Is the phrase “Lax Bro” an accurate representation of a college or high school lacrosse player? Many people outside of the sport think of lacrosse players as hardcore partiers with grades only high enough to pass. This image was made even worse after the false accusation that in 2006 three members of the Duke men’s lacrosse team raped a female student at a party. The case was dropped later when the North Carolina attorney general dropped all charges and the lead prosecutor was later disbarred. However, the act caused many to look down on lacrosse players and the sports culture.

Lacrosse players are like any other college athlete: they must balance their athletics, academics, and social life. Most college kids drink and make bad decisions, and lacrosse players are no exception. However, they have been falsely perceived to be the worst when it comes to drinking and partying when they are no worse than anybody else, if not as bad. Many college coaches have even banned drinking and benched those who participated in such activities. Coaches and veteran players keep others in check because they don’t want the sport they love being given a bad name by out of control kids.

A “lax bro” can also be someone who enjoys lacrosse culture, kids who wear colorful lacrosse shorts and carry their lacrosse stick around with them who are making it known they play lacrosse and that they love the game. A “lax bro” should be someone who enjoys the game they play, not some college or high school kids who binge drinks and gives all lacrosse players a bad name.