Lacrosse is a game of patience, technique and finding just that right time to strike. For the IU Men’s Club Lacrosse team, they work on all of those and more. It is a game that has been around longer than any other sport in the country, but is just now growing in the state of Indiana. At IU though, it has become a powerhouse in club sports. Established in 1975, the team struggled to build consistency until a coaching change a few years back, bringing in Pete Nelson, who played in college and was an assistant with the club until he was promoted to full-time head coach six years ago. Although the program that he oversees is not directly affiliated with the university, Nelson makes sure his players work just as hard as if it was.

And just like any other team on campus, they work year-round. The team starts right after the club fair in August and play all the way through May. Last year, the team played deep into May, falling just short of achieving their goal of being national champions when they lost in the championship game. Now, this has not always been the case. Before Nelson, the team struggled to find players and win more than just a handful of games. It took time for players to see the vision and buy into it. Even for some of the seniors, it did not start out perfectly, but for Senior Captain Sam Heaps, that wasn’t a problem.

Heaps and his senior classmates know how important they are to the program. It is partially because of them that IU has been able to turn the corner and find sustained success, unlike some other programs. Though their time with the team is nearing completion, they know that they’ll leave a legacy of success. The only way to leave it perfectly though: winning that ever elusive title.