Profile: Liberty lacrosse cousins own the field together this season

Despite not living near each other for much of their lives, cousins Elijah and Caleb Britton have the chemistry common among family members as they play together on the Liberty lacrosse team. 

The two cousins have become more like brothers as they have joined each other on the team, sharing an apartment and life at college. They’ve started to talk like one another, act like one another and even sometimes have the same food cravings, both said.

“If one of us wasn’t on the team it would be really hard,” Elijah said. “We always want to do the same things. If one of us is going to practice, the other one (wants) to as well.”

Growing up in different parts of the country, the Brittons mainly kept in contact over holidays or through playing Xbox online together. Elijah grew up in Kansas, focusing on sports like baseball and football, while Caleb grew up in Virginia where his dad was his lacrosse coach.

“My dad was the classic dad that would coach the team, telling me to go out and play wall ball – get shooting. It helped a lot growing up,” Caleb said.

Head Coach Kyle McQuillan is grateful to have both Caleb and Elijah on the team because of their built-in chemistry and their ability to lead in different ways.

“In sports sometimes you think it is all about the X’s and O’s, but with lacrosse being a spring sport all we do in the fall is try and develop and grow relationships,” McQuillan said. “It is nice when sometimes they are already built in advance. … They add a lot to the character and values we support as a program.”

Caleb and Elijah do almost everything together, including late-night runs to their favorite fast food restaurant: Cookout. But despite their similarities the two lead the team in their own ways.

“I think I like more of a personal relationship and discipleship. I enjoy getting food with some of the guys and getting to talk to them about their lives,” Elijah said. “That is where I try and help out with the team and just try … and let the guys know that they are welcome and appreciated here.”

Caleb has used his skills on the field to help encourage the newer players to keep working on themselves and their play styles. 

“I feel like I have been able to be that person on the field that coaches can trust to make decisions that will benefit the team,” Caleb said. “Freshman year I was along for the ride, and now I am helping to lead the charge.”

McQuillan notices that the Brittons’ close relationship has never gotten in the way of reaching out to the other players – but being on the same team has only strengthened their relationship.

“Sometimes when you have two guys that are really close or even related coming into college they can form a clique and not let anybody else in, but they (Elijah and Caleb) have done a really good job of building off their relationship that existed,” McQuillan said.

The cousins’ transition into college was a big step in their relationship, and both Brittons said that their relationship has only grown closer over the years.

“We went from seeing each other a couple of weeks before Christmas to literally almost sleeping next to each other,” Caleb said. “We say the same things at the same time. … It is more like having a brother than a relative.” 

The Flames begin their season Feb. 8 against the University of Tennessee.