There’s a scene in “Forrest Gump” when Forrest gets his leg braces off, and the narrator says, “From that day on, if I was ever going somewhere, I was running.”
The quote could as easily apply to soon-to-be 13-year-old Jeremy Pierce of Bristow, a seventh-grader at Gainesville Middle School, national caliber youth lacrosse player and multi-sport athlete.
Jeremy’s parents, Leon and Cheryl, saw he was full of energy and loved to run. When he turned 5, they enrolled him in flag football, and Jeremy got his first taste of competition.
“The feeling of getting touchdowns and intersections, it brought joy to me, and made me feel good,” Jeremy said.
After practice, other kids grabbed their water bottles and headed to their parents’ cars, but Jeremy ran over to the playground to play tag or do pull-ups on the jungle gym.
“He had so much energy,” Leon said. “I would sit there and let him play.”
Back at home, Jeremy would round up the neighborhood kids for a game of touch football, often playing until sunset. The Pierces thought Jeremy might make a good lacrosse midfielder.
“We thought, what can we do to wear him down to satisfy him? Football was only scratching the surface of his energy,” Leon said.
In 2019, Jeremy earned the spot as mid-fielder on Gainesville’s Brigade’s youth lacrosse A team, composed of its most skilled players. He was one of the youngest boys, but he earned the older boys’ respect, and they called him “Scrappy.”
Jeremy said he “fell in love” with lacrosse that year. “I love lacrosse because it challenges me the most, and I love to be competitive.”
Jamie Delco, the boys commissioner for Brigade Youth Lacrosse, who coached Jeremy, noticed he played with heart.
“[What makes] Jeremy such a special player isn’t just his talent,” Delco said. “Jeremy gives 100% effort every time. He pushes himself to be better, and in doing so, he naturally raises the intensity of the entire team.”
Big Dreams
In 2021, Jeremy wanted to play on a higher level travel lacrosse team and set his sights on the Hammers, which practice in Leesburg. To prepare for tryouts, he attended a lacrosse camp at George Mason University in Fairfax.
There he met Jack Posey, a star Penn State lacrosse player who now plays professional lacrosse. Rather than idolizing Posey, Jeremy made him a true role model and decided to apply himself the same way Posey had.
“I set a new goal to play Division I lacrosse, and to get good grades,” Jeremy said.
Since then, Jeremy has set aside two hours of study time each day.
And Jeremy not only met his goal of playing for the Hammers team in the fall of 2021, but also earned the starting position of midfielder.
Leon didn’t mind taking Jeremy to practices and games.
“One of my biggest joys is to help him play lacrosse. For me, it’s therapeutic. I look forward to it, like going to see a good movie,” Leon said. “He’s such an entertaining player and fun to watch.”
Rising Star
In 2022 Jeremy tried out for the Madlax Capital Allstars Club lacrosse, which has more wins than any elite club lacrosse program in Virginia and most programs in the country.
He made the cut, and after just one season, his contributions caught the eye of head coach Reece Belcher, who invited Jeremy to play with Madlax’s Supreme Nationals.
Jeremy is now playing at the highest level of youth lacrosse nationally and is the fastest on his Boys age 12-13 team.
He helped to propel the Supreme Nationals to fourth in the nation out of 300 teams, said Harrison Holak, national program director for the Madlax teams.
“Our program recognizes Jeremy as one of the best and most promising young lacrosse players in the nation,” Holak added. “He leads both teams in ground balls and forced turnovers that have led to many championships for us.”
The program also recognized Jeremy for his outstanding character, awarding him its CASE (Character, Attitude, Success, Effort) award in 2023.
Delco was not surprised. “His willingness to offer support and encouragement reflects not only his impressive abilities but also his humility and dedication to helping others succeed.”
That year, Jeremy also met Dante Trader Jr., a University of Maryland Division I lacrosse and football player. Trader taught Jeremy footwork techniques specific to a defensive midfielder.
“Dante has been like Jeremy’s big brother ever since,” Leon said.
Those moves helped Jeremy and his Supremes Nationals team reach the Club Lacrosse National tournament semifinals in Orlando, Fla., in December. The team finished third.
Hometown Hero
But even as his lacrosse career was excelling, Jeremy continued to play with Brigade in Gainesville, taking on a leadership role. Jeremy explained that some people think leadership means being bossy, but he sees it as being of assistance.
“I enjoy teaching people and helping people. If you need help, I’m going to help you,” he said.
And Jeremy led his U12 Brigade team to the Northern Virginia Lacrosse League championships in 2023.
“Despite having access to some of the nation’s top coaches and the opportunity to train with elite players of the highest caliber, he continues to show unwavering commitment to our local recreation league,” Delco said. “His dedication doesn’t go unnoticed—his teammates see it, and they respond by pushing themselves harder, too.”
Jeremy also helps to raise thousands of dollars for U.S. military veterans each year by participating in Virginia’s Shoot-out for Soldiers charity tournament in which lacrosse teams of all ages and genders across the state participate.
Due to Brigade’s heavy involvement, the event is held in the Gainesville area, and scores of Jeremy's classmates, relatives, teachers, neighbors and teammates from various sports have come out to see him compete.
All Star
While Jeremy plays lacrosse year-round, he remains active in a number of other sports.
At age 9, Jeremy earned a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. When he left martial arts, so as not to injure his hands, he replaced it with running with Virginia Pride, an elite track and field travel team that competes nationally.
The team practices at Gainesville High School in the evenings. Jeremy runs the 100-, 200- and 400-meter races.
“He was born and blessed with superior speed, but you can’t do anything with that unless you are going to be dedicated,” Leon said. “He has a natural desire to push himself. I don’t have to tell him to do better, he does that on his own.”
Last fall, Jeremy played tackle football for the first time, with the Gainesville Grizzlies. He played wide receiver and defensive back, and helped his team win the Northern Virginia Championship.
Jeremy also played on Gainesville Basketball Association’s All-Star team for the third season in a row.
And because he loves math, he volunteers at the Mathnasium in Bristow.
“[Jeremy] has been a great help ensuring students not only grow their math skills but has also helped to foster a curiosity and passion for math,” said Jack Fagan, the center’s director. “I have no doubt in my mind that as he continues to grow up, Jeremy will help to lift others up and be an amazing role model."
Whether it’s sports or academics, Jeremy loves winning, but also knows how to dig deep when faced with setbacks.
“You have to put in the work to get a result,” Jeremy said. “And if you get knocked down, always get back up.”
Delco predicts a bright future for Jeremy.
“Over the years, I have seen many young athletes, but few exhibit the drive, integrity, and leadership that Jeremy consistently demonstrates,” he added. “He is, without a doubt, a standout among his peers”
Stacy Shaw is the editor of Haymarket-Gainesville Lifestyle Magazine and publisher/owner of BristowBeat.com.
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