A few years ago, Prince George’s County was a black hole surrounded by Maryland counties buzzing with eager, athletic lacrosse players. Because of this divide, a few PG county schools were forced to create club teams that played against out of county schools at a much higher caliber. Last year, lacrosse finally became a varsity sport, 20 years after the first club team was started at the home of the raiders. This year, the raiders hope to continue to move forward in their upcoming season in the spring.

Jeffrey Holmes, who has been playing lacrosse since 4th grade, said the major difference between playing as a club sport versus as a team sport, is that the former was “more competitive” where as in PG County “it’s everyone learning the game”. Rolando Pineda began playing last year, so he said he isn’t sure “how it changed”, but he noted that he does “plan on changing how [he] approaches opponents this year”. Chiemeziem Oguayo, who also began playing last year, said he hopes they “can do better as a team and go further” than they did in the previous year.

Up until last year, Roosevelt and Bowie lacrosse players played together as a unit against other out-of-county schools under Roosevelt’s name. Regardless of the team’s past, much like the other athletic teams at Roosevelt, Holmes and Rolando agree that “Bowie” is their rival. Holmes added that the team “can’t wait to see those guys again”. He plans on playing lacrosse in college and of as now has three interests–Theil College, Mercyhurst Northeast, and Hood College.  The team has two other players planning on playing in college–Elias Kallon and Gerald Maravanyika. Oguayo also said he knows a few people who are going to try to play for “Hampton” or “Morgan”.

The official season begins in March and continues until mid-May. The team will play against teams throughout the county, and if they advance to finals, they will play against more established teams in other parts of Maryland. To prepare, they are practicing earlier to give “newcomers the opportunity of learning the game early”, Holmes said. Oguayo said he has “been conditioning” and “trying to workout and run more” to prepare.

Lacrosse began as a tribal Native American sport played by Eastern Woodlands Native Americans and Plain Indians tribes in present day Canada. The sport didn’t get its reputation as a “white sport” until Europeans came to America and adopted and redesigned it. Many people don’t know, but lacrosse is Maryland’s state sport. With increasing interest in a county with a high minority population, it continue its way into becoming a more inclusive sport.