sports in America.

Lacrosse serves a greater purpose for Native Americans. It’s a cultural and spiritual experience — one that was used to settle disputes, strengthen alliances and teach lessons pertinent to adulthood. The Creator’s Game also fulfills a healing function. It’s as an escape, an outlet and a medicine.

It is essential to acknowledge the originators of the game and recognize why the sport was even played in the first place. Unfortunately, our society has come to view lacrosse, and sports in general, as a means to an end: scholarships or impressive statistics.

While I had tremendous passion for lacrosse growing up, it fueled a large part of my identity and, therefore, my pride. That isn’t necessarily harmful, but I got so lost in my dream of playing Division I lacrosse, I found it caused me to confuse my love for the game with a desire for what the culture viewed as success. I lost my original love for the game. My attitude went from fun-focused lacrosse to an unrelenting goal-focused drive. Why did I play the game in the first place?

While playing in college is rewarding — and those who want it should strive for it — we must remember that lacrosse is much more than a means to an end. It really is a medicine. Even in this highly stressed culture we live in, lacrosse can still be medicinal. We all need healthy ways to decompress, to come out of the traffic.

For me, playing lacrosse switches my gears — my brain hemispheres. I find it to be a glorious distraction from my responsibilities, always returning me to my stressful world refreshed.

I wish I grasped this concept at an earlier age, but that is why I share it with you today. From a very young age, I put lacrosse on a pedestal. I wish I realized how fleeting it would be. And I wish I was more prepared for how difficult it would be to ride the highs and lows of the game. I entered college with the intent to be the best, but life did not pan out that way. I am thankful, though.

My first year at West Point, my passion for the sport dissolved. I woke up each day with the motivation not to fail at practice that day. That was the goal. I was completely disconnected from the origins of the sport and its medicinal properties.

It was not until my junior year at Columbia that I finally realized that the sport was offering my life a lot more than tangible success. I tore my ACL upon transferring to Columbia, which made my transition harder yet ultimately rewarding.

While I was unable to physically engage in the sport, I showed up each day for my team. Or so I thought.  Now seeing clearer, it was I who needed them. They were my metaphorical crutch.

Through lacrosse I discovered the power of teamwork and community, as well as the sport's ability to inculcate within me resilience and grit. My team became a support system unlike any other, and I felt an insatiable hunger to play again rise within me.

As I mended my ACL, I realized that I was also repairing my perspective. I woke up each day excited for a few hours of focused fun with my best friends, playing lacrosse. In practice, I threw BTBs, twizzlers and other tricks because I was not paralyzed by a fear of failure. I did not play with a goal in mind. I just played because I wanted to.

Although my college lacrosse experience did not go as planned due to COVID-19, transferring and my injury, I would not change a thing.

I want to leave you all with this: College lacrosse is a high-pressure environment that demands mental fortitude and perseverance. You may not play as much as you had hoped or perform as well statistically, but within this sport, there are so many other, more profound rewards.

Take lacrosse off the pedestal and find balance. You perform better when you are free. Enjoy your experience and remember what the sport does give you. That is, lifelong friendships, unparalleled discipline, an uncanny ability to overcome adversity and healing. Enjoy the journey, not the outcome.

Lacrosse was not created with the intent to burn you out and make you miserable. In fact, the exact opposite reigns true. Whether you are just entering college or in your final year, I implore you to push yourself, be creative and enjoy every moment. It will certainly guarantee you moments of frustration and discouragement. They are inevitable. But remember, you can choose your perspective without letting such moments overpower you or govern your lacrosse experience.

I see now what I learned in lacrosse I am more importantly taking with me to the field of life.

Lindsay Schuster is a senior attacker for the Columbia women’s lacrosse team. She graduates this spring with a degree in political science.