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As a freshman, Nash Oudemool did something nearly unheard of at West Genesee High School, earning a spot on its boy’s varsity lacrosse team. Upon making the team, he started over some of the program’s established players.
Wildcats head coach Eric Burns had watched Oudemool since he was in middle school and knew he was ready to play on varsity.
“In his middle school years, you could see that he was incredibly skilled,” Burns said. “He had a very high IQ. He had a unique play to him.”
Since his freshman year promotion, Oudemool has burst onto the scene for West Genesee. Over two seasons, he’s totaled 47 goals and eight assists, leading it to back-to-back Section III Class B Championships. Now, after committing to Lehigh University, the junior will look to continue his success in his final two high school seasons.
Oudemool fielded offers from numerous Division I schools but Lehigh’s culture stood out to him.
“I went there, and there were kids who were shoveling the driveway like I was when I was 6 years old, and they were very blue-collar,” Oudemool said. “They grew up in middle-class families, and no one thought they were better than another person.”
Before earning his commitment to Lehigh, Oudemool got his start in lacrosse playing box at the Onondaga Reservation for the Onondaga Redhawks at 4 years old. Burns said this helped him learn how to get his hands free from physical defenders, allowing him to get more shots off. Oudemool later refined his skills playing for Cold Brook Lacrosse Club and now plays for Sweetlax Lacrosse, which he’s been with since eighth grade.
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But with years of experience, Oudemool’s early lacrosse career was not always perfect. He stayed hard on himself whenever he made a mistake.
“I didn’t like that I wasn’t the best at lacrosse,” Oudemool said. “If I got cut from a team, I’d get in the car. (My dad would say), ‘You tell me. If you don’t like it, get better.’”
To continue improving, Oudemool recently began lifting weights to combine tactical and physical strength.
Additionally, Oudemool, a lefty, has started using his right hand more frequently. Wildcats defenseman and Towson University commit Logan DeWaters noticed the change, along with an increased effort on defense, helped round out his game.
“I see him hustling back on the field, which is huge for us as the defense,” DeWaters said. “And I love that because I can always trust that if we don’t slide, I see he hustled back in.”
When Oudemool was called up to varsity as a freshman, he quickly gained his teammates’ respect. In just his sixth varsity game versus Liverpool on April 18, 2023, Oudemool shined.
West Genesee trailed the Warriors 12-11 with 45 seconds remaining. Attempting one final push, attack Ryan Considine skipped a pass to Oudemool 14 yards from the goal. The midfielder took one step and then buried the ball in the back of the net to tie the game. Although West Genesee eventually lost in overtime, Oudemool proved he belonged.
He scored in every game for the rest of the season, totaling 25 goals and five assists throughout the campaign. His success propelled West Genesee to a 9-7 win over Fayetteville-Manlius in the Sectional Championship.
As a sophomore, Oudemool continued dominating. He tallied 22 goals and three assists en route to another Section III Class B Championship victory. This time, the Wildcats won 16-7 over Watertown.
Though he’s set with his Lehigh commitment, Oudemool isn’t complacent with what he’s accomplished. His main goal is to win a state championship before graduating.
Upon making the Wildcats’ varsity squad two years ago, Oudemool was a scrawny freshman looking to earn his spot alongside upperclassmen. Now, Oudemool is at the forefront of leading the Wildcats to the finish line.
“I have classes with my teammates, and we talk about this end goal of winning a state championship,” Oudemool said. “(There’s) nothing more I’d love to see than rings on every single one of my teammates’ hands.”
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