Attacks in Israel weigh heavily on national lacrosse team

Israeli forward Noah Miller led his team on quite a run at the World Lacrosse Championships in Denver this week, even though his mind was thousands of miles away.

His squad, formed only four years ago, advanced to the quarterfinals with a 15-1 win over Germany on Tuesday. On Wednesday, however, the Israeli team lost 9-8 to Australia.

On Tuesday, Miller and his teammates were finding it hard to bask in the moment as loved ones back home dealt with rocket attacks from Gaza.

"Maybe this provides a little bit of light in the darkness that's really in Israel right now," he said. "Because every time we step on that field, we represent something bigger than just the lacrosse team."

Miller grew up in Burlington, Vermont, and now lives in Tel Aviv. He took up lacrosse in middle school and played at the University of Vermont.

Soon after this tournament, some of the members -- including captain Matt Cherry -- will be joining the Israeli Defense Forces and may find themselves in the middle of the conflict. Several players were unable to make the trip because they were either called up for the reserves or are going through basic training.

"It's a very real reality for us," said Miller. "Lacrosse is our way to give back to the country now. But there are many more ways we're going to be giving back to Israel."

The Israeli squad turned heads at the tournament by knocking off Sweden, Slovakia, South Korea, Ireland and Germany by a combined score of 88-18, before being defeated by Australia. The tournament favorites remain the United States and Canada.

"We knew we had a talented squad," said executive director Scott Neiss, who launched the Israeli program in 2010. "But I don't think anybody expected us to perform at the level we have, kind of roll through the tournament up to this point."

Miller, one of 12 players on the 23-man roster who lives in Israel, had a simple explanation for the Israeli success: "Every other team is playing for a medal. We're playing for the people. That's what separates us from every other team."

The Israelis constantly talked about what was going on back home -- during practice, before team meetings, on the bus ride over to the field, even in huddles in the middle of a game. The conversations provided comfort.

"It's near and dear to everyone's heart," said Israeli coach Bill Beroza, a three-time member of Team USA who is in the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. "We think about the people and what's going on. We pray for peace."

Tears suddenly began to trickle down Beroza's face. He removed his glasses and wiped them away with his left hand.

"This is just on everyone's mind," he added softly.

Miller said that each time he stepped onto the field, he thought of his family, friends and the children he coaches near Tel Aviv, hoping they're safe. He said the threat of rocket attacks was real.

"I'll paint a picture for you: With a lacrosse coach in the United States, a parent may come up and say, 'What's your plan if there's thunder-'" he said. "When we're coaching we have parents come up to us and say, 'What are you going to do if there's a rocket attack-' But you have to go on living your life -- it's the Israeli way."

The lacrosse staff in Tel Aviv held a watch party for the opening game with Sweden. It was interrupted by the rocket warning sirens and everyone headed for shelter.

"That's what we're dealing with right now," said Neiss, who has 250 members in the program, most aged 8 to 18. "That's part of our struggle, our reality. We're not going to stop what we're doing. But this is something that puts things into perspective."

For the tournament, Miller wrote the Hebrew and Arabic words for "peace" on white tape and plastered it to the side of his helmet.

"I like to think every time out there that's what we're playing for," he said. "We're playing to bridge those divides."

Beroza couldn't agree more.

"Sports are a foundation for creating peace," Beroza said. "Kids playing together, they're not going to fight when they get older."

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