From picking up her first stick in kindergarten, to making the varsity team, freshman Julie Budney has always had a strong passion for lacrosse, but did not know it would take her this far.
Since second grade, Budney has been involved in the sport. She knew that it was going to be an important aspect of her life.
“Technically, I picked up a stick one time in kindergarten,” Budney joked.
This year Budney made the varsity girls lacrosse team as a freshman. She was shocked that she made the team, but it was hinted to her throughout her 8th grade season.
“The coaches in 8th grade did allude to me being on varsity, but I’m grateful nonetheless,” Budney said.
Budney plays attack and her jersey number is 11. There is not much significance behind her jersey number because the coach almost forgot about it.
“It’s funny, I was actually the last one picked. He almost forgot to get me a jersey,” Budney said.
Along with her dedication to her team, she also has other extracurricular activities such as Speech and Debate Club, Model UN Club, Orchestra, and Band.
These extracurriculars are added onto the tough classes in her schedule. She takes AP Statistics, AP Human Geography, Honors General Science, Honors English, Honors Algebra II, and Spanish II.
It takes encouragement and support to get through all of her classes, extracurriculars, and the demanding lacrosse schedule. Good thing for Budney her teammates have been the talented freshman’s biggest supporters.
Because she made the Varsity team instead of the Junior Varsity, there are skills that she has that sets her apart from her other teammates. Even when Budney is off the field, she still is practicing.
“I sometimes have a stick in my bed and around the house. Sometimes I will do dodges in the bathroom mirror to see how they look. Sometimes I will bring my lacrosse stick and ball into the kitchen and practice while I microwave things,” Budney said.
Her teammates also believe that Budney is a great addition to the team and has many skills.
“Julie is a great player and contributes greatly to our team. Her stick skills are incredible and she is very good at finishing her shots,” Teammate Hailey Markey said.
With all of Budney’s accomplishments and skills, she does not plan to continue lacrosse after high school. She plans to go to college with a degree in either finance or economics, aiming to become an actuary.
“It’s tough to say because college lacrosse is an extreme commitment and depending on what funds I have for college I may not be able to pick any college I want,” Budney said.
However with years to go, she still stays working hard for her highschool team with the same work ethic that made her a varsity player as a freshman.
