The majority of Perry students are not familiar with the Pumas Lacrosse team, but soon their growth will be taking the East Valley by storm. New to Perry, the team has struck the attention of many and has gained much more publicity since emerging into Perry’s culture.

In the past, the team went by “Huskies Lacrosse,” and was closely identified with Hamilton High School, although it incorporated a few Perry players.

The boys have recently changed their club name to the “Pumas.” and the majority of team members are now Perry athletes with the exception of a few Hamilton players.

Junior Ty Kofahl said, “It’s just something that I have fun doing, it’s a stress reliever.”

The activity seems to be a positive outlet where the players are able to release their worries and stress, ultimately contributing to the athlete’s overall well being.

Fortunately, the athletes’ devotion to the sport does not affect their social and academic schedules too much.

Senior varsity goalie Bryce Palmer views the time spent playing in a positive light and said “it does cut into time you would have, but I get to spend that time with my best friends at practice everyday.”

Along with playing a game they thoroughly enjoy, players are able to maintain a glimpse of a social schedule by bonding with teammates during practice and often after practice.

The addition of lacrosse to the boys’ schedules also provides them with skills that can assist them in other sports such as “hard work and leadership”, according to junior player Jacob Bergholz, “it also teaches you skills you can use throughout your life like teamwork.”

The high intensity game is clearly in favor of the team members, providing them with a large number of benefits like teamwork skills, new friends, and a fun challenge.

Palmer said, “ Every year we have more people playing and it’s cool to see how much it’s grown. I think it shows that people are having a blast playing it and that it can be a major sport in the coming years.”

It is expected that the team will continue to grow, making room for new athletes that can contribute to the Pumas’ success.