By Nitya Wanchoo

Manhasset varsity lacrosse bought home two state championship cups this season and they’re not stopping just yet. It comes as no surprise to any Long Island resident to hear that Manhasset lacrosse stars have bright futures as Manhasset consistently churns out Division One lacrosse commits. The burning question is: How do they do it?

A lot of residents like to joke that lacrosse players in Manhasset are born with sticks in their hands, but that’s not as much of a joke as it is an anecdote. As soon as these kids can walk, they’re learning to cradle a lacrosse ball in their own miniature stick. By the time they’ve learned their ABCs, they’ve also made their first successful passes. But in reality, this extra time spent mastering the fundamentals of this game is crucial to setting these young stars apart from other players.

This extra time and stronger groundwork in a sport that these kids continue to play throughout high school, and for some, throughout college, goes a long way. Overall, having those small successes at a young age leaves so much time and room for improvement and by the time fourth grade club lacrosse tryouts roll around, little Manhasset laxers are more than ready to take on their competition. Making the A teams only secures their spot as the best of the best.

In fact, not only is P.A.L. lacrosse the beginning of the athletic journey of many, but it’s also where many children start to make their first friends. Varsity player and state champion Ava Malysa describes it as a cycle where “you make friends because of lacrosse and you want to keep playing lacrosse because you’re playing with your friends.” She recalls hanging out with teammates who she has known since she was young and she considers it a great benefit for them all to have been able to grow up as a team together.

The Manhasset community is indubitably a leading contributor to the overall success of Manhasset lacrosse. It’s a really tight-knit community and it’s fairly common for the lacrosse teams to host pasta parties on the night before games or for them to go into town and grab breakfast together every so often. A major part of this support system is the general community.

Whether it be parents, siblings, or future lacrosse players, everyone shows up for big games to cheer on the local athletes. The players only egg on these fans, with elaborate goal celebrations like a bowling set up. These players are an inspiration to the younger fans and they remember being those little fans who used to watch the varsity players win a game, and now they’re the varsity players themselves.

This acts as motivation for much of the team and resonates with all these Manhasset lacrosse celebrities who signed many balls once they returned back home after winning the state championship this year. This support system would not be complete without the coaches and athletic trainers. Manhasset has several coaches for each lacrosse team who are super enthusiastic about the game. They cheer their players on, pick them up, and push them to reach their full potential.

A crucial ingredient in this recipe for success is adequate practice. The school team practiced everyday except for Sunday for at least two hours and conditioned at the end of the week. Coaches would teach the athletes how to hone the skills they most needed. For instance, defense would work on footwork and attackers would work on shots. There were focused one vs. one and two vs. two drills which forced players to go up and improve their coordination and their confidence.

To be the best of the best, however, the hard work doesn’t stop there. The varsity teams had an optional additional draw training before practice started on Saturdays. Moreover, most Manhasset Lacrosse athletes also play club lacrosse for top teams such as Top Gun Lacrosse and the Long Island Yellow Jackets to stay in shape during the off-season. During winter, most Manhasset athletes spend their time at gyms such as P10, which have specialized trainers who keep lacrosse players in shape through intense workouts so that these athletes come back onto the field stronger and faster.

During the summer, there are a multitude of club lacrosse tournaments which serve as a perfect opportunity for those looking to get recruited to get noticed by scouts.

As far as recruiting is concerned, Manhasset is a spotlight for a lot of lacrosse websites. Companies like Long Island Lacrosse Journal and The New York FaceOff Academy are often highlighting Manhasset lacrosse athletes and helping them through their commitment journey to D1 teams. Long Island Lacrosse Journal specifically streams box lacrosse and writes articles on the best players as well as the best moves of the season.

These brands stay up to date with all the most talented players to keep a lookout for and the season statistics of all the teams on Long Island. Through these exposure opportunities, Manhasset athletes have the chance to become partners for and make athletic deals with associations such as STX Lacrosse and Lacrosse Unlimited. From there, a lot of student athletes make highlight reel videos to feature their best moves and send it out to colleges for recruitment opportunities.

Ava Malysa summed it up best when she said, “Being so passionate about lacrosse is the ‘secret sauce’ and why we as Manhasset lacrosse are so successful.”