The Medicine Game

This program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

[Bird calling] MAN: It's a game that was given to us long ago before there was an earth.

That's how old it is.

Guh-jee-gwah-ai is what we call it -- "they bump hips."

The primary purpose of it is to entertain the Creator.

In its first essence, it's a medicine game.

The medicine, the ability for it to help, was one of the gifts that came with it.

[Taps drum] [Chanting in native language] Hold on.

Go.

He lost you.

Step in, Jeremy.

Make contact.

Okay now, come across.

Boom.

Okay, stop right there.

Okay, you don't see anybody in front of you.

What do you do?

JEREMY: Go up.

FATHER: You're gonna keep going.

That's your shot right there.

I mean, if you see him there, you just tuck it in and you got to go this way.

I taught my boys to respect the game, the game of lacrosse, and "respect" means to play as hard as you can.

You know, go out there and give everything you can, because you're playing for the Creator.

It's our heritage, you know, to try to respect the trees, the plants, everything.

I mean, through a lot of our ceremonies, that's what we're taught.

All we hear is lacrosse.

Supper table, down the road.

After a game.

That's all we hear.

That's when they're the happiest, is when they're playing the game of lacrosse.

You know, it's not the same without a lacrosse game going on.

I love the game.

I love playing it.

Makes me feel good.

I just love the game so much.

So I'll probably play as long as I can.

FATHER: I was considered probably a pretty good player.

As I was playing, my boys would always sit there and watch the game, whereas other kids, they would go run around, get snacks and stuff like that, but my four boys, I can say honestly that they would sit there and watch.

So I know they were learning the game.

I didn't think of my boys as being like special lacrosse players.

I just thought of them as average lacrosse players like any other boys.

People would say, "Oh, my God, did you see what he did?"

Like they're talking about my boys, you know.

It never really clicked in until I kept hearing it over and over on how good of a player they are.

When I see them play in the yard, you know, when they're young, everybody seen it then.

They could see that, you know, they were the same age as these kids and they were above.

You know, there was just something about them, something special.

ANCHORMAN: And finally, the Lafayette boys lacrosse team just refuses to lose.

Last night's win over J-D put the Lancers at 13-0.

They're ranked second in the state, and a big reason for their success is a pair of high-scoring brothers.

Here's Craig Thomas with our 5-star athletes of the week.

THOMAS: You only need to see one play to know that Jerome Thompson, number 2, and Jeremy Thompson, number 4, don't share a sibling rivalry... [Crowd cheers, whistle blows] ...they're all about brotherly love.

JEROME: I was just running down the field and I just got tripped up and I turned around and I saw him right there.

THOMAS: They've combined for more than 60 goals this season.

JEREMY: We play the game for the Creator, to make Him happy.

We have to play the game the way it's meant to be played, with a clear state of mind, and just play your hardest.

And that makes us different players because we're not out there just to go and run around.

We're out there for a purpose -- we're out there to play hard and play with fun and play with some passion for the Creator.

First time I'd seen Jeremy and Jerome play was ninth grade.

I saw them play and I said, "Who are these kids?"

You know, it was just unbelievable, incredible what they could do at such a young age.

And I looked down at the roster, you know, I see them in ninth grade, it just opened your eyes up -- who are these kids?

COMMENTATOR: Inside, another shot and a score.

This time it's 22, Jerome Thompson.

I'd been around all the high school programs across the country.

I don't think there's two better players in the country.

Inside, and a score!

Jeremy Thompson, the recipient that time through.

GREG: Jeremy Thompson is a pretty special player.

I don't see too many kids in this country that are better than him as a senior.

He's definitely one of the top one or two in the state, if not the country.

I would say in the country, with his brother being right there.

The best thing I can say is what a ref said to me -- "That kid plays like a man amongst boys."

He's been playing for me since he was an eighth-grader.

The best face-off man I've been around.

Probably around 80-some percent, which is unheard of.

He can shoot the ball out of this world.

And Jerome, he's my crazy lefty.

He goes nuts and he plays the game with a lot of reckless abandon and creativity.

And he takes it to heart every time he's on the field.

Put both of them together, and in my opinion, they're the best.

[Crowd cheering] Now the feed out -- for the goal!

