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During this year's Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, our program looked to highlight a pair of our rising stars from our varsity program!
Of South Asian descent, sisters Suhani Patel '23 and Saloni Patel '25, provide a unique insight into what it means to be Asian American lacrosse players and the challenges they faced along the way!
How has being an Asian American lacrosse player changed you?
Being an Asian American lacrosse player makes me proud. Although the sport has nothing to do with race, there are fewer people of color playing the sport. And to be someone who developed her skill in about two years makes me proud of how far I have come being a person of color. I got an amazing opportunity at the start of my high school career and now it takes up most of my time and I couldn’t be happier about what it has done for me. I used to be the nerdy Indian girl who “probably can’t even catch a ball”, and now I am one of the captains of my high school varsity lacrosse team. I would never have thought I could have colleges messaging me about playing a sport in college, but that is how far I have come through this program. Throughout this ongoing experience, I have been able to open up about the other side of myself and make these amazing sisters on and off the field. It all makes me proud and happy that I can inspire other girls coming behind me, and I hope it shows other younger girls that anyone can do it. - Suhani Patel '23
Being an Asian American lacrosse player has changed me in the sense that I see the whole sport differently. It encouraged me to always try my best. Also, it proved to me that we need to increase the amount of diversity in the sport in general. Being Asian does not change the way I play lacrosse, but it changes my mindset about the sport. Increasing the amount of diversity in lacrosse would open more opportunities for young girls to play lacrosse who otherwise would not have been given the opportunity to play. Being Asian American playing lacrosse really has not changed me as a person, but rather gives me a different perspective. I am lucky to have a team of sisters that support me. As a minority playing lacrosse which is predominantly white, I aspire to be a role model for other minorities to participate in lacrosse. - Saloni Patel '25
What advice would you give to a younger girl in the AAPI community who might be interested in lacrosse?
I would tell them to continue playing and continue working hard and taking inspiration from any players regardless of their race. Being a good lacrosse player has nothing to do with the color of your skin, but rather your drive and attitude. The reason lacrosse is not as diverse is because of the accessibility of the sport. This is why it is so important to continue to develop your love and passion for the sport to help one day give the same, if not better, opportunities to other girls just like you. Spreading the sport and the passion that comes with it can give so many other girls a chance at finding something they need in their lives. - Suhani Patel '23
Some advice that I would give to a younger girl in the AAPII community who’s interested in lacrosse would be to always try new things no matter how difficult they might seem. I would tell them that the first step is to love lacrosse. After that, all you have to do is try your best. I would also tell them to surround themselves with good people. One final piece of advice would be to always keep your head up. Everyone is going to make mistakes and that’s okay. In the end, the only thing that matters is that you always tried your best. - Saloni Patel '24
As lacrosse continues to diversify, what is the change you would like to see in the future?
I would like to see the attitude toward lacrosse players and becoming good players change. Many people look at good teams and say “they are predominately white, that's why they are so good”, this not only invalidates the skill that the player has, but you also give yourself an excuse or reason not to work as hard to become just as skilled. As lacrosse diversifies I think it should be more about how a hardworking player can come so far instead of why they can’t. Many people don’t get these opportunities, so when you do, take advantage of them and always try your best. Anyone with the right passion, drive, and mindset can accomplish their goals. So I want to see girls work as hard as they can and celebrate even the smallest accomplishments like getting a ground ball on the first try or catching ten passes in a row. Every little thing is a step to something bigger, and every girl should know that they can do it! - Suhani Patel '23
As lacrosse continues to diversify I would like to see more Asian American lacrosse players, as well as seeing more people of color getting access to lacrosse. I would also like to see more accessibility to the sport. Due to lack of access, young kids can’t play lacrosse. Someone could secretly love lacrosse but due to the fact that lacrosse is not offered where they might live, they would never be able to enjoy the sport. Something else I would like to see as lacrosse continues to diversify is that people should want to learn about someone else's culture or background. This would not only improve the bonds that you have with other lacrosse players it would also prove there is no reason why there should not be diversity in the sport. - Saloni Patel '24