The word “club” might make Michigan State men’s lacrosse sound casual, but the team’s resume shows a serious college program with championships, travel, and national tournament appearances. Behind that success are players balancing pricey dues, hours of practice, and physical demands.
The Spartans have built a history of success, winning six consecutive conference titles in its former division, the Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association, and reaching the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association national tournament for the last seven years. The team won the MCLA National Championship title in 2018.
“Everyone assumes a club sport, you know, it's probably a little more laid back, just a little more chill,” said senior midfielder and team treasurer Josh Hoffman. “We are super fun. We're not a crazy commitment, but at the start of the games, we're locked in, we're going full speed.”
Competing at this level comes with a cost, both financially and physically, as players balance practices and road trips with college coursework. In the spring, practices run from 6-8 p.m. four nights a week, with a travel schedule that depends on how far away opponents are.
“Typically it was a two-game weekend,” said Evan Adamski, a sophomore midfielder from Macomb, Michigan.
Adamski joined last season as a freshman, while pursuing a double major in Social Relations and Policy and Politics, Rights, and Culture. Although he initially worried about balancing everything, the schedule proved manageable, especially with no midweek travel.
For him, the hardest adjustment was personal.
“I felt like the hardest thing was maybe adjusting a reading schedule for myself,” Adamski said.
He learned to prepare for travel weekends by completing coursework ahead of time so he could return to campus equipped for Monday.
Veteran Hoffman, an applied engineering major, also suggests this lesson for players.
“You really just have to plan or schedule your week out, but generally, it's not that tough,” Hoffman, a native of Lakeville, Mich., said. “You really have to take advantage of your free time and make sure you get your homework done.”
While players balance the demands of the season with their schedules, they also face the financial commitment that comes with competing.
For Hoffman, the commitment begins with ensuring the team can afford to compete at the highest level in non-varsity sports. Managing a six-figure annual budget is part of that responsibility.
“I make the budget every year,” said Hoffman. “I go over the past years, and try to figure out a good number for all the expenses of the team.”
Hoffman is in charge of the team’s bank account, development fund, and endowment.
Players pay about $3,000 annually in dues to help cover travel and gear. Adamski explained the team structures the payments throughout the academic year to make the expenses manageable.
“I think it broke down to $1,750 a semester,” Adamski said. “We had a four-payment schedule, so that was probably the most helpful, especially with semester payments for the school… It’s nice to have it broken up, so you’re not dropping almost four grand out of nowhere.”
The financial commitment can look different for each player, Adamski noted, depending on circumstances such as financial aid and tuition.
Equipment and travel costs can be unpredictable, so the team relies on fundraising to help cover unexpected expenses. Hoffman explained that fundraising provides the team with an emergency buffer and allows for the potential of lowering dues.
One of the team’s fundraising efforts is a golf outing scheduled for Oct. 11 at Timber Ridge Golf Club to honor a former Michigan State head coach, Rich Kimball, who passed away at the age of 75 earlier this year. Kimball coached the varsity program in the 1990s and played a major role in getting the club program started.
The team also holds bar events and is looking into sponsorships from local businesses, social media marketing, and its alumni networks.
The demands of playing at this level are not limited to a player's bank account or calendar. While the team competes outside of the NCAA, the level of competition, speed, and physicality of the MCLA can expose players to injuries similar to those faced at the varsity level.
Hoffman has dealt with several injuries over the past three seasons, most recently a sports hernia that worsened from playing through it.
“I could play through it and everything, it's just over time, it just got worse and worse,” Hoffman said. “Now I'm gonna rest and get surgery for it, and then I'll probably go back to the trainers for rehab and be back later in the fall.”
MSU club sports provides athletic trainers throughout the season and on the sidelines during games.
“They work pretty close with us,” Hoffman said. “They write us programs or warm-up stuff, dynamic stretches, just stuff to keep us ready.”
The physical demands further add to the dedication required of players. For Hoffman, Adamski, and MSU men’s club lacrosse, the financial, physical, and time commitment are worthwhile challenges that come with the opportunity to play in a high-level conference after high school.
Adamski never intended to play lacrosse in college, but his high school coach, a former Michigan State player, kept the program on his radar. After arriving on campus, he decided to try out with no expectations.
“I might as well try out because if I don't make it, no harm, no foul,” Adamski said. “And then I made the team, and I just decided to see where it goes.”
Adamski sees club lacrosse as a way for students to continue playing while finding community.
“I think we need to give flowers to people who are here making club sports relevant and important,” Adamski said. “It’s a great way for everybody who doesn’t really want to play an NCAA sport. It’s a great way to still play and still have something to do and feel part of a group and a team.”