Lacrosse was a passion that ran in the family, from grandfather to father, lacrosse was always a part of this family’s life. However, Asha Parry hadn’t been a part of that lineage until second grade. When Parry first tried playing on a lacrosse team, she said it was an immediate fit, leading to her continuing to play into high school.
Currently, she is in her college recruiting year, hoping to gain a spot on a college team. She does not play at Archer; however, she plays on the team Alliance LA and Santa Monica Vikings. Parry said she had been looking forward to this year the most since she had always admired the older girls when she was younger. She has practiced every day, often for two or more hours, however, weeknight practices are often local.
Sammy Edwards, one of Parry’s coaches, is the director for the Santa Monica Vikings and Alliance LA. Parry plays on several lacrosse teams, but her nationally ranked team is Alliance National. Edwards has coached her on both of these programs and said he saw tremendous growth in Parry throughout this year.
‘”She’s gotten a lot more comfortable … in her own shoes,” Edwards said, “which is something that I love for girls to experience because I know a lot of the experience can be so much comparison.”
Parry said balancing school and lacrosse was one of the biggest challenges she faced. During peak season, fall and winter, Parry was traveling to the East Coast for games almost every weekend.
“It’s stressful, but I mean, the reason I’m choosing to pursue lacrosse, hopefully, is because it brings me so much joy,” Parry said, “and it’s the thing I do when I feel overwhelmed by the rest of my life.”
Edwards said determination is one of Parry’s defining qualities on the field, as well as her teamwork. Leadership is also something he observes in Parry’s actions, he said.
“We can go back and forth, having a little laugh and a little joke while we communicate, and then I see her just turn to the field and unleash everything that she has,” Edwards said. “She has a really high competitive drive, and she’s also very skilled.”
One of Parry’s closest friends, Savannah Acutt (’28), said Parry is always a diligent worker, even when lacrosse is stressful. Acutt also said she had attended a few of Parry’s games and practices where she saw how dedicated a player Parry is.
“She’s been doing lacrosse basically every day of the week since early elementary school, so she knows exactly what work she needs to do, ” Acutt said. “I really admire how much she balances everything and how she’s ready for any test or any assessment, even though she has barely any time after school.”
Not only does Parry enjoy the sport itself, but she said one of her favorite parts is meeting people from across the country for her travel games.
“I’ve met so many people, and I think that utilizing your community, and the bonds and the friendships you make, is super important. And then speaking on relationships, that’s how you get recruited, it’s the relationships you have with coaches and with teams,” Parry said. “Because this is such a stressful and a process full of so many unknowns, it is really important to like have a supportive community.
Parry’s determination does not waver even with the stress of extracurriculars and school combined, Acutt said.
“I can tell how hard she’s worked and how she never stops,” Acutt said, “it really shows with her playing.”
Edwards said Parry has continuously shown her passion for the sport through how easily she adapts, even during rigorous training. He said Parry’s improvement is exponential and expects to see her rise as an athlete.
“I know that what she’s doing right now is exactly what it takes to compete at the highest level and continue to improve,” Edwards said. “What she just needs to do is keep her head down, continue trusting the process and believing in who she’s become up to this point.”
