With lacrosse season coming fast, sophomore Luke Jakobson is already pumped with excitement. He’s been grinding through workouts, hitting practices outside of school, and trying to get himself ready for what he hopes will be his best season yet.

When I asked him about what he wants this year to look like, he didn’t even pause. “I would like to at least score 10 goals, and get a good amount of playing time this season, and I would also like to make varsity. I would show coach during the offseason by going to workouts and trying my hardest and outperform on my club team.”

He said he’s already seen improvement since last season, especially in key areas. “Probably my passing and making the play happen to get the open man the ball. I also improved in my ground balls and making sure my team gets the ball if it’s on the ground.”

One of the JV guys, Bryson Hessing, has noticed the difference too. “I’ve seen a lot more determination as an athlete and a teammate.” You can tell the older players are keeping an eye on him, not in a bad way, but in that “this kid might be something” kind of way.

Even with the progress he’s made, Luke knows there’s still stuff to fix. He’s very honest about it. “I would like to get better at my dodging and getting out of the dodge quicker. I would also like to get my shot faster. And my main thing I would like to get better at is my speed, because I’m not quick, but I’m not slow, but I would like to just get faster overall.”

Improving speed might be the biggest thing he’s focusing on. Luke’s been spending extra time at Off The Field, a training place where a lot of local athletes go to get in better shape. The workouts there are no joke, but he shows up anyway.

Even though he’s pushing for varsity, Luke isn’t expecting to suddenly be the star of the team. He knows how high school sports work. “I don’t think I will play a big role in the team this year because I’m an underclassman and all of the seniors and juniors on the team are really great leaders, but I would still try and help the younger grade and hopefully in the future I can be the captain of the team or an offensive captain.”

His coach, Gary Wheeler, has been coaching long enough to see which players are quietly building leadership even before they get the title. “It’s hard to say what improvements Luke has made since he was on JV last season, and I didn’t really get to watch him cause I’m coaching Varsity, but I believe he will come full strength and a better lacrosse player in the spring of ’26.” Luke might not see it yet, but it sounds like his coach does.

One thing Luke definitely brings to the team is energy. He just naturally lifts the mood wherever he goes. When I asked him what he thinks he adds to the group, he said, “Probably my energy and how much I enjoy the game, I feel like that would help my team be more energetic and hyped for games and practices.”

That kind of attitude matters more than people think, especially over a long season. Bryson said something similar about how players like Luke can help keep the team locked in. “This last season, I think he was pushed to be a leader, so I think he could step up into that role next season”

Besides physical training, Luke also talked about how he’s trying to get stronger mentally. That’s something a lot of players struggle with, but it sounds like Luke’s taking it seriously. “Yes, I am going to workouts over at Off The Field, and doing extra practices outside the school. I am also trying to improve how I act when I mess up or make a small mistake instead of putting my head down or getting frustrated about it. I will try to improve and be positive, and keep my head up.”

Coach Wheeler says that mindset can make or break a player, especially a younger one trying to move up. “I envision Luke being a great teammate this year and playing offensive and defensive midfielder for us.”

He likes players who recover fast and don’t let one mistake ruin a whole game or even a whole practice.

Bryson even told me he thinks Luke could surprise a lot of people this year if he keeps working like this. “I would say he’s responded very well, the coach has put more pressure on this last fall, and I think it’s because of how he worked during the off-season.” Coach Wheeler seems to feel the same way. “When properly motivated, I feel that Luke can be a very positive influence on our team.”