Curtis has both a girls and boys JV lacrosse team, each with exemplary records. JV boys lacrosse coach Mr. McGhie explained,“from confidence to skill to endurance, JV allows everyone a safe, and efficient path to development.” Additionally, it is the belief of the JV girls lacrosse coach, Mr. Deconzo, that JV allows for the students to learn the fundamentals of teamwork and respect. All in all, JV lacrosse is a chance for student athletes to hone their skills, find their talents, and build connections that will no doubt help them on their journey to varsity.

Unfortunately, these two teams face one obstacle: opponents, or rather, a lack of them. You see, there are five JV girls teams in all of New York City, and only three for the boys. With the lack of teams comes many challenges.  The biggest challenge is the repetitive nature of the opponents. The entire season for JV lacrosse consists of three matches against New Dorp and Tottenville, which, if you’re unaware, is a lot. Typically, other sports teams only face the same opposing high schools one to two times.

The amount of teams makes it so that variety in opposition, something that is crucial for development in any sport, is virtually nonexistent. This greatly limits and hinders the development of all of the JV lacrosse teams. The quantity of opponents isn’t the only issue. The difficulty that comes with scheduling such matches when you have so few options cannot be overstated.

Mr. Ritzer, the Curtis athletic director acknowledged the benefits of the JV lacrosse teams. When questioned about the future of JV lacrosse at Curtis, he stated that the lack of teams “definitely a problem” and that he is “not sure about the future of JV lacrosse.” In the end, he said that whether or not lacrosse will continue was more of a PSAL decision, but he did not feel optimistic.

Nevertheless, thanks to the dedication of coaches McGhie and Deconzo, the school  continues to have the honor of rooting for these incredible teams.