Lakeville South has made a name for itself as a vital part of Minnesota Sports, securing state titles in sports like football and girls lacrosse in recent years. Athletes run rampant around South, and they don’t go unnoticed. Yet, there is a hidden gem at Lakeville South- the fishing team.
Hidden in plain sight, the Lakeville Fishing Team accepts any interested students within the ISD 194 borders, including Lakeville South, along with Lakeville North, all Lakeville Middle Schools, LinK-12, and All Saints Catholic School. In terms of competitions, the team pairs up into groups of two, along with an adult supervisor. Tournaments last around seven hours and happen three times each summer, and include both a weigh in and send off.
The current team meets once a month to “learn new tactics and ways of fishing” according to member Charlie Hunst, a freshman at Lakeville South. Hunst was able to give us some insight into how the uncommon sport operates. For starters, the team doesn’t get one trophy as a whole, but rather to individual teams. Hunst claims it is “the most individual team sport ever,” as members get to walk home with their trophies in hand and put them on their own shelf. This individuality continues as spectators aren’t allowed during the actual tournament, only the weigh in and send off. During weigh in, the teams pile together their grabs to find out their top five biggest fish, and whoever has the biggest fish wins!
The whole ordeal appears to be fairly low-key, but the fishers compete for a purpose. Members can actually earn scholarships and gain a “chance to go pro,” as Hunst says. He claims that highly skilled fishers can even make it to nationals, where you can win larger amounts of money and gain “more chances to fish in bigger tournaments.” But it’s not all about the prize, teams work together in order to protect the environment they compete in by doing clean ups and only participating in catch and release, so no fish caught are harmed.
The Lakeville Fishing Team may fly under the radar, but it goes to show that there is something for everyone in Lakeville, you just have to look for it! The team brings a common hobby to a competitive atmosphere that is both low-key and beneficial to its team members.
If you’re interested in joining the team, registration is closed for the year, but you can keep up with them at lakevillefishingteam.com and on Instagram @lakevillefishingteam.