Thompson got it this time!

COMMENTATOR #2: And he got the pass from Jerome Thompson.

COMMENTATOR #1: From his brother.

COMMENTATOR #2: Yep.

Brother to brother.

FATHER: Ever since they were little, Jeremy and Hiana, they always talked about playing for Syracuse.

It was their dream since they were little kids, to run out on that field.

MAN: When any kid walks in the Dome, their first impression, with the music pumping and Syracuse come running out of the locker room, it gives you a chill.

And the first thing that comes to mind is, "Man, I'd like to do that!"

Syracuse and lacrosse is like the Yankees and baseball or Notre Dame with football.

And as a kid, you dream about going to that place, you dream of playing for them.

[Crowd cheering] FATHER: They have a goal.

I mean, they really want to reach it.

I mean, they just don't talk about it.

That's what I'm saying, I mean, when lacrosse is over, they don't stop.

We have a course that we run.

They don't stop running that just because lacrosse is over.

It's only over for the team.

I mean, they have such a high goal that it doesn't stop for them.

HIANA: Us growing up, we always talked about going to Syracuse and everything, and him seeing us actually get there, I think, would make him proud.

FATHER: I mean, Syracuse University will be, to me, one of the greatest accomplishments, because I know what they've been through, as far as their schooling and their whole life.

HIANA: There's a lot of kids on this reservation that could have went somewhere for lacrosse, but they just decided to choose that kind of life, and they wanted to party and everything, and some of them don't even make it through high school.

I know, it's just sad.

DEE: What I'm scared of, really, is them getting into the partying and the drugs, and it's out there.

It's bad out there.

I'm just afraid of that, but...

I think they've got a good head on their shoulders.

Me and their dad preached to them enough to stay away from that.

I don't want to see my kids get into that.

We'll see that they don't.

HIANA: If I don't make it to Syracuse, I'll be really upset with myself just 'cause I wanted to be there.

Like, my whole life I've been trying to get there, and... if I don't... it's going to be sad and hard for me.

FATHER: The one thing that I've taught them is to never quit.

All you can ever ask them is to give it their best shot.

JEREMY: My ma, I don't even think she graduated from high school, and my dad, he graduated from high school, and right from high school he went to work right away.

My occupation kind of got handed to me because my father was an ironworker, my father's father was.

It's kind of handed down, which...

I'd like it to stop, you know, right here, but if it doesn't, it doesn't.

If they make the commitment to go to college, you know, and get through it, it's just another step to where they'll succeed.

I know they will.

HIANA: He always wanted us to do good in school.

Go to college and get an education.

Like that was first.

Lacrosse is going to get us there, but he wanted us to push it farther and get an education out of lacrosse.

Watching him, how hard he worked every day.

Came home and he was always tired, but he still had that push to, like, teach us what he had to teach us.

[Background conversations] FATHER: I've been there with them their whole life.

You know, I gave up a lot of stuff for my kids, and it's worth it, it really is.

[Chanting in native language] WOMAN: Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

HIANA: Growing up, we went to an all Mohawk school, and that's all we learned was the Mohawk language.

And at the time, we were just learning how to read and write and do everything.

And then we got switched to Lafayette, which we had to learn English.

We didn't know how to write it.

We didn't know how to read it.

Our first year there, we had to read all the easy words, like "and" and "the" and "this," and the only two words that we knew were "I" and "a."

It was hard because, like, the alphabet was a little bit different.

Like the "K" in Mohawk language, it kind of makes a "G" sound, like a GUH.

An "R," it makes an "L" sound.

It was hard for us to, like, put the two together and learn both of them at the same time.

If there's any type of growth, you see some white coming out... HIANA: We had like a certain teacher that just taught us two.

We got taught down in the basement.

We were starting lower than everybody and we had to like battle our way up and work our way up.

They started school late and they've come from so far behind and catch up and do as well as they're doing now.

And just to get that degree, to show everybody.

Because I know there's people out there that actually know them that don't think they can do it.

MAN: How I can serve them academically is like an exchange student, almost.

A lot of teachers put a lot of time into helping the boys.

Especially Jeremy -- Jeremy had to work super hard.

I would say he was probably two grades behind, when I first got to know him.

