Stevenson: Pronounced Arm
So, I am from Utah County. I started my lacrosse team in high school with a few friends because we heard there was a new league in Utah that was going to be forming. That was 1994. We merged with another high school because we didn’t really have enough kids to make an entire team. Our uniforms were t shirts, cut extra big, and were an ugly royal blue.
Two stories from that season come back to me now. The first is our first game. I had volunteered to be the goalie the practice before our first game (mostly because I was told there would be a lot less running involved), and as such had never actually played goalie when that game rolled around. I think someone had mentioned that I should get a cup, but I forgot. So into the game I go, never once realizing that a ball is going to be shot at me multiple times during the game, possibly damaging my manhood. Luckily, no damage was done. I did attempt to pass the ball and it rolled out the back of my stick and into the goal. We lost zero to eight that day to The Waterford School. It was tragic. I did go purchase a cup right after the game, and never once scored on myself again, so lessons were learned.
The second story comes from the last regular season game we played. We were a little more experienced and finally won a game against Park City. After the game, as we were shaking hands a fight broke out with one of their players and my teammate right in front of me. Nothing really happened, but I made a vow to always wear my helmet during each line up after the game. Didn’t want to hurt my pretty face.
Why bore you with my tales of bad high school lacrosse? Would you rather hear about my days playing Magic: The Gathering in 10th grade? I didn’t think so. Actually, my point was, that 15 years ago when I was first introduced to lacrosse by some great men, I was young and dumb. I looked up to the players I met who played in Colorado. This beacon of lacrosse in the west. I am a little surprised that I, a little Utah lax rat, gets to coach one of the best Universities in the state of Colorado, let alone the nation. I am honored that I get to coach at such a great school, with so many great lacrosse players.
What will I talk about here on the Collegelax site? Probably make fun of Jason Lamb’s beautiful hair and Mark Tschaggeny’s inability to have a girlfriend. Maybe even Jordan Harris’s glandular problems. JP told me that I couldn’t make fun of his excellent beard, but that Kenny Broschart is free game. If only there was something to tease him about.
Pete Stevenson hails from Orem (pronounced ARM), Utah and is now the head coach of the University of Colorado Buffaloes. He was an assistant at Brigham Young, where he learned the value of a good ride, and great hair. You can read more of his ponderings on his very non-lacrosse related blog.
