TEEING OFF ON THE 18TH HOLE at the Village Club of Sands Point, Rodney Dumpson had one of those rare moments when the world makes perfect sense.

The private golf course had lush greens and breathtaking views of Hempstead Harbor and the Manhattan skyline. A wealthy Long Island enclave, the Sands Point peninsula inspired the fictional East Egg of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” a century ago.

It’s also just a stone’s throw from the Port Washington public housing project where Dumpson grew up.

There was an instant attraction when Melinda Wright first picked up a lacrosse stick in seventh grade. It was almost magnetic.

Growing up in New Haven, Conn., Wright soon established herself as a sought-after prospect. She dreamed of playing for Feffie Barnhill at William & Mary, but she spurned programs that recruited her heavily to walk on at Cornell, where the Africana Studies program was an incomparable draw. Cornell was one of the few universities in the early 1990s to have a reputable program.

As the game clock hit 0:00 at Maryland’s Byrd Stadium, eager children began shuffling across the bleachers toward the home and away tunnels. The goal was to snag a piece of equipment from members of the Princeton men’s lacrosse program — a team on its way to another national title game in the 2000 final four.

Among the hordes of youth lacrosse players were Harry and Thomas Alford, natives of Washington, D.C., looking for gloves from Tigers’ star Damien Davis — one of NCAA lacrosse’s lone Black stars — or anyone that would offer up some of their gear.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of USA Lacrosse. To celebrate, we’re revisiting some of our favorite magazine stories of the USA Lacrosse era on the 25th of each month.

REPORT THE STORY, they say. Don’t become part of it.

But in the case of Connor McKemey, we are inextricably linked.

This article appears in the December edition of USA Lacrosse Magazine.

Kent Collier wielded a mini-STX stick equipped with a bright red head as he performed a series of introductory drills. He dug his shoes into the synthetic green turf that protruded from a patch of dirt facing train tracks.

Cleveland mayor Frank Jackson and then-USA Lacrosse president and CEO Steve Stenersen had just unveiled the new field at Urban Community School in Ohio City, the blossoming neighborhood on Cleveland’s west side.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Jack Kelly wasn’t necessarily surprised by much during the first game of Group A play during The World Games.

Germany, the opponent of the U.S. men’s Sixes team, provided little challenge, as the U.S. poured in 27 goals in a 27-10 win. Eleven of the 12 players on the roster scored, and that includes goalie Adam Ghitelman, who played the field in the first half. Connor Kirst (pictured) led the U.S. with five goals and Matt Brandau added four.

TOWSON, Md. — The underdog tropes trickled out of each team’s camp as the medal round neared

Australia coach Trish Adams said the team would continue to “punch above its weight.”

“Any given Sunday,” England coach Phil Collier professed.

The stark reality reinforced in the World Lacrosse Women’s Championship semifinals Thursday, however, is that Canada and the United States exist in a class of their own.

TOWSON, Md. — The rain came and the floodgates opened.

The top-seeded United States unleashed a six-goal barrage in a downpour at Unitas Stadium, turning a slim early margin into a comfortable lead in an 18-3 victory over ninth-seeded Japan in the World Lacrosse Women’s Championship quarterfinals Wednesday night.

The U.S. will play Australia in the first of two nationally televised semifinals Thursday at 7 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2. Canada and England follow at 7 p.m.

TOWSON, Md. — Ever since Jenny Levy named the 18-player roster for the U.S. women’s national team in February, she’s been intentional about how she labels Lizzie Colson.

The 2021 national defender of the year at Maryland, Colson certainly does her fair share of work for the U.S. team on that end of the field. But don’t be mistaken. Colson is a midfielder, and she can do everything your typical midfielder does.

That includes scoring.

TOWSON, Md. — Four years ago, Jenny Levy nearly lost in her debut as head coach of the U.S. women’s national team.

The U.S. trailed then-defending NCAA champion James Madison 9-8 in the USA Lacrosse Fall Classic on Oct. 6, 2018.

That’s when Taylor Cummings took over, scoring four goals and securing 12 draw controls to lead the Americans to a 14-10 victory. Levy thanked Cummings afterward.

Cummings had that look in her eye again Monday.