THE DISADVANTAGE OF THE LAX IDENTITY

B Y CL A Y T O N E

M O R Y

WHO:• Lacrosse players• “LAX BROs”• Messiah Men’s Lacrosse Team• Do we have true LAX BROs on our team?• OR: trying too hard to be one due to the culture of the

sport?• Do people not like our team members due to this

image?

WHAT, WHERE Our mission: We have our own set of core values: According to Coach Weisenborn:

To glorify God by using the gifts and abilities that He has given us on and off the field

Substance over Appearance Doing everything out of love

The big question (as it relates to “LAX BROs”) “LAX BRO” core values different?

“Me, me, me” – magazine page WHEN: I am a current member 3rd year midfielder

HOW AND WHY?• Concerns with team members• Concerns with my own identity as a person• Observations/feedback from the pubic & myself towards the

team• General thought: “ALL lacrosse players are “LAX BROs”• Only the men’s team, not women’s• There is a need to become more aware• Lacrosse team• Public

“LAX BRO”

MOTIVATION• Hidden Needs• We all have needs or motives behind our actions• For LAX BROs:• Need for emotional security• Reassurance of worth• Ego gratification• Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

• Security needs• Belongingness• Esteem needs

Interview: “Player A”

Latitude of acceptance

H.C Lax Bro

Not a Lax Bro

Middle

EMOTION• Fear• Being excluded• The feeling of being judged- “I have to be like this to fit in on the team…”• Happiness and Joy• Humor• Cracking jokes towards other people• At what point does it become hurtful?

• Being able to feed off of other LAX BROs• Emotional Pride• Everybody wishes they were cool like us

• People want to be us

Interview: “Player B”

ATTITUDE & BELIEFS• Behavioral Intentions• Some “BROs” use this as an excuse

• Attitudes• They have the attitudes they have because of fulfilling needs

Interview: “Player C”

CONSISTENCY• Speaking from personal experience• BROs stay the same• Usually hang out with the same people- sometimes two LAXERS

with another• “BROMANCE”• Because they expect certain things will not change

• Overall, certain team members act the same way- after awhile its expected

• Sources of Dissonance & Loss of Group Prestige• These LAX relationships seem to happen so neither of them will feel

lost or feel dissonance• They have each other for back up, etc…

• Same reasons apply for reinforcement of beliefs (Consonance)

TAKE AWAYS• Purpose: AWARENESS!

• Survey: 70-75% NOT a LAX BRO• Overall Goal:• View the LAX team in a better light• LAX team to view others in a better, less judgmental light• BOTH= greater success

Union Bingo NightOff campus work for community

Team sponsored events

First step: Coming together as a team to brain storm ideas