Orange Lutheran senior Sydney Lee joined the Lancers girls lacrosse program after making a promise to OLu head coach Allie Kyte, her 4th grade art teacher. Keeping that promise led Lee to discover a sport that has since become her passion.
 
"I made a promise to her that I would try lacrosse, even though I had no idea what the sport was," says Lee. "So I tried it my freshman year, and ended up really, really liking it…I've always wanted to be active, and the bond I have with the team is really nice."
 
Lee plays defense for the Lancers, a position that requires strategy and sharp decision making. She feels the team's defensive core is a close-knit group that works well together, and she uses her leadership role as a team captain to mentor the younger defenders on the varsity squad.
 
"Leadership is both being a good example and leading by example," says Lee. "It's being someone that they want to look up to and not just forced to because it's a title. It's someone that they want to be their friend and also someone that they can trust. I want to be someone that they can rely on, whether it's emotional trouble, or if it's something's going on at home or if they're not feeling comfortable on the field. I want it to be a space where I can actually talk to them and try to figure things out."
 
Lee is confident that this year's roster is the most well-equipped team she has played on, and with that comes the expectation of making the CIF postseason. She feels the program's guiding principles of faith, family and fortitude are what set OLu apart.
 
"Representing the Lancers is a lot about…faith, family and fortitude, and it's very representative of our team as a whole," says Lee. "Our team genuinely has such a good bond. We have people from all sorts of different backgrounds in the sport…and you get so many different perspectives."
 
Lee has battled some significant injuries, including a concussion, and having to watch from the sidelines has brought some life lessons that the 17-year old feels will serve her well in the future.
 
"Mental blocks are very existent, so I would say grit, being able to continue, even though you're exhausted or burned out, even if you don't feel like it's possible," says Lee. "Also strategically being able to think through different things and not just going for the first option as soon as I see it, but being a little bit more strategic about everything I do."
 
Off the field, Lee serves as a co-president for OLu's Ambassadors Team, where she enjoys speaking with prospective students and families about life as a Lancer. She is also an ASB liaison and participates in Key Club on campus.
 
After graduation, Lee plans to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point to pursue a degree in management and terrorism prevention. Fulfilling a longtime dream, she's eager for the opportunities this military path will offer, and she hopes to walk on for the women's lacrosse team.
 
Lee is inspired by her parents, both of whom are entrepreneurs and model a strong work ethic. She also draws motivation from her grandfather, whose unwavering support, independence and self-determination have inspired her to pursue her goals with confidence.
 
"He's nothing like any of my other family members, and if you tried to get anyone to describe his personality, you couldn't," says Lee of her grandfather. "He's very independent, but he also knows exactly what he wants. If he wants to do something, he's going to go out and he's going to do it. Whatever his goal is, it's going to happen."