Calling all aspiring artists and writers.

USA Lacrosse Magazine is featuring the creative works of youth and high school lacrosse players. The submissions below appear in the January edition of USA Lacrosse Magazine. Join our momentum.

WHAT KEEPS ME PLAYING
AN ESSAY BY ANSHI MEHRA

Anshi Mehra, 13, is a USA Lacrosse member from Corte Madera, Calif.

It was a pleasant day as my mom and I walked by our neighboring city’s middle school. Lush green mountains surrounded us. It was a tranquil, peaceful moment.

“Who’s got ball!” someone hollered as a group of girls practiced some sort of sport. Whatever sport it was, it was loud, and it seemed sort of violent. “Bloody knuckles, everyone. Remember, bloody knuckles.”

I nudged my mom with my elbow and pointed at the girls. I wonder if she knew the name of this very aggressive sport.

“Oh, that’s lacrosse,” she said. “I enrolled you in a camp for this summer. It should be fun.”

Although I was dismayed then, it turned out to be the beginning of my involvement and enjoyment of team sports. A couple months later, I was on my first girls’ lacrosse team.

I had tried out numerous other sports, from soccer to basketball and even swimming. There were aspects to each of them I enjoyed, but not enough for me to keep playing them. Lacrosse was a combination of many of the sports I had previously played.

However, that’s not what keeps me playing. It’s not the face pace of the game or how you always have to be on your toes. It’s not the exhilarating feeling of running across the field with the ball or defending well. What I love most about lacrosse is that it’s not about being the best individually; it’s about creating a community, and truly creating a team.

Shoutout to Southern Marin Lacrosse Club!

LIVE BRAVELY, LEAD FOR GOOD
ARTWORK BY TRES STARKOWSKI

Tres Starkoski, 18, a USA Lacrosse member since 2013, painted his Cascade S helmet with a cityscape of Saint James School (Md.) in advanced art class to highlight the school’s motto, “Live Bravely, Lead for Good,” celebrating the diverse school community and lacrosse program under the leadership of coach John Tucker, a National Lacrosse Hall of Famer.

100-GOAL WONDER
ILLUSTRATION BY EMMA MORGAN

Emma Morgan, 13, of Woodstown, New Jersey, has played lacrosse since second grade and currently competes for the South Jersey Shamrocks 2026 club team. Like the rest of us, she’s in awe of Charlotte North.

This drawing, based on a photo Morgan saw in USA Lacrosse Magazine, commemorates North’s NCAA record-setting 102-goal season. In addition to the triple-digit jersey number, “I tweaked some things to emphasize the BC colors,” writes Morgan, a USA Lacrosse member since 2015. “Honestly, the black-and-white drawing makes her look super strong! I hope you consider putting this in your magazine.”

Done and done, Emma. If you’re half as good with a lacrosse stick as you are with a pencil, we’ll surely cross paths again.