YORKTOWN, VA (WTKR)- In New England, lacrosse seems to be a language that everybody speaks. That's where Alex Birkle put down his roots in the sport.
Now a rising senior at Tabb, Birkle is helping the game grow in Hampton Roads. The lacrosse standout calls himself a "military kid" who, spending some of his childhood on Long Island and in Massachusetts, had a stick in his hand shortly after he could walk.
"Up there, they start you in preschool," he recalled. "I started up there, then moved down here and kept it going."
Hampton Roads isn't an area that's known for its lacrosse. Virginia Beach is the only area public school system that sponsors lacrosse as a varsity sport, but those who wish to play in other cities and municipalities can find club teams. This past spring, Floyd Kellam's boys became the first varsity team from the 757 to reach a state championship game.
How is Birkle contributing to the area's growing lacrosse culture? He's one of 50 high school student-athletes from around the country who will attend Team USA's 18U National Combine. Those players will be competing for 26 roster spots on the national team, which will take on countries from around the world. The defenseman is the only player from the area selected to participate in the combine, just another example of seeing his work come to fruition.
"It says that it pays off pretty well, practicing all the time, seven days a week, just every chance I get," he said of his opportunity.
Tabb has a club lacrosse team, so the Class of 2025 standout puts more work in with the Tidewater Patriots, his independent club program. Birkle's selection to the combine marks the third consecutive year a Patriots' player is attending the event, an atmosphere the club has helped its players be ready for if their names are called.
"It's mainly my head coach. He's taught me everything I know about defense. He's helped me throughout my entire recruiting process," he noted. "Coach is very honest, tells us where we're lacking, what we're doing good and what we need to improve upon."
Directly in front of him is the chance to wear the red, white and blue. It would be another line on an already impressive resume, boost his recruiting and help continue to put Hampton Roads on the national lacrosse map.
"It would be a huge accomplishment," Birkle said. "Not many get to do it and it would open up a lot more doors for me for colleges."
The Team USA 18U National Combine is July 29-31. The team roster will be announced about two weeks after the combine is completed.
