Meet Yorba Linda lacrosse player Clare Johnson
YORBA LINDA, Calif. — The great game of lacrosse has been growing rapidly throughout the nation, and California in particular. While it still might not be considered one of the major sports in America, it is getting closer to becoming one, year after year. Historically, it has been most popular on the east coast, but the desire to play continues to rise here in California as more athletes discover what the sport has to offer. However, lacrosse is certainly nothing new to Clare Johnson!
Clare is currently a high school senior and about to graduate from Yorba Linda High School where she has been a member of the varsity lacrosse team since her freshman year. With that much experience at the varsity level, it is no surprise that she was named as one of the captains for the 2022/2023 season. She also plays for Frenzy Lacrosse Club which is where she originally learned the fundamentals of the game, and continues to sharpen her skillset.
By playing lacrosse as much as she has throughout her seven years in the sport, there are many different lessons and pieces of advice that have come her way. 鈥淭he best piece of advice I ever received from a mentor was that it takes practice and multiple tries to reach your goals in life. He told me that his daughter, who plays lacrosse at UPenn, had to go to two or three of their college camps before the coach reached out and actually had an interest in putting her on the team,鈥� said Clare.
To devote that much of your life to anything, there has to be strong passion behind it in order to be successful. As Clare said, 鈥淚f you do not love something it is not worth doing, but if you do love it, you should be willing to give 100% of your effort and attention to it.鈥� Most lacrosse players could list many reasons as to why they love the sport, but the more difficult task is deciding which aspect ranks at the top of that list. 鈥淭he thing I love most about my sport is the bond I have been able to make with my team and coaches. It is like that of no other sport I have ever played before and the friends I have made playing lacrosse will be in my life forever,鈥� said Clare.
As many athletes know, the best lessons are oftentimes born from mistakes. When we asked Clare about this, she mentioned, 鈥淎 mistake I made while competing was not realizing my limits. I thought I could do more than my body could actually handle, and instead of asking for a sub when I was tired, I tried to keep going and ended up getting a calf cramp as I ran down the field. I could not stand on my leg and had to get carried off the field. This was eye-opening and helped me recognize the signs from my body for when I need breaks so that it never happens again.鈥�
Outside of sports, Clare enjoys hanging out with friends, going to the beach, working out at the gym, and watching movies with her family. All of these activities are greatly enhanced when they are followed up with some peanut butter monster trail mix and GoGo Squeeze apple sauces. Her outgoing and friendly personality is one of the many reasons why she is such a great friend and teammate. And her sharp and witty humor is the cherry on top!
Best wishes to Clare, as she heads to the east coast this fall to attend The Ohio State University!
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