After a two year absence from the Marin County Athletic League (MCAL), the Archie Williams boys lacrosse team returned to the league this spring. The program faced challenges in recent seasons due to a lack of players, which prevented it from fielding a complete team. During that time, many competitive boys lacrosse players opted to enroll at other high schools with stronger lacrosse programs, such as Redwood High School or Marin Catholic High School, or prioritized club and travel teams, hoping to enhance their individual skills and gain exposure to collegiate recruiters.

However, this year marks the Archie Williams program’s long-awaited return to league competition. Archie Williams boys lacrosse now fields a complete roster, and players and coaches have embraced the opportunity to rebuild the team. The return to MCAL play gives the team a platform to measure their progress against local opponents while reestablishing their presence in a competitive league setting.

While the boys lacrosse program struggled with participation in past years, the girls’ lacrosse program has historically had no issues with their roster, consistently forming both varsity and junior varsity teams. Senior girls lacrosse player Stella Smoot noticed the struggles of the boys team throughout her lacrosse career at Archie Williams. Based on her four years of experience, she believes that focusing on the fundamentals of the sport will help the boys team grow.

“Honestly, [the boys] just need to get to know each other as players and figure out how they play together as a team. [What] I’ve seen with a lot of sports teams, specifically at our school, is that there’s a lot of really great players, but they don’t technically have the works to be a great team yet,” Stella said.

While learning the basics of the sport is a priority for boys lacrosse coach Brandon Carney, he believes that building team chemistry is just as important. With both experienced and inexperienced players, Carney believes that the team must work hard to play cohesively, bridge the gap, and develop a strong team ethic. Once the team develops this strong bond, Carney hopes to see more fluidity in their gameplay, creating a strong foundation for the future of the program.

“We want to get players to progress individually as players, young men, and collectively as a team… It’s not just teaching guys to play lacrosse, the technical aspects, but it’s also what it means to be on a team…So there’s work to be done there too, and we’re trying to work on all of the above,” Carney said.

Carney coaches the boys lacrosse team alongside assistant coaches John Zerbe, Paul Haberlein, Jay Sherlock, and Nick Svenson. Last season, Zerbe coached the team alone. This year, the expanded staff brings fresh energy and expertise to player development.

Carney is not the only one hopeful for the future of this program. Senior goalie Isaac Pierce has seen the boys lacrosse program go from being ineligible for MCALs to putting forth a complete roster. Isaac appreciates the coaching staff this year, with five coaches assisting the team.

“These coaches, the five that we have right now, are here to stay. I think they personally want to rebuild this program because it means something to them…As [Carney] said, most of the playmakers on this team are in fact underclassmen, so they’re going to be here for a few more years, which is great,” Isaac said.

Now that the season is underway, the boys lacrosse team continues working toward long-term success. With committed players and an experienced coaching staff, the program looks to build a strong foundation. Regardless of this season’s record, the team has taken a decisive step toward revitalizing boys lacrosse at Archie Williams.