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08/05/2021 12:00 AMAfter missing his entire sophomore year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Harry Loyd was eager to hit the field with the Guilford boys’ lacrosse team in 2021. Harry’s hopes of competing came true as he took on the starting goalkeeper’s job for the Grizzlies and served as a leader in the net this spring.
While he was excited to play his junior campaign, Harry also felt concerned about Guilford being prepared to compete after the team has missed all of 2020.
“Everyone on the team is fairly responsible. So, no, I wasn’t worried about us coming down with COVID cases,” says Harry. “But I was more worried about team motivation through the pandemic, as we missed out on conditioning, which plays a substantial role in our team’s connection and physical fitness.”
Guilford finished the year with an overall record of 3-12, but was competitive in nearly every game while playing a difficult SCC schedule. Harry says that it was a “learning season” for Guilford, and he feels that the experience gained during the past few months will serve the Grizzlies well when they return to action next year.
“We didn’t have a great record, but we now know what it takes and are starting to mold out a more efficient team from such a young group,” Harry says. “We lost a lot of seniors and missed out on very important parts of the early season, which really hurt us. However, we all are dedicated for success and redemption in this coming season.”
Head Coach Brian White commends Harry for serving as a positive role model while leading his team from the goal. White says that Harry handled the pressures of playing the goalkeeper’s position with aplomb this year and was proud to appoint him as a captain for next season.
“Harry plays a position that can make or break a game and carries a lot of pressure and responsibility. Harry has filled that role with ease and has done it with the overwhelming acceptance and admiration of his peers,” says White. “Harry is a leader through and through, both on the field, as well as in the classroom. We are lucky to have him and thankful we get another year with Harry’s leadership in the program.”
Harry got started with lacrosse 10 years ago and was interested in becoming a goalie since it’s the position that his father Michael played in high school. The rising senior lives for the intense competition that comes with playing lacrosse.
“My favorite aspect of the sport is its consistent intensity, and that it’s heavy on reaction time and coordination,” Harry says. “Going off of that, my favorite moment as a player was defeating Fairfield Prep in post-sophomore year summer season. It was a great feeling coming away with a hard-earned win against a strong team.”
As he enters his final year of high school, Harry has been preparing for his senior lacrosse season in a multitude of ways this summer. Harry has spent a lot of time conditioning both on and off the lacrosse field to ensure that he’s in tiptop shape for when the first whistle blows.
“I love to go to the turf and get shot on with friends, but I also do a lot of hand eye coordination and agility work. This includes juggling drills, running and sprinting drills, lifting weights, and even basketball or boxing—anything to keep me active,” Harry says. “I don’t play any other competitive sports for the high school, because I’m usually playing year-round lacrosse, but I love to play basketball, ski, and rock climb.”
Harry recently embarked on a three-week backpacking adventure in Maine. While it was a getaway of sorts, Harry found that the experience also improved his mental toughness.
“The backpacking trip has taught me the importance of self-advocation, improved my work ethic through gritty situations,” says Harry. “It’s also shown me how to effectively lead a group in a stern, but compassionate manner.”
Harry believes that Guilford will be able to learn from the mistakes it made this season and turn some of those close losses into dramatic victories next year. Harry knows that staying composed in the game’s waning moments will be a big key for the Grizzlies in the 2022 campaign.
“I think it shows how we need to learn how to stay composed in more intense situations,” Harry says. “The team, being so young, did not have many, if any, previous high-intensity varsity lacrosse experience. While we have good individual players, in order to have success, it needs to come from keeping composure until the end [of games] next season.”