When students desire to play a sport, they take action. Two Perry girls joined the Hamilton lacrosse team. Seniors Paige Cavner and Gabby Valadez both go to Hamilton as a substitute to not having any Perry lacrosse team, “The [Hamilton] team is great… we are all so close,” Valves says.

In order to have a club sport at Perry, “A student needs to get a sponsor and run it through the activities and turn it into a club,” Athletic Director Jennifer Burks claims and continues to say, “The club sponsor basically has to be at every practice,” making it hard for students to create a club sport at their own school; hence, Cavner and Valadez doing Hamilton Lacrosse. 

If the opportunity presented itself to have a Perry lacrosse team both girls would instantly join, “I’d rather play for Perry if we had a team,” Cavner states. Although the obstacle of having enough girls is recurring. “I don’t think we could find enough girls to play,” Cavner comments.

Going to a different school for every practice and game has its benefits too, “I made so many more friends, I love the girls, they’re awesome,” Valadez states. “I’m happy that they are getting to play and we totally support that,” Burks replies.

Lacrosse is a club sport making it not an official AIA sport, “It’s not considered a sport because it’s not AIA sponsored,” Burks states. The struggle of maintaining enough girls and money is at a constant Cavner says, “Just last year we left Hamilton because they didn’t fund us.”

Playing for Hamilton huskies has its benefits, most of the players attend different schools creating a diversity in friendships, “Paige is like my best friend,” Valadez states,  “The team is great. There is like no drama. We usually hang out on the weekends too,” Cavner replies.

Being connected with club teams helped Valadez achieve her spot on the Huskies. She was on a team called “Vortex” then transferred to Hamilton due to the fact that lots of club girls enjoy playing for a school convincing Valves to join.

On the other hand, “It can be hard sometimes because we all go to different schools, none of our schedules line up for practice,” Cavner comments. Trying to have a solidified team that is outside the personal school is difficult and consumes a lot of time; although, they both love the sport and will continue to play.

The team is built around a love for one another as they all support each other, “I don’t like ranking the girls because we are just one team. We’re just like one unit because it’s just one team unit where we try to make each other better,” Valadez claims. The team dynamic is oriented around their friendship and commitment to the team.

Being able to adjust to a different school for a sport takes dedication which Paige Cavner and Gabby Valadez include in every practice with the Hamilton Huskies.