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Sept. 25, 2008
FRESNO, Calif. - Starting a new sport isn't easy. In May, Fresno State women's lacrosse coach Sue Behme wondered if she would even have 23 girls on the roster when the team took the practice field in the fall. Now two weeks into fall practice the Bulldog coaching staff has 29 girls, many of whom are being taught how to play the sport for the first time.
"We have some really good student-athletes," Behme said. "Anytime you learn a new sport there is a huge learning curve. There is a different kind of running and conditioning, let along you have to learn a new sport on top of it. The most pleasing thing is that they are not giving up. That is a testament to their will."
Of the 29 only six have even played lacrosse. That doesn't faze Behme and her staff as the players are excited and eager to learn the game and be a part of history in being the first lacrosse team at Fresno State.
"This is something new and an opportunity to learn a sport that has been brought over from the East coast," newcomer Amira Ferreoo said. "All I knew about the sport was that there was a stick and a lot of running. It is always constant, on the go and fast paced. It's exciting and a great experience."
Another player who has stepped onto the lacrosse field for the first time is Aja Scheuber. Last year Scheuber was a member of the Bulldog softball team that finished the year ranked No. 15 in the country.
"It is completely different than playing softball," Scheuber said. "It is a lot quicker and everything is different than what I am used too. It's a great challenge but a lot of fun."
Scheuber and many other players on the team are excited about setting the foundation for future Bulldog lacrosse teams.
"It is cool to think that I will be able to look back in the future and say I was a part of the very first team," she said. "We are still learning the basics of the game but each day is getting better and we are catching on so quickly."
Way to go Aja------ From Grandma & Grandpa.
