GOWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Chloe Luther has always been surrounded by lacrosse.
Her father played at Gowanda years ago, and now it's Luther's turn to succeed and pass it on.
"I'm the oldest of seven kids," she said. "So I'm trying to set a big example."
Luther began playing lacrosse at seven years old and is now a sophomore captain for Gowanda. She joined the varsity team as a seventh grader, but she wasn't just a name on the roster.
"I was starting and playing the whole game," she recalled.
Since then, Luther has evolved into one of the best defenders and top scorers on the Panthers' roster, surpassing that 100 goal mark earlier this season.
"I didn't know it was such a big milestone until last year when my other teammates hit their milestones," she said. "I was like, wow, I can really do this."
Luther now has 148 career goals and another 52 career assists with two full seasons of high school lacrosse still to play. With more milestones on the horizon, she's become a role model.
"You can look at Chloe because she's a perfect example of that hard work, playing all year round, and what that can do and how that can benefit your game," coach Lottie Gill said.
That hard work comes from the day-to-day dedication that was instilled in her by Luther's father. He's been a huge part of growing her skill set and knowledge. He attends every game and shows her ways to get better.
"I'll write down stuff in my notes and we'll just chat about the game," she said. "Then in practice, I'll let my coach know and we'll fix the things that we saw."
Because it's all about not just making Luther better, but her team better. Between her father's advice and the level of competition she plays against on her club team in Rochester, Luther wants nothing more than to bring everything she learns back to Western New York.
"We have a younger team so I just want to teach them the most that I can and have them grow as people and as lacrosse players," she said.
The Gowanda Panthers wrapped up their season on Thursday.
