When it comes to sports, usually the game of lacrosse doesn’t come to mind, but for senior Brandon Barlow that’s one thing he always thinks about. After playing soccer up to his 8th grade year, he decided to switch to the physical, fast-paced, aggressive game of lacrosse.

“I switched because I just loved the game of lacrosse more than soccer, and I really wanted to excel at the game so I chose to focus on lacrosse,” Barlow said.

Lacrosse can help build endurance and stamina, and is considered a highly competitive sport. Players must have size, strength, power, speed, agility and endurance. Players are almost constantly moving as they attempt to maneuver the ball into the goal.

“A good player, like any other sport, needs to have good communication,” teammate Nathaniel Thomason said. “The skilled player might be one that can keep the ball in his stick, but a good player can keep track of the ball while watching the rest of the field.”

Barlow plays for the Hazelwood Hawks, while attending FHN. His junior year, his Hazelwood team took State for Missouri Division II lacrosse. When Barlow moved here he was very surprised that FHN didn’t have a team.

“I was disappointed, but excited at the same time because that meant that I could still stay with my Hazelwood bros,” Barlow said.

The Howell district currently does not have a lacrosse team, but starting next year there will be an interest survey for students, so their opinion can make a difference.

“It’s not a school sanctioned sport by MSSHA, and also the student interest would have to be there,” activities director Mike Janes said.