Chants of “Who got my back, I got your back” rang through the San Jose State club lacrosse team huddle during its practice.
Business senior Aaron Escobar, president of the club lacrosse team, said he became involved with the sport in Summer 2016 and started playing Spring 2017 in high school.
He joined the SJSU club lacrosse team when he was a freshman in Fall 2019.
“The sport is growing so quickly here in California,” Escobar said. “Every year, it seems like you hear about more and more schools getting lacrosse teams and people getting into the sport.”
Wesley Hovatter, applied economics graduate student and team treasurer, said the team markets itself as a no-experience-required team.
This fall marks Hovatter’s third year with the team but he has been playing the sport for nine years.
“People don’t realize how good they can get in just three weeks,” Hovatter said regarding why the team doesn’t require experience.
Last year, the club was struggling to find potential players, but this year has been the opposite.
Head coach Derek de Lemos said it’s a good problem to have too many players this year.
Escobar said there are many members who are striving to improve their skill sets by reaching out and practicing with others.
He said one of his favorite memories is when the team traveled to Southern Oregon University and beat the Raiders in overtime 16-15 on Feb. 22, 2020.
“That was my best moment of my freshman year by far because I really got to bond with that team extremely well,” Escobar said. “People talk about ‘Oh, you’ll make so many memories in college.’ Like that was it. That was a memory that I’m going to keep with me for the rest of my life."
Hovatter said he initially joined the team to play around, but as he served in leadership roles including being president last year, he learned competence, leadership and managing responsibilities and relationships with other lacrosse programs.
He said his fondest memory came during a 17-0 shutout against Cal Poly Humboldt, formerly known as Humboldt State University as well as the time where the team enjoyed “hanging out being bros” at the beach during a Los Angeles trip.
The team is still in the process of constructing its winning formula for when its season starts in Spring 2023 by hosting scrimmages and exhibition matches at the recreational fields located at South Campus.
To prepare, the team is playing other club teams including University of California, Santa Cruz, Chico State University and St. Mary’s College while also playing post-collegiate teams such as the Palo Alto Ducks.
Escobar said club lacrosse at SJSU is built by a strong network of alumni who have and want to share the love of the sport especially since all four coaches were former SJSU club lacrosse players.
“Alumni, dating all the way back from 2006, come out to play a game against our current team, just purely out of love for the team,” Escobar said.
Though the team is in the preseason, its players have high aspirations for the spring as they hope to make a playoff push and participate in Nationals.
“We’re here to make ourselves better by introducing people to new things and new sports,” Hovatter said. “It really is like a brotherhood.”
