By Avonlea Cummings
Hometown Weekly Sports Reporter
Spring has arrived, heralding the eagerly awaited return of outdoor sports for Needham High School. Commencing on Monday, March 18, the Spring sports teams have commenced their preseason activities in preparation for an exciting and demanding season. In this preview, we will focus on the boys' lacrosse season under the guidance of head coach Dave Wainwright.
In the 2023-2024 season, the Rockets are taking to the field with a wealth of experience. The boys are poised to equip themselves and launch attacks on the net in the upcoming weeks.
The Rockets boast two returning captains, Jimmy Kenny and Jack Curran, both of whom earned All-American honors last season. Alongside Kenny and Curran is Sean Riley, who will contribute to leading the team both on and off the field.
Head coach Dave Wainwright anticipates the seniors bringing significant experience to the team this year. He looks forward to his captains continuing their exemplary leadership from last season and maintaining high standards. Wainwright emphasized the rapid pace of the season for the team, underscoring the importance of continual growth and improvement with each game.
“…(Our) seniors are going to bring in a ton of experience because I’ve had five of them play for varsity since freshmen year. These guys know they’re in a position to not only tell them (underclassmen) the standard of practice, the pace of practice, and the tempo of practice. Those standards are embedded in them. I think these guys are looking forward to actually how they finish rather than how they start. They look at the calendar and think ‘I get 18 games and that’s it’. That’s why you have to grow to the next one, the next one, and the next one,” said Wainwright.
The team concluded the 2022-2023 season with an impressive 15-3 record. Advancing to the Sweet 16 round of playoffs, they were ultimately defeated by Franklin High. Coach Wainwright instilled confidence in his seasoned team, each member possessing significant experience in key positions on the field. He articulated the team's objective for the current year, aiming to advance further towards reclaiming the championship title: “our goal is we want to make it as close to the Final Four as possible and to be in the Final Four really. Because we feel like once you get to that level it really is anybody’s ball game,” said Wainwright.
Before the post-season begins, the boys have a long stretch of 18 games ahead of them to prepare them for their playoff action. Coach Wainwright expressed that the best games for the team to compete against are their non-league games: “Anytime we have a non-league game it’s going to be a competitive game. We try to go against some of the best programs in the state because we feel that’s the way we get to measure ourselves,” said Wainwright.
The 2023-2024 season marks Wainwright's 21st year as head coach of the Needham boys lacrosse program. Coach conveyed his sentiments to the program, and reflected on how much the program has grown throughout his time. He shared that his goal is to win the state championship title again, just like he did his first year as head coach in 2003.
“For me, it’s been tremendous, we won the state championship my first year in 2003. I’ve never been able to achieve that again, so for me, this is a lifelong pursuit to get back to what we started my year one. It’s been a journey, but along the way, I’ve had the time of my life. These experiences with the guys, the bond, the connection, and the growth of the program have been something I’m very proud of because we have been consistent. I think out of the 21 years of doing it, I think we’ve won 18 league titles. We’ve always been in the tournament, I think we’ve probably put down about 50 All-Americans across the timespan on the board, and we’ve fostered a lot of talent. I’m very proud of my staff and a lot of the guys, they’ve been with me a long time,” said Wainwright.
The Rockets had their first regular season game on Tuesday, April 2. To learn more about the Needham boys’ lacrosse schedule visit: https://www.arbiterlive.com/Teams/Schedule/8756320
