PHOTO BY ALEXANDER NOVAKOVIC/ DAILY FREE PRES STAFF
The senior class of the men’s lacrosse team has left an unparalleled legacy on Boston University sports.
Having reached the Patriot League Tournament just four years since its inaugural season, the Terriers’ senior class has reached the apex. Among those accredited for the exponential growth of the team is attacker Cal Dearth.
A passionate and avid lacrosse player, Dearth was enticed by the appeal of a new lacrosse program during his college decision process. Despite having several attractive offers from other Patriot League schools, Dearth was most interested in attending a city school where he could help build a program.
“I wanted to play lacrosse in college,” Dearth said. “I had some other Patriot League and Division III offers, [but] I wanted a situation in the city. Both the academics and [the chance to] start a new program sold me on BU.”
Given the nuance of the lacrosse team, expectations to compete for a league title were low, at first. However, Dearth adamantly strived to bring recognition to the Terriers lacrosse program by the conclusion of his college career.
The building of the program was arduous. It took three years of unsatisfying seasons for Dearth and his team to discover that a playing style centered on unselfishness was the recipe for winning. Consequently, radical changes were made to build a competent and competitive team.
Embodying his selfless spirit, Cal sacrificed his pleasure for the greater good of the team.
“In all honesty, I love playing the midfield position,” Dearth said. “[But] by playing attack, I’ve been able to do a good job and help [the team]. I think that the offense we play [still] allows me to dodge, which I’m pretty good at. But, my game hasn’t changed that much even though I’ve changed positions.”
Head coach Ryan Polley was also somewhat tentative about the decision to move Dearth to attack, but he is now glad that he did.
“I got nervous moving him from midfielder to attack[er] because he was so good at midfielder,” Polley said. “He’s been huge though. Can’t say enough about how good he is.”
Even while the transition from midfielder to attacker was somewhat seamless, Dearth recognized the need to change roles to further the team’s progress. This unselfish disposition has been bred by the culture of the lacrosse team. Further solidifying that culture through leadership, Cal has helped to cultivate such an environment by demonstrating it on the field and reinforcing it in the locker room.
“He’s so unselfish,” Polley said. “He’s getting more touches and more opportunities to shoot and score. The six hands has certainly helped him.”
One mantra that the lacrosse team has lived by over the past four years has been the six hands model, which carries the understanding that each of the six offensive players carry a role in a successful possession.
“Six hands is our motto,” Dearth said. “It just means sharing the ball [and] being unselfish to make the best possible play that we can.”
The bedrock of the offensive game plan, the six hands strategy has proved quite favorable for Dearth. By sharing the ball and making the extra pass, Dearth has amassed 52 points, including 35 goals this season. Dearth leads the Terriers in each of those categories and is also ranked third in goals per game and fourth in points per game among all Patriot League players.
As a result, Dearth has been placed on the Tewaaraton Watch List. A pioneer in the team’s effort to gain recognition, Dearth is the first-ever Terrier to appear on the Watch List for the award.
“He’s been the key offensively this year,” Polley said. “We wouldn’t be where we are without Cal. [He] is certainly the best.”
BU has been challenged throughout the season, playing through several hard-fought wins and losses. However, the team has held its poise throughout due to the camaraderie. Dearth has formed a strong and lasting relationship with his teammates, especially with his fellow senior classmates.
“I have 17 of my best friends that I’ve been with three or four years now,” Dearth said. “I couldn’t be happier [to be] with the guys that came to this program with me.”
Whatever the outcome of the Terriers’ tournament play, Dearth will have left behind an enduring legacy. A member of the Terriers’ first 2014 Division I lacrosse team, Dearth was an integral part of the program’s climb to success.
“I hope that we can build BU into a nationally recognized program,” Dearth said. “I think we’ve done a great job of creating a legacy that we’re proud of.”
Dearth has had a tremendous impact on the program over the last four years, but he has also gotten a lot out of it. Four years on the lacrosse team have allowed him to form intimate relationships with his teammates, endless thrills on the field and in the locker room, and an appreciation for his coaches and for the game itself.
“The [journey] has been amazing,” Dearth said. “I’ll remember this for the rest of my life.”
