In a sports culture often defined by practices, weight room sessions, and game-day intensity, the Sacred Heart boys lacrosse team has found a unique way to grow: through reading.

Over the last two years, boys varsity lacrosse has implemented a mandatory book club for all players planning to participate in the program. Meeting together over Zoom during the offseason, the entire team discusses books centered on the mental side of athletics, leadership, and culture. The lacrosse team is one of the only teams at Sacred Heart to explore this new type of preparation, distinguishing itself by emphasizing mindset and character as essential parts of success. Lacrosse goalie Lucas Crespo ‘29 discussed how “it truly made [me] a better person both on and off the field, through the advice that I picked up.”

Athletic Director Mr. Chad Tyler, who helped create and now leads the book club alongside Head Coach Mr. Chris Rotelli, said the idea was born from a desire to bring the team together on common ground. “We wanted something impactful,” Tyler explained, “something that would help not only on the field, but also in their personal growth as young adults.” The book club isn’t treated as an academic requirement. Rather, Tyler and Rotelli envision it as a space to define the future of Sacred Heart Lacrosse.  

The book club began during the historic 2025 season, when the team read James Kerr’s “Legacy.” “Legacy” centers on how the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team, one of the world’s most successful sporting teams, built a strong culture and strong habits. The book has been used by business executives and sports teams alike to improve their own community building, growth, and overall mindset. 

This season, the lacrosse team read “The Energy Bus” by Jon Gordon, which focuses on maintaining a positive mindset in the face of adversity and bringing that energy to every environment. These books are not only used as tools for the lacrosse team to grow, but also allow the individual players to learn important lessons that they can extend beyond the field. 

The books are foundational to the team’s central principle called “The Gator Way,” a set of values introduced to define the team’s identity. Lessons from the books like “leaders create leaders,” “embrace expectations,” “play for purpose,” and “be a good ancestor: plant trees you will never see” became more than just literary themes and evolved into the inner workings of the actual team. From keeping the locker room spotless (known as “sweeping the sheds”) or being as positive as possible (known as “not being an energy vampire”), the lacrosse team applied these lessons in very tangible ways. Defenseman Brady Galligan ‘28 expressed that the book club “set the standard for how we carry ourselves as a team, and showed us the importance of paying attention to the little things.”

For many players, the concept of the book club was a little unexpected at first. Captain Chris Smithers ‘26 admitted that he was initially skeptical. “It’s not often that a sports team can come together and read a book because it is something off the field, so I was skeptical of how much our program could get out of it,” he said. This skepticism transitioned into very positive attitudes towards the book club. 

“We were able to discuss what we want to get out of the season and create norms for the team long before we ever step foot on the field for our first game,” long stick midfielder Wyatt Staley ‘27 reflected. “Last year having a unified goal through the book club definitely showed down the road eventually helping us win the CCS championship.”

Several players pointed to the book club’s role in reshaping team dynamics, especially between upperclassmen and underclassmen. “Our weekly meetings emphasized the importance of underclassmen participating which changed the dynamic of our team in the pre-season. Freshmen knew that they are welcome to be active members of our team, which I know many struggle with in their first couple years in any sports program,” Smithers revealed. 

Senior Karlis McBride echoed that sentiment, saying the book club “brought the team closer together and allowed us to get to know each other on a personal level, beyond something just the lacrosse field could do.”

Beyond the boys lacrosse team, the book club has drawn attention from other athletes within the Sacred Heart Community. Girls Lacrosse midfielder Olivia Abbott ‘26 noted that she was “honestly surprised—in a really good way,” explaining how it challenges the idea that lacrosse is only about toughness or physicality. She adds that a book club allows for “a shared space to talk, think, and actually understand your teammates beyond the field which is critical in order to build a strong team,” emphasizing how this book club could be very beneficial to other programs across Sacred Heart and beyond. 

For the lacrosse team, this is another way to gain an edge through cumulative mindset and unity. As the Sacred Heart lacrosse program continues to grow, the book club stands as a testament to the idea that success isn’t just built upon games and practices, but upon the shared learning, reflection, and commitment to growth.