When asked to describe Grapevine Faith sophomore defender Claire Bryant, the first words her teammates and coaches will say are synonyms of hard work.

Although Bryant attends Grapevine Faith, she plays with the Coppell lacrosse team, as Grapevine Faith does not have a lacrosse program.

“She’s one of the hardest-working people I know,” New Tech High @ Coppell sophomore attack/midfielder Finley Tipton said. “I definitely look up to her and how much effort she puts into things. She’s an amazing player. A lot of people on defense [who] don’t put as much work into their stick skills because they figure they won’t have the ball as often but [Bryant] is always practicing. She’s just really dedicated and willing to work hard to get things done”

Bryant, who lives in Coppell, began her lacrosse career in third grade when her family friends, the Harp family, encouraged her to try it.

“When I [tried it], I loved it and now me and their daughter [Coppell sophomore midfielder/defender Sadie Harp] still play on the same club team,” Bryant said. “I love how fast lacrosse moves and it’s really cool how it takes a lot of different skills to play one game.”

After moving from Austin Elementary to Grapevine Faith in sixth grade, playing lacrosse became a way for Bryant to remain connected with friends at Coppell High School. 

“I look up to the girls who are older than me,” Bryant said. “Since I don’t go to Coppell, I don’t know a lot of them personally, but a few years ago, the team was really good and those girls were really successful in lacrosse. I hope I can be as inspirational as them to someone else.”

Bryant was one of 36 players invited to compete in the 2019 Cowboy Cup in Plano from Nov. 7-8, a tournament that college coaches put together teams of the most elite high school lacrosse players. In a prestigious position as the only female from North Texas to join the Cowboy Cup 2019 All-Tournament Team, Bryant gained valuable experience from playing with the best lacrosse players in the area. 

“It was different because they pulled a bunch of club players from different teams,” Bryant said. “It was pretty intimidating to play against them, but it was definitely a learning experience, not like what I’ve done before. Over 30 college coaches were there from Division I-III.”

Although defending doesn’t come with the spotlight scoring does, Bryant does not let that stop her from playing fiercely.

“[Bryant] plays good all around defense and she’s great [at] stopping the ball,” Tipton said. “She isn’t afraid to step in front of people which is really good. She’s also willing to step up all over the field.”

Coppell lacrosse coach Logan Hendrick agrees, adding that Bryant has a special aptitude for lacrosse.

“[Bryant] has the will to win,” Hendrick said. “As a coach, you can’t always teach someone or train someone to have the will to win. It is something each player has to decide for herself and develop from within. She fights to win from the first whistle to the last.”

Bryant also plays soccer at Grapevine Faith. 

“When I entered high school, I almost quit [lacrosse],” Bryant said. “It was a lot, and it’s still a lot, going to a different school and then playing a different sport there, but I didn’t have a sense of peace when I was telling everyone I was leaving. So I went back and played with my team for a little while, and my team understood I was still trying to figure things out. I just realized how much I would miss it when I was gone, and I’d been playing since fourth grade so it was pretty intertwined in my life.”

At the end of the fall season, Bryant was elected as one of four captains to lead the team this spring season.

“[Bryant] started out the fall season as a defender and shook her head at the thought of being a midfielder,” Hendrick said. “By the end of the fall she was contributing both on the offensive and defensive ends of the field as one of our starting midfielders. I think this responsibility is challenging her to further develop her already great foundational leadership skills.”

Follow Anjali (@anjalikrishna_) and @SidekickSports on Twitter.