His cognitive ability was such that we knew that if he put the hard work in, that he would catch up and be successful.

I think lacrosse was a big part of that, made us push to that.

Because you obviously, in order to play, we had to, you know, keep our grades up.

I think that a big part of it was lacrosse, that lacrosse spirit that was living inside of us that we just knew that we loved playing lacrosse and the schooling had to be done.

All right, welcome back to Coyne Stadium for the Class C Championship in Boys Lacrosse, New York state.

HIANA: Me and Jeremy had an awesome time at Lafayette, playing lacrosse there, because the whole team and all the coaches were all pretty close, and we were pretty much like a family.

Our freshman year, pretty sure we only lost one game.

Won the state championship.

And the Lancers have done it.

Class C champs in the state of New York.

HIANA: Our junior year, we had another great team.

We went undefeated that year and we won our second state championship.

The Lancers are celebrating a perfect season!

And their second state championship in three years!

HIANA: It's just an awesome feeling.

I mean, you work so hard during the season and you know all the people that are there watching you playing it and who you're playing it for, and it just feels awesome.

It's the greatest feeling in the world.

FATHER: After the game, we got caught on camera, hugging each other, but we just couldn't hold it back.

It was... tears of joy.

MAN: Everybody -- coaches, players -- everybody needs to work a little bit harder this year, and I think we're starting to get there.

I think some of you guys are starting to understand.

I'm seen some leadership, okay?

PLAYERS: 1, 2, 3... Let's work!

HIANA: After those three years, it was looking like it was going to be an awesome ending, going into our senior year, thinking and hoping that we were going to win another one to top it all off our senior year.

[Whistle blows] All the backyard ball that we played at the house pushed over onto the field because we were working together pretty good.

I mean, I was leading the team in points, and Jeremy, he was unstoppable on the field.

We were 15-2 that year and... we were looking pretty good going into the playoffs for another state championship run.

[Whistle blows] [Applause] FATHER: There they are.

HIANA: Me and Jeremy were getting tons of letters from Division I lacrosse schools and we got them from all over, but we both decided that, if we were going to go anywhere, we were going to go somewhere together, and we both wanted to go to Syracuse and play together there.

By the time lacrosse season started, me and Jeremy, we took the SATs three times, and we still didn't get the scores that we needed to play Division I lacrosse.

If we wanted to play at Syracuse, we need to find a way to get those scores up.

[Whistle blows] HIANA: We started our playoffs out on a good note.

We crushed the first team we played.

We were getting hot at the right time and it looked like we had another good shot at the state title.

But the day before that next playoff game, it all fell apart.

We were just finishing practice.

I heard that there was an altercation in the parking lot.

The boys got in a fight and come to find out, Hiana broke his jaw.

HIANA: Jeremy hit me and shoved my head through his window, shattered the window.

And then it pretty much ended there.

It got broken up.

And then they end up sending me to the hospital.

Which there, they told me I couldn't play in the game.

JEREMY: The whole day, it was just cloudy 'cause, you know, I didn't have him there.

And I was used to always playing with him.

I know everything was relied on us that year.

You know, coming off a state championship, we're expected to, you know, win it again.

And I just remember, you know, that game, everything being on me.

HIANA: I actually went to the game.

Watched the whole thing.

It... was sad for me.

I was mad.

Went over in the corner.

Just sat there, I just started thinking why everything just happened and how it just happened.

[Horn blows] It wasn't a good feeling.

And then to see our team go down, and knowing that I couldn't play in my last high school career game, it just... it made things kind of worse for me.

JEREMY: I just really regret that for hitting him and, um...

I know that's never going to happen again.

I know what that feeling was like and I know what I did to him.

It wasn't a good feeling, you know, so... it was kind of like we had a division between us, a division of, you know, madness, you know, tension, and it didn't feel good.

Me and Jeremy, we didn't get along too good for a while after that.

I just, I couldn't believe that my own older brother actually hit me in the face that hard, enough to hurt me that bad.

So I couldn't really forgive him right then and there or even right away.

But in the back of my mind, I didn't want something like this to break our connection up and break our family up.

Every morning we woke up and... we all braided each other's hair, and after everything happened between Jeremy and I, it was hard for me and him to even talk to each other, so me and him kind of had to avoid each other.

