The alarm rings. Sixth Form lacrosse captain Jack Long reaches for his phone and shuts it off. Walking through the dark towards his dresser, his bed has never looked more comfortable.
It’s 5:00 a.m. on a cold, dark February morning. The morning dew is frozen, and Long’s Ford Expediton’s heating hasn’t yet warmed his freezing body. “You have to do it,” Long said. “Every year throughout my high school career, I have done it.”
These early mornings are no stranger to Long or anyone who plays lacrosse at Haverford. “Wednesday morning workouts” leading up to the spring season have been a tradition for longer than many can remember.
“It’s part of being on the team,” Sixth Form goalie Banks Young said. “It builds discipline and brings us together.”
While these Wednesday Morning Workouts may be most challenging and highest attended, the lacrosse team finds ways to implement practice at unusual times.
“There are guys out there every morning,” Young said. “It builds character for the young players to hit the wall or shoot a few before school.”
Banks emphasizes discipline, commitment to the team, and buying into the program’s successful history.
“When everyone else is with you, it makes you feel like you are in it together,” Young said. “It motivates you to go the extra mile and work hard.”
When many players arrive on campus, it is still dark out. No one is at the school, nor do many want to be. But winning is earned, not given, and that’s why the grueling tradition has stood the test of time.
“Every guy not playing a winter sport is expected to be there, no excuses, and every guy is,” Long said. “It’s a way to show the team that you’re all in.”
The workouts are no joke, either. Ninety minutes of intense cardio leave many Third Formers debating their future with the program. It also serves as a reality check for upperclassmen who missed out on Strength and Conditioning coach Matthew Roskos’s challenging winter workouts.
Many players prepare for the exercise by going to those workouts, which prepare them for the season. The workouts leading up to the winter bolster the players’ strength while keeping them ready for cardio.
“Being together as a team is important,” Long said. “It builds a chemistry between the guys, and we know we are going to battle for one or the other.”
In contrast to Coach Rosko’s workouts, which not all can attend, the “Wednesday Morning Workouts” play a pivotal role in building team bonding and the team’s success.
“When it comes down to it, if you want to succeed, you have to prepare,” Young said.
That’s why many, if not all, players work out independently in preparation for the looming winter.
But even with this preparation, some players must prepare for the morning challenges. Often, many players’ days or weeks may be spent recovering from the mornings.
“A few guys end up throwing up every year,” Young said. “The workouts are hard, and if you’re not prepared, it will show quickly.”
While many students arrive on campus, the team continues its work. After the intense cardio workout, the players enter the locker room. No words are said, just hands over the head and heavy breathing. But the morning seems okay after a shower, an omelet from the dining hall, and talking with buddies over breakfast.
“I mean, in the end, we all want to win,” Long said. “We will never do that if we do not do ordinary things.”
Ordinary is not a word you associate with an eighteen-time Inter-Ac championship team. Buying into that concept produces the results the community has come to expect.
Haverford Lacrosse’s culture will not be leaving anytime soon. And as long as the early mornings, harsh workouts, and dedication are maintained, the success won’t either.
