Starting this spring FHN will offer a new sport: girls’ lacrosse.

“Being the head coach and being able to come up with the whole season plan and going through the whole process is a lot of fun,” Head coach Ryan Darks said.

According to Coach Darks, the idea about forming a girls lacrosse team was first thought after a non-sports related complaint was filed. Then the school district saw that a less girls played sports in the district than compared to boys. The district then did a survey amongst high school and middle school girls to see what sport they would want to see offered. Girls’ lacrosse had an overwhelming response.

“When I first found out that they were adding lacrosse I was kind of stunned, and it was a sport that I absolutely loved in high school,” Darks said. “For me, it ended up being a sport that I loved and made a lot of life long friendships that I got through the sport.”

There are many different pieces of equipment when playing lacrosse- like the lacrosse stick which is used to catch and hold the ball, goggles to guard the eyes, a mouth guard, arm pads and gloves. Girls’ lacrosse has up to 12 players on the field at once compared to boys lacrosse which has only up to 10 players each time, with 25-minute halves.

“I thought it would be something new, interesting and fun to learn and I like team sports,” sophomore Briana Schmidt said. “I figured it would be something to expand my horizons.”

The team has their first game March 23 at FHHS. Most of the teams that they will compete against are private schools. It was decided that they wouldn’t have tryouts this year since most people who are on the team haven’t had any experience playing the sport. Practices started Feb. 29 and are every day after school. The first informational meeting had roughly 40 girls interested in playing this year.

“I like to stay active and meet people who have the same interest,” Schmidt said.