Troy Loper

Lacrosse has origins as a game played by Native Americans to settle tribal differences. Today, it’s a competitive sport, growing in popularity; according to a report by California Interscholastic Federation, it was the fastest-growing sport in the state in 2017. Troy Loper is a lacrosse player from Seaside who’s seen that growth happen locally, and worked to carve out his own competitive position in a community that wasn’t always big on lacrosse.

Despite not having a team at Seaside High School, Loper has made it to the Division I collegiate level, and has been accepted to play at Cleveland State starting in 2019. His athletic – as well as academic – path hasn’t been without twists. He began his collegiate career at UC Santa Barbara, left school and returned home to Seaside. After spending two years coaching locally, training and taking classes, the 21-year-old is gearing up to take another shot at college and his athletic career. Cleveland State’s 2018 schedule included Duke University, Penn State and University of Denver, which are some of the best lacrosse teams in the country, if not the world. Next year, Loper will represent Monterey County lacrosse on some of the game’s biggest stages.

Weekly: How did you get into lacrosse?

Loper: My mom signed me up for a local YMCA summer camp, and I immediately was like, “Wow, this is fun, I love this.” I couldn’t really pass and catch because I was still learning, but I had fun. I was a pretty hyper kid that played a lot of sports, so I enjoyed the contact. I went on to play with the local youth program, Monterey Tribe, and just went from there.

You’ve since come back to Monterey Tribe to coach. What’s that like?

At their age it really comes down to having fun and learning. It’s kind of surreal, because a decade ago I was in their same place.

Why would you recommend the game of lacrosse to young players?

It’s a very likeable game because there’s a lot of action. There’s contact, which is fun, it’s fast-paced and it’s fun to watch. When I was a kid I would get in trouble when I wasn’t doing anything. Lacrosse kept me busy. For some kids it can be a healthy outlet if they have problems or can’t express their emotions in certain ways, or just have some built-up energy they need to get out. It’s similar to how writers, singers and songwriters express themselves through their art because that’s the only way they know how. I think with sports, it’s the same thing.

You went to Seaside High, which doesn’t have a lacrosse program. How were you able to develop your game without a team at your school?

I was the only kid in the whole school that played lacrosse, one out of 1,000. I always found a way to play, whether it was driving a couple hours up to the Bay Area for a practice, or just grabbing my stick and finding a wall. I’ve broken a lot of windows in my years (laughs). I’d say it’s worth it.

Was playing Division I athletics always a goal of yours?

It was always there, but there wasn’t much reinforcement. I always thought it would be cool to play Division I but everyone would tell me its a full-time job, and that got me down a bit. Lately I’ve been thinking, you never know until you try it. If you go for it and it doesn’t work out, at least you know you tried.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

I listen to the song “Bro Hymn” by Pennywise, which always gets me pumped. I try and get in that mental zone a few hours before. I wake up in the morning like, “Its game day!” and that’s my mood throughout the whole day.

Any secrets to athletic success you’d like to share?

No matter what sport it is, play as much as you can. If you’re doing it every day it will add up. Having that grit and loving the grind, wanting to go 100 percent every time you step on the field, is the effort that you have to give. If you’re hungry for the opportunity to play, give all you’ve got, and then more, you will be successful.

SUMMER LACROSSE happens on Wednesdays until Aug. 8. 7-8pm for youth ages 12-14 ($15/session), 8-10pm for high school and college students ($30/session). Water City Roller Hockey, 2801 2nd Ave., Marina. bixbyballerslax.com