Deep breaths. Firm stance. Tight grip. As attackers rush towards her, Jocelyn Lee ’24 stands her ground, rallying the team to move as one. Despite the opposing team’s relentless attack, Lee steps up as captain and, using her grit and perseverance, leads the lacrosse team to victory.

Lee has always been a very athletic and competitive person. At a young age, she was trying out different sports, and eventually stuck with lacrosse in fifth grade. At first Lee played for fun, and then began to compete more.

“Lacrosse was just the [sport] that I liked the most,” said Lee. “All my friends did

lacrosse, so it was really fun for me. It was more of a fun [activity] than a sport until high school, and then I got really competitive.”

After playing club lacrosse throughout middle school, Lee joined the PHS Varsity Lacrosse team her freshman year as a defender. Despite this achievement, Lee was frustrated after being left out of the starting lineup. However, her determination, hard work, and perseverance paid off in the end, and she’s become a vital asset to the team.

“I would go [at] the beginning of the season [and] I really had to work hard and show that I was ... able to play ... I ended up becoming a starter and I ... had to work my way [up],” Lee said.

In women’s lacrosse, there are 10 players: a goalie, two attackers, three midfielders, and four defenders. While every position holds a key role, the team relies heavily on Lee and the rest of the defenders to stop the opposing team from scoring.

Assistant Varsity Coach Charles Gallagher of the girls lacrosse team recognized Lee’s skill, leadership and responsibility early on, and rates her as one of the most important players on the team.

“She’s a really solid player for us [and] leads our defensive unit. We have four to five girls on defense and she really takes great command,” said Gallagher. “As a group, [her] understanding of the game brings a lot of experience, [a lot of] really good, savvy lacrosse play to our program.”

Little details, like predicting how the other team will score the ball, what formations they’ll use, and knowing how to counter them can drastically change the outcome of the match. As the team’s captain, organizing and encouraging fellow players is one thing, but teaching them to adapt to these details is a whole other challenge that comes with the role. Not everyone may be as experienced, so Lee takes care of everyone by ensuring they’re prepared to achieve a winning game.

“Morale can get low if the other team is scoring a lot on us,” said Lee. “So a lot of times I try to raise people’s ... optimism and cheer them up.”

Lee, acting as captain and defender, is a pillar of reliability for the team. Her teammate Samantha Henderson ’24 admires her communication skills and understanding of the game.

“She knows a lot about the sport and knows what feedback to give players [and] ... leads the defensive unit by example,” said Henderson. “She [also] communicates well and teaches others to do so too. She is a very strong defender and is very knowledgeable about what a good defense looks like.”

With years of lacrosse under her belt and experience as a captain for the second year in a row, Lee’s stats are impressive. Last year, Lee achieved 41 forced turnovers, which is when a player forces the opposing team to lose the ball, the highest on the team. In addition, Lee was given the Unsung Hero award at a lacrosse conference. Most defensive players don’t get their names in the papers as much as midfielders or attackers; Lee’s reliability and skill earned her the award. Looking beyond her impressive statistics, Lee is equally successful because of her personality and character.

“I was always impressed with her dedication for the sport. She has always been kind and a supportive teammate. She is a great player and captain because she works really hard,” Henderson said.

Being both a model lacrosse player and encouraging mentor has often brought Lee and the team success, such as their win over West Windsor Plainsboro North High School during the beginning of the season. Both Lee and the team look forward to continuing their successful run with an amazing team lineup.

“I am feeling really great about our season and our team ... our defense had amazing [forced] turnovers that became great transitions and beautiful goals. Everyone worked together so well as a unit,” Henderson said.

While leading the team into a new exciting season, Lee looks forward to playing Division III lacrosse for Rochester Institute of Technology after graduation. Throughout the hardships and triumphs, Lee’s high school lacrosse experience has not only left her with cherished memories and friendships but has also equipped her with important lessons that will benefit her in college and beyond.

“[Lacrosse has] helped me to be more confident because on the field you’re forced to be loud and physical. It’s helped me [learn] leadership and how to be more outspoken,” said Lee. “Keep trying and working really hard because you’ll be able to build your way up.”