AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" gives Calen Reid goosebumps. That's the song blaring over the loudspeakers every time the Jefferson boys lacrosse team runs onto the field to start warmups.
Even though Reid has heard it almost daily for years, the song means something a little different this spring.
Calen and his identical twin brother Jamison Reid are freshmen on the Falcons varsity. Jamison, known as J-Mo, is the starting goalie. Calen, aka Chubb, starts at attack.
Chubb – the nickname originated because he was born seven pounds and eight ounces, a minute after six pound, three ounce Jamison – has been around the Jefferson High School team for most of his life, so involved that one year the Falcons' plays were all named in his honor: Chubb, Chubby, Chubster, etc.
"It was eight years of built up energy and adrenaline," said Chubb Reid, noting he doesn't really answer to his given name.
"I'm so excited to be able to play. I love it more than anything. I just show the spirit of the team."
Their father, Scott Reid, brought lacrosse to Jefferson 26 years ago. He hadn't played the game when he was in high school there. Reid tried it for the first time when he went back to Montclair State University for a physical education degree, and loved it almost immediately.
He launched a youth team in the township with sixth, seventh and eighth graders. He also started pushing to get lacrosse added to the high school roster, which happened two years later — boys and girls teams.
Reid is Jefferson High School's first boys lacrosse coach, and has led the team since 2009. All five of his kids are involved in the sport.
Payton Reid, the eldest, was a defender starting in fifth or sixth grade. He was first-team NJAC-United as a senior last spring. Junior Finley Reid is a swing goalie, starting on the Jefferson girls junior varsity team and backing up the varsity. Jamison is also a goalie, though Scott Reid said, "He comes out of the cage a lot, and he's the fastest kid on our team." Chubb "plays everything but goalie" according to his coach-dad. Elsie, the youngest at age 8, "runs around like a maniac and loves it."
'I knew what I did':Seniors return from ACL tears to lead West Morris lacrosse team
Initially, Finley and Jamison both had to be coaxed into trying the family sport.
When Jamison was in second grade, coach-dad Scott "definitely made me do it, but it's the best decision I ever made." Finley wasn't happy with her sixth-grade teammates, switched to dance for a year, and returned.
"There was a game where our goalie didn't show up. The coach asked, 'Anybody want to play goalie?'" Finley recalled. "I was the first person to raise my hand. One hundred percent yes, I'll do it. I'd watched my brother play, and I love it. I love trying new stuff."
Finley runs cross country in the fall and is a sprinter for the Falcons' indoor track team. But the rest of the year, it's all about lacrosse. She even helps with the town youth teams, which includes her little sister.
Finley has already decided she wants to play lacrosse in college, and continue to coach.
"It's definitely going to run in the family," she said. "There's no way my kids are going to be softball people, or baseball. That's definitely not happening. It's going to be lacrosse, for sure."
But Scott Reid insisted he doesn't favor his own sons.
Payton came up through the usual system: JV as a freshman, a bench player on varsity as a sophomore, then lost his junior season to COVID before starting as a senior. But Scott Reid, who had coached Jamison and Chubb in Falcons Youth Lacrosse, knew they were going to "play big roles on varsity" as freshmen.
Chubb leads Jefferson's offense with 21 goals and 52 assists – breaking the school record for a freshman against Kinnelon on May 11.
Jamison reached 100 career saves on the same day, allowing an average of 3.8 goals. He set a team record for victories by a freshman goalie with 13 in just 16 games.
The Falcons are undefeated NJAC-Colonial and NJILL Pooley champs, winning both titles for only the second time in school history.
"My dad doesn't even have to show favoritism because of how Chubb and me play on the field," Jamison Reid said. "Growing up with him, he's always pushed us. I think we can take on bigger roles, like playing varsity lacrosse as freshmen."
Kim Reid, mom to the five rambunctious kids, is a steady presence at home – where the three boys share a room, as do the two girls in the family's raised Cape – and at everyone's games.
Both Falcons boys and girls teams share the field at practice. The siblings also try to turn up at each other's games. They even occasionally toss a ball around in the backyard, where there's a net set up for Jamison and Finley.
Though boys and girls lacrosse are very different games, Finley has picked up pointers from Jamison – and withstood more than a few hard shots from Payton and Chubb.
"As a sister, I watch them play and I get tears in my eyes," she said. "They're freshmen. They're varsity. It drives me crazy when people talk about them on the sideline. Yeah, they're only freshmen. Wait until they're seniors. They're going to be insane. They make me so proud and happy."
Jane Havsy is a storyteller for the Daily Record and DailyRecord.com, part of the USA TODAY Network. For full access to live scores, breaking news and analysis, subscribe today.
Want to share your story with me?
877-318-0529
Service Areas
