Lake Norman Publications

Lacrosse makes long-awaited Lincoln County debut



Members of the North Lincoln girls lacrosse team put in work at practice ahead of the team’s season-opener. /Courtesy North Lincoln lacrosse

DENVER – The fledgling lacrosse programs at North Lincoln and Lincoln Charter ushered in a new era of athletics in Lincoln County March 7, meeting on the field for the first time as both the Knights and Eagles embark on their first season.

Boys and girls teams have been established at North Lincoln, while Lincoln Charter only features a boys program as the school dips its toe into the world of lacrosse. The Knights emerged victorious over the Eagles in the inaugural game between the two area schools, but just reaching this point constitutes a success for those who have dedicated years to building interest in the sport, making it a viable endeavor for local high schools.

“There’s a lot of kids that are on my team who are seniors and their parents have been working toward this for years knowing they wanted their children to have the opportunity to play lacrosse for their high school,” Lincoln Charter head coach Jim Gallagher said. “Getting to this point has required persistence from those parents and athletic directors who have been willing to take a chance.”

A North Lincoln player surveys the field before throwing a pass in the March 6 game against Lincoln Charter. /Matt Chapman

Sara Glendye, head coach of the girls team at North Lincoln, shared similar sentiments, noting the limited options that existed before and the roadblocks that made those avenues less viable for some families. 

“For girls especially, but also for boys, there aren’t many options within a 40- or 50-mile radius aside from travel programs, which are not only costly but also require a huge time commitment from the parents,” she said. “To have this opportunity available through the schools is huge because as long as a player has their own mouthguard, we can provide everything else.”

There’s bound to be a learning curve for the programs at each school as the teams navigate their first season against established competition. Interest in the sport led to huge turnouts at tryouts, and while each team features a handful of players with prior experience, a lot of kids are learning on the fly. 

A Lincoln Charter player prepares to fire a shot on net in the March 6 game at North Lincoln. /Matt Chapman

“We’ve spent the majority of our team practices focused on basic fundamentals like passing, catching and being in the right spot at the right time,” Gallagher said. “All these other teams we’re playing that have been around for years are able to fine tune things in practice and put in new plays, so it’s going to be a process. You have to walk before you can run.”

The experience has been similar for Glendye, whose team features just three players with prior experience. 

“I have two seniors and a bunch of sophomores, some of whom haven’t even played a sport before, let alone lacrosse,” she said. “It’s mostly been getting them comfortable with being out there on the field and helping them learn the game. They’ve put in a lot of hard work to get caught up to speed while also embracing the fact that it’s a new team and nothing is built in a day.”

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