So it was kind of like a weird tension there, like in the mornings.

Like, oh, I need my hair braided, but I'm not going to ask you.

FATHER: To go into a celebration, you know, you want to wear your best outfit.

To us, you know, our full regalia is the best clothing that you could have on to celebrate something like that, and that's what we were trying to imply.

We didn't want to be different, we just wanted to celebrate in the best way that we could.

They only go through high school once, and all those kids that were involved, they're going to walk way from that school with lifetime friendships on both sides.

JEREMY: It was like we had our own ceremony up there.

Had lots of family that were there and a lot of people from the Nation, that was a part of that and real happy of that.

And it was just a good picture to see.

WOMAN: Jeremy Jerome Thompson.

[Applause] Jerome "Hiana" Thompson, Jr. [Applause] Ladies and gentlemen, I present the Class of 2006.

[Cheering and applause] I just feel relief now, to go on to the next level.

I know my dad, he was definitely happy, because it was just so different from how he graduated.

It was something that we were representing that was a tradition of our people.

I know he really liked that, us fighting for that, you know.

So that made him feel good inside.

Even though me and Jeremy weren't talking, we still had to figure out what we were going to do for college.

It looked like a community college was going to be the only route for us to be able to play at Syracuse.

CHUCK: The thing is, up here, you go to class.

We're going to get you the help, we're going to get you the right teachers.

Go to class, go to class, go to class, you're going to do fine.

Understand you guys got an opportunity to go big-time, go on to Syracuse and stuff.

It's not hard to do well here as long as you're not being lazy.

HIANA: Lacrosse is lacrosse, but...

I don't know, it's just...

I just wish I didn't have to go through this, like I wish I could have went right to Syracuse.

It bothers me a little bit, but I've got to do it.

My first year up at OCC, we had a lot of native kids go there that they were in the same boat as I was, didn't have the grades to get into a good D-1 school.

[Players whooping] I was disappointed that I wasn't playing for Syracuse, but as the season went on at OCC, me and Jeremy became more and more into it because it looked like we might have a chance to win a national championship.

[Applause] We had a very good team that probably could compete with a lot of D-1 schools that year.

I mean, we were that good.

[Cheering] MAN: All right, listen up, today is the moment you guys have been working for your whole lives.

You guys have been working to be national champions.

There's nothing like this, okay?

No one's going to be tired.

No one's going to have any pain today.

You leave it on the field.

We've got 60 minutes to get it done.

Let's get it done!

[Cheering] [Whooping] Let's go!

Let's go, white!

Pick it up, white, let's go!

Yeah!

[Applause] [Cheering] [Cheering] Listen to me, everything you've got!

15 minutes!

Let's go!

[Whooping] [Cheering] HIANA: That year we won the national championship.

It felt real good because I just won another championship.

And at the same time, me and Jeremy were still, throughout that whole year, we're still trying to like get close and, like, reunite with each other.

Like, it took a while for us to get over what happened back in high school.

And that year, we kind of grew on each other again and kind of came back, and winning that national championship with him, it felt good again, like everything went back to normal.

Me getting into Syracuse is like, it's right there, it's right there in front of me.

I got to do good on my finals and pass all my classes.

It's like the last step I got to do to get to Syracuse.

I notice Jeremy always has his -- and it's always been like that -- always has books.

He's always got his head in a book, he's always studying.

Hiana, he never studies, and I've never seen the kid study.

Never, not once, study.

Jeremy's got his head in a book all the time studying, late at night studying.

Or up early in the morning, sometimes he's up before me and he's studying.

So, I would be hurt if he didn't make it, 'cause he's trying so hard -- I think he would be hurt, too.

TEACHER: And to have really no end in sight to depravation and losses due to reservation conditions and sickness and not having proper medical care.

It was really a crisis.

It was reaching a crisis level.

JEREMY: The second year I was up at OCC, I wasn't really focused, you know, so my mind kind of wandered off into the things I wasn't supposed to be getting into, you know, there, against the ways of our people.

MAN: What do you mean?

The mind changers.

HIANA: I heard rumors that... that Jeremy was drinking.

And everybody was just telling me that they were partying with him or whatever.

