Jazmin Cole, San Fransisco, CA
I am a newcomer to the game of lacrosse and I really love it. My high school doesn't have a girls' team,
so I am the only girl on the boys' varsity team. Being a freshman and a girl, the team wasn't exactly
thrilled to see me on the field. Many of my teammates weren't very encouraging and didn't take me
seriously-- believing I would quit after the first check or cry if I broke a nail. However, the man who
always had faith in me, besides my own dad, was a longtime player and father of a teammate. Mr. John
"Jack" Pierce really inspired me to do my best when it seemed that nobody else cared.
Jack was the person who first taught me how to throw and catch with a lacrosse stick. As I awkwardly tossed
him the ball, he was already telling me about what I would do on the team and what I good player I would
be. During the season, I spent alot of time on the bench. After every game he attended, he would shake
my hand and congratulate me on a great game. Always seeing the positive sides of situations, Jack was never
without kind words of encouragement when I was downcast. When practices were rough or schoolwork completely
drained my energy and it seemed impossible to deal with, I thought of how much he believed in me and in my
abilities and pushed through it. So to Jack Pierce, thank you for always having faith in me and helping
me see past the negative attitudes of teammates and realize the true beauty of the game.