Thanks to Judi Selva for submitting this essay about being a Lax Mom!  As noted on a previous article her son Chris, a St. Thomas Aquinas grad and starting goalie for Hofstra, has started his post-college career as a volunteer assistant at Delaware.   At every milestone, I experienced the same emotions… Wow, hard to believe we are moving on to the next stage. When the buzzer sounded in that final college game, I wasn’t sure I was ready for it to be over. But, I had not choice. So, I write this article as a way to remember all the great times, and as a way to tell all those who will follow, to be sure to enjoy your journey… and keep it all in perspective. I have been involved with, read about, and followed all the developments of Florida Lacrosse over the past 10 plus years. From the days of High School club teams and the IA League, to the growth of Varsity Lacrosse around the state, it’s been an exciting time. Much has been written and discussed about whether we have grown too quickly, whether we have become a “for profit” sport, and whether or not, we have lost the true meaning and focus of the game. Well, I want to share my experiences and tell you what the sport has meant to me and to my family. All 3 of my children have played the game and it helped to shape each of them into the adults that they have become. They have been surrounded by great role models and have made the best of friends. There always seems to be some “lax” connection wherever they go. Now that my youngest son has played his final season at Hofstra University, I have to say that I would not go back and change a thing. Yes, we spent many hours and dollars on club teams, travel ball, recruiting tournaments and summer camps. But every dollar spent on those things, was a dollar invested in friendships and memories. Those times are priceless. Those memories are priceless. My children are not the only ones who benefited from the game. My husband and I did too. We could have never anticipated the fun we would have had along the way and the wonderful friends we would gain. Sometimes I wonder who had more fun at those summer tournaments… the players or the parents? I guess we were lucky in that there was never any great competition among the parents. We always cheered for and supported all the boys… and we still do. So, my advise for those who are beginning the journey is to enjoy the ride. Enjoy the times together. It’s awesome when your son or daughter gets to live his or her dream. But remember, after all, it’s just a game. And in the end, it’s not the wins or losses that are really all that important. It’s the friends that you made and the memories that you will carry in your heart that really matter.   Note:  thanks to Judi and if other lacrosse parents wish to follow her lead and write about your experiences feel free to submit them to us!