May 1, 2017 – As part of our Biola Lacrosse Connections newsletter, we feature a player from the current team, and ask them “Why did you choose to join the Biola lacrosse team?” May’s featured player is Peter Williamson. Peter is a junior in his second season with the team. In 2017 he set the single season record for groundballs with 104. Here’s why Peter chose to play lacrosse at Biola:
I grew up playing sports. Ever since I was old enough to play t-ball I cannot remember a year when I was not part of some kind of athletic team. I made it a point to compete in every sport’s season I could through middle school and high school. Needless to say, I loved to compete, and I loved learning new skills in each of the sports I competed in. I dreamed of being a professional football or baseball player as most little kids do, but as I got older, that dream shifted to wanting to play baseball at the college level.
After graduating from high school, I knew I wanted to attend Biola. I planned to try out for the baseball team and continue my athletic career there. God had other plans. I had knee surgery the summer after graduation leaving me in a knee brace until my first day of college and unable to run until my second semester. I planned to come back full force the summer after my freshman year in order to be fully prepared for tryouts the next fall. As my freshman year came to a close, I began to feel less and less called to play baseball at Biola. Something just did not feel right about it.
I was aggravated that something I had worked so hard for and had wanted so badly had become something that I didn’t want as much anymore and that I struggled to find motivation for. I knew if I didn’t play baseball, I would need to find some sort of sport to fulfill my still-present hunger for athletic competition. As I wrestled with a decision of what to do that summer, I remembered that I had seen a flyer inviting people to a lacrosse info meeting when I first got to Biola. I thought it was cool that Biola had a lacrosse team, but I figured they wouldn’t take someone who knew absolutely nothing about lacrosse even though the flyer said no experience was necessary.
As I grew less and less confident that baseball was the path God had for me, I grew more and more confident that he wanted me to give lacrosse a try. Towards the end of the summer, I made my choice. I emailed Coach Klett and tried to convince him to consider me for the team. He replied saying he was happy to let me join and that I should come to the interest meeting when school started. I was excited for the new challenge. I found a lacrosse store and bought a stick and started watching YouTube videos to try to figure out how to use it.
When school finally started I went to the interest meeting, met the team, and began practicing with them. During the first few weeks I was able to find out what Biola Men’s Lacrosse was all about. I felt accepted and welcomed immediately and felt there was something different about this team compared to previous teams I had been on. As practices began, I was overwhelmed with how helpful the experienced guys were in teaching me lacrosse rules and techniques. Practices also had a healthy balance of seriousness and fun—something I valued greatly in a team.
Most of all, I really appreciated that this team loved God and played lacrosse for his glory. The team’s goal is always to win games, but the team’s purpose is to glorify God and make Christ known to its opponents. To be on such a positive, encouraging, and hardworking team was exactly what I wanted and needed to fulfill my dream of playing college athletics. Now, it is a constant reminder that we can live out and share the gospel in every aspect of our lives including athletics. I am extremely grateful that God has put lacrosse into my life, and I am excited to see what opportunities next season will bring for me and for Biola lacrosse!
CLICK HERE to learn how you can support Peter and his teammates.