Bozeman Lacrosse's goalie key piece of championship team
BOZEMAN, Mont. — With three consecutive state championships, Bozeman Lacrosse is a power house in the Treasure State, but the success can’t all be attributed to one player.
However, the team’s goalie Austin Baller has certainly contributed to a near undefeated season.
The most interesting fact about Baller is perhaps how he started playing the sport.
“It is a funny story actually,” Baller Said. “My mom forgot to sign me up for baseball tryouts and we booked our spring break on the wrong week, so I wasn’t around for tryouts and didn’t know what to do. I signed up for lacrosse and that’s how I got into it.”
This mistake his mom made would turn out to be one of the best things to happen to the young goalie as he has no regrets.
“I haven’t looked back once,” Ballers said. “It is a fast game that is a fast pace that is physical, and I love it.”
Before the state tournament over the weekend Baller and the team are 44-3 with him in the cage.
Choosing to play goalie came natural for him as he grew up with another lacrosse player in his household.
“I tried a bunch of different positions to start out with,” Baller said. “I just loved playing goalie and it helped to have a younger brother who is an attackman. He would shoot on me almost every day after school which worked out perfect with him playing offense and me stopping the ball.”
Bozeman Lacrosse is a special team as many of the players have been together on the field from a young age.
Practice alone is always exciting for Baller but what’s even more incredible in winning a championship with some of his best friends.
“These guys are some of my closest friends and this is a tightknit team so getting to come out here every day is a blessing and getting to see as much success as we’ve had has also been really awesome to see because this team works so hard and we put in a lot of time.”
With another championship on their belt after downing Helena east over the weekend 12-4 Bozeman Lacrosse has won six of the last seven title games.
With Baller back in goal next year, the team will hunt for another title next season.
