Jake “Coach” Sweitzer

by Calvin Irvine, grade 12

Scared, nervous, shaking at the knees I was worried. The first day of Arrowhead lacrosse practice I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. I haven’t practiced lacrosse in a year because Covid shut us down my freshman year. Out of shape and only the knowledge of my 8th grade season in my head, I clearly had a lot of work to do. 

A man in a black jacket and khaki pants introduced himself. “Hello, everyone I am Coach Sweitzer and I will be your head Coach for the varsity team. I expect three things from all of you. One, 100% effort at all times. Two, accountability, make mistakes and own up to them. Three, communication, if something isn’t working, talk to me.” He made all the freshmen introduce themselves in the middle of our huddle and say one interesting fact about ourselves. This was the start to my journey. 

After two weeks of practice with the defense I couldn’t keep up, I was struggling on the physical aspect of the position. I needed help to make a change. I found Coach Sweitzer after a practice and I was so overwhelmed with frustration and disappointment in myself that I couldn’t do what needed to be done. Broken down in tears, Coach Sweitzer picked me up. He offered me a spot as a goalie since I knew how the defense worked. He told me that I would need to work harder than ever to learn this position, “You are going to get hit by the ball hard, again and again. You just need to be able to get back up everytime.” 

Coach Sweitzer held us to a high expectation outside of the sport. He made sure we had grades all above a C- by reaching out every week and helping us make a plan. I was drowning in school work and my grades were awful. I had 3 D’s and no A’s. He emailed my teachers and myself to figure out what was going on in the classroom and why I wasn’t keeping up. He taught me how to be better on and off the field. I didn’t play but a few games my sophomore year, I needed my athletic and academic abilities to increase significantly in the off season. 

My junior year I worked hard in the offseason, I played on three different club teams to prepare for the Arrowhead season. I was going to the gym to become faster. When tryouts came I was prepared. I tried so hard for just a shot at varsity. In the classroom I had a 3.9 GPA. I had all A’s and only one B in an advanced placement class.

On the last night of tryouts Coach Sweitzer called me over, he said, “Cal, I want you on my varsity team.” I was so excited my face lit up, I knew I would be behind the other goalie but I felt as if I had accomplished my goals. Now I wasn’t satisfied, as Coach Sweitzer always told us to not be complacent (he lives by this). My senior year I plan to compete very closely with the other goalie for the starting spot. I know even without Coach Sweitzer being on the team this year (he retired) I will always have his support, and I will always carry the knowledge of being a better player and more so a better person. So, thank you Coach Sweitzer for caring about me.