By Shivani Burra

Emerging Media Manager

Freshman Benjamin Goyne started playing Lacrosse in fourth grade and inspired his senior brother JP to join as well. The brothers have been playing side by side on varsity lacrosse , but have different roles on the team.

“Since Ben is a freshman on the team, we see him as a player who is going to develop more and not get that much playing time on the field,” JP said. “Our main goal is to get Ben a lot of experience and practice from the older guys on the team. When we graduate, that will allow him to guide the team and have the most experience. “

Ben’s mentality of the atmosphere is quite the opposite than his brother who has been on the team for four years now.

“I think the team knows I should and deserve to be here but they do not treat me like I am old, like the rest of them,” Ben said. “They put me last for everything. I get why they do it and I do not really mind it.”

Lacrosse is not a sport that is practiced during the school day, unlike many of the sports offered at CHS, requiring an extra level of commitment from the players.

“I used to practice with varsity when I was a freshman,” JP said.  “I used to think that all the seniors were huge and it was kind of intimidating. Ben is doing well adapting to the team. He has me and knows most of the guys on the team which makes it easier for him.”

Collaboration is required in any team sport, and working together becomes easier when you know about the people on your team.

Their mother believes the brothers provide a special dynamic that is needed in making the team run smoothly.

“It is fun because JP is on defense and Ben is on offense, so they are not really against each other,” Mrs. Goyne said. “They are on the same team helping each other out. Although, I hear sometimes at practices they can be against each other and that can be a little brutal.”

Sports call for competitive and aggressive nature. Ben and JP have not let the aggressive nature of sports ruin their relationship.

“I do not think they have been competitive with each other, but they are both very competitive in their own right,” Mrs.Goyne said. “Because they are so far apart in age, they have never been competing for the same thing. They lift each other and compete but they never compete against one another.”

All the time spent on lacrosse outside of school proves that both brothers are serious about improving and being the best. Both plan to continue their passion for lacrosse and go farther than the high school level.

“I am going to college at the University of Texas,” JP said. “They have a club team there which is pretty good. It is filled with guys that were not recruited to top schools. It should be fun.”

Before teammates they are brothers and have a special yet different relationship than those of their teammates, but on and off the field they continue to support each other.

Video By: Kristen Anderson and Kazushi Matsumoto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB9R39IMNQY