Strathmore athletes go 27-0 for a perfect season

Strathmore lacrosse players Kaylee Lester and Kalie Croft of the U13 Mustang lacrosse team capped off a perfect season earlier this month by winning the provincial championships and going 27-0 on the year.

Both girls are in the Fury Lacrosse League, which is an all-girls' league that takes players from Calgary and surrounding areas. Kaylee and Kalie said battling an entire year to go undefeated took a lot of practice and mental strength, but it was all worth it when they earned the provincial banner. As the season went on other teams would play the Mustangs even harder than normal since they wanted to hand them their first loss, but Lester and Croft said the team's synergy helped them stay on the winning side.

"It was teamwork, we had to make up strategies to help us win," Lester said.

"We ended up working better as a team by the end of the season. Nobody really knew each other at the start of it, but we all ended up being friends," Croft added.

The full Mustang team after their provincials win

As the team kept winning the need for teamwork grew, and Croft added having the team focused on just winning and tuning out the other distractions kept them on the right track.

"I just didn't really think about the pressure, in the back of my head I knew the target on our back was getting bigger and bigger because we kept winning, but I didn't really pay attention to it. I knew we won and stuff, but I just played the game," Croft said.

"We always have to keep a goal, and don't let anything get in between you and that goal," Lester added.

Going 27-0 is definitely a huge reason to celebrate, and the girls said the team celebrated with sparkling apple juice in the locker room after provincials. Lester and Croft both said the perfect season wouldn't have happened without the phenomenal coaching staff they had.

"They're the most important part of our team because they helped lead," Lester said.

"They mentor you and they lead you in the direction you're supposed to go," Croft said.

While repeating another undefeated season would be an incredibly difficult feat, both girls added they have their eyes on improving however they can and hopefully defending their provincial championship.

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