After a year that saw growth of both its membership and board, the Vashon Lacrosse Club is gearing up for the spring season with three girls’ teams and five boys’ teams ready to take the field.

This past off-season found several club high schoolers playing select with a couple of area teams. Joe Giglieri and Mason Rice played in a tournament in Canada against our perennially strong neighbors to the north for Issaquah, and Duncan McMillan (goalie), Paris Brown (midfield), Jake Carmon and Kiryk Mozeleski (both on attack) have been playing for the South Sound Starz’ High School elite team, which has seen success on the road in Vancouver, Washington, Nevada and at the closer-to-home “Space Needle Shootout,” where they went 3-1. Mitchell Nye is also playing for the next younger Starz team as goalie. Board member Greg Martin said, in an email to The Beachcomber, that it was a real learning experience to see the brother/sisterhood in the sport, particularly watching a number of Starz’ alumni and older players coming back to coach the younger athletes coming up.

And speaking of alumni, the lacrosse club leaders are proud to note that VHS graduate Kaia Elenko is the current captain of the University of Montana girls’ lacrosse team.

Looking ahead, adult referees are needed, and the club offers to help fund the training for those who are interested. The pay is $50 per game, and demand is reportedly high region-wide. High schoolers may also train to ref the younger teams, but they must be a minimum of two years older than the teams they wish to referee. And Martin said that “refereeing is one of the best ways to get leadership training at a young age.” For more information on becoming a lacrosse referee, see waloa.info/training.

Registration is currently open for the VLC’s spring season, and all players are welcome. For more information and to register, see vashonlacrosse.net.

Go Vultures! Go Valkyries!

This story was written with information provided by VLC board member Greg Martin.