South Western City Schools is proud to announce the launch of an exciting new athletic opportunity for our students: Boys Lacrosse. Building on the success and enthusiasm of the district’s inaugural Girls Lacrosse season during the 2025-2026 school year, we are thrilled to expand our lacrosse program to include our male athletes this spring.
Last year, the introduction of girls lacrosse brought incredible energy, teamwork, and community engagement to our high school athletic programs. From first practices to competitive matchups, the season was a testament to student passion and dedication.
Read more: Girls lacrosse programs take the field in SWCS
Earning their Wings: A New Tradition Begins at Heights
The decision to expand lacrosse offerings was driven by student interest and a commitment to providing diverse athletic opportunities. While the district hopes to eventually field boys lacrosse teams at all four of our high schools, we are proud to share that Grove City High School and Franklin Heights High School have both secured enough student interest to launch teams this spring.
This inaugural boys lacrosse season marks an important milestone for both schools and for South Western athletics. Students have shown strong enthusiasm in offseason meetings and early practices. Coaches, athletic trainers, and administrators have worked together to ensure the program is prepared for a successful first year.
For eighth year staff member and first time Franklin Heights High School boys lacrosse coach Eric Fish, the chance to lead the start of a new program for the Golden Falcons was an opportunity he could not pass up.
“Lacrosse has been a cornerstone of my life for nearly twenty years, teaching me discipline and the importance of a support system,” said coach Fish. “I’ve seen firsthand how our Falcon Family at Franklin Heights is just as resilient and supportive as any lacrosse community I’ve been a part of. It has always been a dream of mine to teach and coach in the same building. Starting this program allows me to merge two of my ‘families,’ the educators and students I work with and the sport that I coach and love…giving back to both of the communities that gave me a place to belong.”
As coach Fish has worked in recent months to get the program off the ground at Franklin Heights, many student-athletes came to the boys lacrosse program without knowledge or experience in the new offering. To help guide individual and team growth from a developmental standpoint, Fish has implemented a four-tiered approach to that knowledge transfer for the players he oversees.
“We utilize a four-tiered development plan: Level 1 (Effort), Level 2 (Fundamentals), Level 3 (IQ), and Level 4 (Impact),” said coach Fish. “We prioritize culture and relationships first, emphasizing ‘All the Time Behaviors’ (ATBs) like communication and hustle. To track growth, players complete daily journals and adhere to our ‘1% Rule,’ a commitment to getting one percent better every day regardless of the result.”
Taking coach Fish’s coaching emphasis to heart, sophomore Andrew Chrisman has seen firsthand how breaking down the fundamentals has helped the team take on the tall task of learning the fundamentals and tactics associated with the game.
“The hardest learning curve is, instead of trying to work on everything at once, breaking it down and working on little things individually, bit by bit,” said Chrisman. “[Coach Fish] has been really inspirational, and I’m glad to have him as my coach. He’s a very good leader and he has been nothing but patient and slow with us, making sure we get everything. Instead of us pushing for results, he wants us to push for fun, teamwork, and grow into young men, rather than just athletes.”
While a majority of the team is new to the sport, freshman Cade Werschmidt is no stranger to knowing how to cradle, pass, and win a faceoff.
“I’ve been playing lacrosse since sixth grade where a friend got me into it,” said Weschmidt. “I used to play baseball, but I switched over and I don’t regret it.”
While Werschmidt is only a freshman, he hopes to share some of his club lacrosse knowledge with his teammates in the years to come and become a focal point as a leader within the Golden Falcon ranks.
For lacrosse newcomer and senior William Harvey, a love of hockey drove him to try the new sport offering at FHHS.
“I always loved hockey and I was like, this is just ground hockey,” said Harvey.
As the Golden Falcons and their counterparts across the district at Grove City High School take the field for the first time this spring, wins and losses will be only part of the story. What truly defines this inaugural South Western City Schools season is the foundation being built – one rooted in effort, connection, and a shared commitment to growth. From seasoned players to first-time athletes, each member of the team is contributing to something larger than themselves while embracing the “1% better every day” mindset that Coach Fish has installed.
Through patience, perseverance, and a focus on becoming not just better players but better teammates and young men, Franklin Heights boys lacrosse is establishing a culture that will carry forward for years to come. What began as an idea fueled by student interest is quickly becoming a source of pride, unity, and opportunity, proving that sometimes the most meaningful victories happen long before the final whistle.
How and where to catch Lacrosse games in SWCS
We invite families and fans to follow along throughout the season by supporting both boys and girls lacrosse across South Western City Schools. To catch a game or see scores from past matchups visit the links below:
SW Insider 