Clara Zuse: Lively Lacrosse Leader

As captain, Zuse leads and is a strong example to the team. Coach Kristen Wich said, “Hopkins Lacrosse is lucky to have a leader like Clara. She has a calm and steady presence and is a caring captain for our young team.” Co-captain Chiu Vergara ’23 shares Coach Wich’s sentiment, stating, “ I could not ask for a better co-captain. Her work ethic is insane and I can always count on her for a good laugh.” 

Zuse reflected on this position: “I love and enjoy being a co-captain, especially alongside Lily[Scheps ’23] and Chiu. It is more responsibility on and off the field communication-wise and so on. But I just hope to get better at it every day and be there for my team in any way that I can.” 

As a defender, Zuse trusts the goalie, other defenders, and has to be ready to defend the goal at any given second. Vergara said, “Instinctively, she knows exactly where she needs to be on the field and the jobs she needs to get done. Clara has such a presence on the defensive side of the field, yet she is so humble about it.” Goalie Violet Wich ’25 depends on Zuse to help defend the goal. She stated, “The relationship between the goalie and the defenders is very important because we constantly rely on each other in game situations. The trust we put in each other to protect the goal unifies us as one force, not just individuals doing their respective jobs. Clara is easy to trust as a defender because she clearly puts in her best effort to protect the goal 100% of the time.” 

Playing lacrosse has taught Zuse a lot and it has impacted her on and off the field. Not only has she worked hard to improve as a player but she has learned to put in full effort off the field as well. She stated, “I have learned how to become a better leader and more vocal on the field. Communication is a very key aspect of lacrosse, especially as a defender.” Through communicating with others, she has gained crucial life skills that apply further than the game. She said that “her teammates and coaches have helped her understand how to apply what I’ve learned [in lacrosse] to life. Coach Wich always says when we’re running drills ‘how you do this is how you do everything’ and to not cut corners. And I think I have learned a lot from that saying. It has helped push me to give my full effort to everything I do on and off the field.” 

Zuse’s best lacrosse memory is from a game against St. Luke’s in her junior year. Despite being down a few goals at halftime, the team was able to win by one point. She said, “ It was a great team effort and we all gave it our all to win that game. She also commented that she “really felt a part of the team and like [she] was making a real contribution.”

Zuse’s teammates feel that she has significantly impacted their experiences with the sport. She has helped build confidence in young players and inspired positivity throughout the team. Wich said, “My freshman year was overwhelming at first, considering I was a first-year Varsity starting goalie. There were times when I felt inexperienced and thought I wasn’t good enough. Clara was very good at reassuring me that I belonged on the team just as much as everyone else, even with just a joke or a small look my way. She helps players who usually feel like an outlier see themselves as true members of the team.” 

Scheps agrees that Zuse has made the lacrosse experience better for her teammates. She said, “The unrivaled optimism and enthusiasm that Clara brings to the girls lacrosse team are contagious. Her presence on and off the field encourages strong bonds between teammates and helps all of us flourish as players.”  

The team also has had a positive effect on Zuse as a player: “This team has helped my development as a player tremendously from freshman year until now. I have been able to improve as a defender over the years and as a teammate. I think there has been something to be learned by everyone I have played with and played for which has helped me grow and get better.”

Some of Zuse’s main goals this season are to work on communication skills and lead her teammates by example. She also said, “My goal for this season is to work on being the best teammate I can be.” She mentioned that “this year we have a lot of new additions to the team which is really exciting. Everyone has brought so much energy and enthusiasm to this team so far and I can’t wait for the rest of the season. We all work really hard in practice and grow and get better every day. This team has a lot of fight in them and so much drive to win which is very telling about the season.”