Although it is not yet a familiar sport in Korea, lacrosse is played in many countries around the world. Among the very few university lacrosse teams in Korea, Ewha Lacrosse is said to be one of the most skillful and accomplished teams, with several national athletes.
Ewha Lacrosse was established in September 2012 by two students majoring in international studies. Though it started out as a club within the Division of International Studies, Ewha Lacrosse now openly recruites students of all majors.
“All of our members are from different areas of study and span across all colleges in Ewha,” said Choi Ye-ji, the captain of Ewha Lacrosse. “We have all gathered in this team because of our mutual interest in lacrosse, regardless of the level of prior experience.”
Since the club’s establishment, Ewha Lacrosse has participated in the University Leagues every year. The club also won the annual Women’s Lacrosse University League twice in a row, proving their competence as a team. Other than the University League, Ewha Lacrosse participates in the Indoor League, Summer League, and other events held by the Korea Lacrosse Association.
Even though winning matches is an important matter, their biggest goal as a team is for every member to have fun and enjoy playing lacrosse.
“When there are upcoming tournaments, we do focus on training to win the competition,” Choi commented. “But most importantly we try to provide a safe and fun environment for everyone who wants to participate.”
The club also has members who play internationally; among the club, three members are currently part of the national women’s lacrosse team. Last summer, these members went to the United Kingdom to participate in the 2017 FIL Rathbone Women’s Lacrosse World Cup.
“As a representative of Korea, when I was on the field, I felt shivers,” said Roh Heejun, a member of Ewha Lacrosse and Korea’s international lacrosse team. “When I saw all of the international athletes, I hoped that we could develop our skills in the next four years so we could be an even stronger team in the next international tournament.”
Lacrosse is a very intensive sport, involving lots of physical activity that can easily lead to injuries. There is even a sticker on the lacrosse stick saying “Warning: Lacrosse is a dangerous sport that can cause devastating injuries.”
“I have been injured and had my wrist in a cast before,” Choi said. “I’ve also seen people who have broken their nose and gotten other injuries. We have to wear mouth guards and goggles during our matches. Despite this, it’s such an attractive sport to play, so we continue to enjoy it.”
The team also shares many memorable moments.
“There are so many instances that I remember fondly, but out of all of them, the most memorable moment was when our team won the league, in which we were the undefeated champion, with two members named the MVP,” Choi remarked. “Even me, a freshman at the time, scored a goal, and I really enjoyed the sense of team camaraderie and encouragement.”
Ewha Lacrosse hopes to further develop as a club and achieve more victories as the club continues to grow, especially in regards of the annual university lacrosse league that is held every fall.
“We hope that more people will become interested and more get involved in our club,” Choi said. “Ewha Lacrosse is a great opportunity for anyone that is looking to have fun and enjoy some good competition.”