Girls POTM: Lucy Kirmser
The Spectator’s April Player-of-the-Month is LFA Girls Varsity Lacrosse Captain, Lucy Kirmser ‘25. Averaging five points per game for a combined 63 points in 14 games last season, her grit and dedication to lacrosse earned her a commitment to play Division III lacrosse at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Before coming to LFA, her first memory of the sport began during COVID, “It was the first time I really picked up a stick, and I didn’t start taking it seriously until I made my first club team, Team One Premier, my freshman year.”
Lacrosse was always in her blood. Her father played on the Duke University Men’s Division I team. Aside from good genes, the comfort and calmness she derives from playing has helped her, “I never wanted to try so hard in sports before lacrosse.” Genuinely enjoying it and wanting to be better, bridged a connection of competitiveness and amusement she describes as, “I just think it’s fun.”
This season, Kirmser said her goals for the team are to place an emphasis on staying positive. This includes having a winning mentality, getting conditioned up and working on stick skills as steps toward improving the girls lacrosse team. “As a captain, my goals are to be encouraging, patient and, most importantly, a good leader,” said Kirmser. Focusing on the team bond, Kirmser preached what she practices: bringing a team together off the field, leading to a better one on it.
As a senior, it is important to her to set a precedent for the team. Instilling a love and joy for lacrosse, Kirmser said she hopes to inspire her teammates to play the sport as long as they can.
“I want people to be excited to come to practice every day, to be happy they chose lacrosse and not dread or fear me as a captain,” she said when discussing her drive to go the extra mile for the team.
She transfered into LFA, where girls’ lacrosse, “Taught me the importance of a collective, that no matter where you’re at skillswise or in experience, we can play together at the end of the day. That means a lot.”
Looking ahead, Kirmser will begin her official collegiate career playing lacrosse as a Mule this September. When reflecting on her recruitment journey, she explained the emotion she felt when she committed, saying, “I just felt super proud and accomplished and being there with my Dad, he was super proud as well.”
Boys POTM: Roman McLaurine
Roman McLaurine ‘26 has earned the April Player-of-the-Month for his performance and positive presence on the track team. A junior captain, McLaurine brings impressive race times and a powerful spirit to the team that his peers and coaches deeply appreciate.
As one of the captains, McLaurine provides needed support and guidance to others in the group, saying that he “connects with [his] peers and fellow athletes in practice” so he can “genuinely bond with them.” He wants his teammates to know that they have a captain who is always there for them. Additionally, McLaurine acts as a “hype man for his team,” pointing out how he “figures out who needs some tough love, kick-butt motivation, or more serious reassurance.” He deeply cares for his teammates and is always willing to help out in preparing for a race. McLaurine also loves his motivational speeches before meets and other competitions.
He also has several pre-game rituals to prepare himself mentally before competitions. McLaurine focuses on improving as a runner, stating he “reviews older race footage” to find things to tweak before each meet. He writes his thoughts down, visualizes the track, prays and then he’s in “that mode!” As he lines up to race, he does a little dance consisting of two jumps, a quick clap and a “little power scream” to get him ready to run.
His best events are the 200m and 400m, where he runs 23.83 and 53.3 seconds, respectively. Additionally, he competes in the 100m (4×1) with a time of 11.9. Even with such impressive stats, McLaurine is still dedicated to improving these times. However, his main priority is “helping others get faster, jump longer or higher and throw farther,” demonstrating his commitment to his team.
When it comes to pre-game music, McLaurine’s taste is split in two different directions. He lists some artists, saying, “I have hype songs from Kendrick Lamar, J Cole, Tyler the Creator, Smino, Vince Staples, Travis Scott, Denzel Curry and Metro Boomin.” He points out that this music “gets the job done” when he’s with teammates. He also enjoys listening to classical and jazz music before his meets. His favorite artists include “Chet Baker, Kenny Dorham, Joe Henderson and on the classical side, Piero Piccioni and Toshifumi Hinata”. Classical and jazz music are calming to him and help ease the pressure of performing. He is “able to enter a flow state that only jazz and classical music can help me reach.”
Hardworking, focused and full of heart, McLaurine is the embodiment of a true team leader. He continues to tear up the track as the season progresses.
