Juan Vargas Junior; Juan Vargas didn’t grow up planning to be a lacrosse player. In fact, he says he got into the sport almost by chance. What started as simply trying something new quickly turned into something he now looks forward to every single day. Once he joined the team, Juan fell in love with how fun and physically engaging lacrosse is, especially the challenge of playing goalie.

As a goalie, Juan knows that patience and focus are everything. He credits much of his growth to his captain, Myles Carr, who has had the biggest influence on his lacrosse career. Myles helped him learn the fundamentals of the game and gave him advice on how to improve between the pipes. More importantly, he taught Juan that patience is key — especially in high-pressure moments when the game is on the line.

One of Juan’s favorite memories from this season was beating their rivals, Land O’ Lakes, in a close 9–8 victory. It was a hard-fought game, and Juan was proud of the number of saves he made to help secure the win. The energy in the locker room afterward was unforgettable. “The vibes were great,” he said, remembering how the team celebrated together after such an intense matchup.

Beyond the field, lacrosse has taught Juan the value of steady dedication and persistence. Showing up to practice every day and putting in consistent effort has helped him grow not only as a goalie, but as a person. He plans to continue playing after high school and hopes to take advantage of scholarship opportunities as the sport continues to grow across North America.

His advice to younger players is simple: stay consistent, don’t get discouraged, and always put in the work.