Boys Lacrosse Co-Captain Nick Norris ’26 embraces the sport’s fast pace and competitiveness while also recognizing the importance of building a strong team and community. Although he previously quit lacrosse early on, he later returned and continued playing through high school.
Norris started playing lacrosse in fifth grade but initially struggled with the sport’s physical demands and stepped away. After the pandemic, Norris returned to lacrosse in eighth grade with a renewed mindset.
“I actually picked [lacrosse] up in fifth grade. I was super hot, and I hated it at first, but then I re-picked it up in eighth grade. I fell in love with the sport, and I just kept going. I played for three years at my public school, then I came here. And now, as a Senior, I love it. I think it’s the best of all sports; it’s fast, it’s physical, and it’s very skillful,” said Norris.
As a Co-Captain, Norris helps set expectations for both team culture and practices. Adrien Mosher ’29 described Norris’s balance of team bonding with a more focused mindset during training.
“When we’re outside [practice] hanging out, he makes sure that everyone’s there, and that we’re all talking, laughing, and having fun. But in practice, it’s serious. He makes sure that we’re all trying to learn everything that Coach is teaching us. It’s a good change-up during practice, and he does the best job at it out of any other person on the team,” said Mosher.
Norris also spoke about the role of team relationships in his experience of the sport.
“I play best when I’m having fun. There are so many amazing people on the team, and practicing with them every day, playing games with them, the ups and downs. It creates all these connections and this camaraderie that I haven’t seen anywhere else. It puts a smile on my face every time I walk into the locker room. As a captain, that’s something I love about the team,” said Norris.
Mosher also described how Norris has helped him adjust to field lacrosse.
“I’m new to field lacrosse. I’ve only ever played box lacrosse, so the systems are a bit different. I’ve asked Norris a couple of questions to clarify what some vocabulary terms mean, and other little tweaks that have helped improve my game drastically,” said Mosher.
Teammate Daniel Ko ’29 described Norris’ approachability, citing examples of his efforts to include every player in team activities.
“I have a lot of conversations with him, and I shoot with him pretty often. He’s an inclusive guy. He always makes sure no one’s left out, and he asks anyone if they want to work out with him or practice with him to get better,” said Ko.
Norris reflected that he has worked to be more open to others.
“I’m a person who feels like they can do it by themselves, and don’t need outside help. But every time I’ve gotten outside advice, it’s really helpful for my game. I try to be that open, inviting leader that everyone else can talk to,” said Norris.
