It isn’t every day that a group of athletes can be part of an inaugural season, but that’s exactly what a group of boys at Enumclaw High School are looking forward to.
During the upcoming spring season, EHS will launch a lacrosse team of its own.
Since 2014, Enumclaw High boys have played with the White River High School lacrosse team under the “Hornets Lacrosse” banner. This year, however, the Washington High School Boys Lacrosse Association forced a split of several clubs, including Hornets Lacrosse. Rather than having one varsity and one junior varsity squad for the combined schools, each will now field its own team.
Coaching the first-year EHS program will be David Pugh.
He is no stranger to either the game or the Enumclaw community. He started his lacrosse career with the local youth team in eighth grade and played midfielder through high school, while occasionally spending time at the attack and defense positions. After graduating from EHS, Pugh attended Ohio Wesleyan University, where he played lacrosse for a season until a foot injury cut his career short. He played football for four years at OWU before returning to the Plateau.
Pugh started his coaching career with the Junior Hornets football team and coached a middle school Maniax team, a select lacrosse club team based on the Plateau. Pugh says he decided to coach high school lacrosse because he loves the sport.
“I had a great experience playing it growing up and I want to help grow the sport in the West,” he said. “I also have a brother on the team and the opportunity to coach him his senior season for Enumclaw’s first-ever season was too good to pass up.”
Lacrosse is a spring sport and the team is looking to add members to the team, whether they have experience or are newcomers to the sport.
“I hope to grow awareness of the sport of lacrosse in the Enumclaw area and bring growth to EHS lacrosse,” Pugh said. “The team has enough experience that it will cultivate itself. Being a first-year team, we don’t have a ton (of experience), but we have enough guys that know what they are doing that they will be able to help teach and influence those who are still learning the basics of the game.”
Pugh is encouraging first-time players to give lacrosse a try.
“Everyone is out there to have fun,” he said. “Lacrosse is a full team sport; everyone touches the ball, everyone participates, lots of people play.”
The first official team practice will be on Feb. 25 and students need to be registered to play by Feb. 15. For more information, students can contact Mrs. Pugh in the English Department at Enumclaw High.
FUNDRAISING EFFORTS
Because the EHS lacrosse team has “club” and is not financially supported by the school, the Hornet Lacrosse Booster Club will be hosting several fundraising events throughout the season. Included is a dinner and silent auction on April 19 at the Expo Center Fieldhouse. Sponsorships are also being offered to local businesses who would like to be a part of the inaugural season.
For more information about becoming a sponsor, making a donation or donating items to the auction, contact the Hornet Lacrosse Booster Club at EHSLacrossebooster@gmail.com. The club’s website is ehshornetslax.com.