DEE: I can't say I was in denial because he hid it pretty good.

I don't even know if Hiana knew.

I didn't really believe that he was drinking because of how we were brought up and the promises that we made to my dad that we wouldn't.

When I started, you know, smoking up and drinking, bringing the little alcohol bottles in here, the ones that they have on airplanes and stuff like that, and just remember just chilling out in my room or go for a ride or something like that or just walk about.

There was other stuff I did, too.

You know, like those painkillers, those Oxycontins.

I know I remember taking those just to numb everything, I guess.

I didn't want to feel anything at that time, 'cause of what I was holding in, you know, away from my parents and my family.

HIANA: Lyle looked up to Jeremy a lot.

He'd always listen to him.

And it seemed like Jeremy was Lyle's role model.

I know it hurt Lyle because... 'cause Lyle told me that... he couldn't listen to Jeremy anymore, because...

He felt like he couldn't listen to him because he went around all our backs and did that.

FATHER: Jeremy had his problems with alcoholism and he knew it was a problem.

He actually did it himself.

He knew what he had to do.

Got into some ceremonies that actually helped him, you know, inside.

He started to heal himself inside.

And I give him a lot of credit for that.

A lot of people out there, it would take them a lifetime to do that, to realize that they have to be healed inside first.

And he's young and he's already did that, so I think he'll move on and grow and teach that at the same time, because he's already been through it.

HIANA: I'm kind of stuck in this big situation.

'Cause I've got this dream that I've always been dreaming about, for pretty much my whole life.

But then this summer, I kind of met a girl and kind of fell for her.

At the same time, I had to get ready and come to school.

If I went to school, then, I kind of, like in my mind, I figured I'd lose her because she was three hours away.

[Laughs] I fell in love and...

I couldn't help it but try to go and try to be with her.

So... that's what I did.

[Jeremy chuckles] "Congratulations on your admissions to the College of Visual Arts..." DEE, LAUGHING: Yes!

He's in!

Now we've got to celebrate.

Well, looks like I can get ready now, start training.

I'm in.

Like I'm finally in, you know?

[Laughter] FATHER: He finally made it.

He's tried so hard and he's really worked a lot to get there.

And he finally got there and...

I really wasn't an emotional guy, but... that's... JEREMY: I can always tell when it really means something, he's really proud.

And I can really feel that inside when he just grabbed me, you know, and he just shook my hand, and I could just really feel that he's real proud and happy, you know, that I'm starting something out here, you know, that he didn't have, so... [Laughs] ANCHORMAN: The Syracuse lacrosse program will have some big shoes to fill next season if they are to defend their national title.

It appears they are now on their way to doing so.

University officials confirm Jeremy Thompson has enrolled at S.U.

and is taking classes.

He's the oldest of the four Thompson brothers from Lafayette and had 20 goals and 28 assists for the national champion... FATHER: He's been at school for a little over two weeks.

And his workload now, I mean, he doesn't slow down.

When he's got an essay due the next day, he'll stay up all night, because he's going to have to have the grades to even play lacrosse.

I mean, that's his dream, to go to Syracuse University and play lacrosse.

I don't feel sorry for him, but I want to help him so bad, and I don't know how to do it, really, but... that's his drive, that's why I know he'll succeed.

He's going to do it no matter what.

JEREMY: When I'm up here at the university, my mind's always with my family and my people.

But for myself, it's almost like I'm living in two worlds, having to go out and get a degree, that's what's required to live in today's society.

Along with that, I've committed myself to going back to my nation, taking a time to study the things that are done in the longhouse, you know, just to have a better understanding, because that's really a part of me, myself, and that's who I am, where I come from.

[Reading native language] When I was up at the university, you know, doing the schooling and everything like that, you know, sports and everything, just being so much, I think it ended up getting to me.

You know, it did cross my mind where I wanted to give up and I wanted to let go.

I think the reason why I stuck it out, you know, stayed up there and, you know, stayed strong within myself and, you know, my commitments, I think I was more or less being a role model, a good example, you know, for my people, and, you know, the younger ones that are underneath me and I can tell that, you know, they look up to me, you know, and that's how I see it.

I see it as I'm doing this for them.

You know, it's not for me.

DEE: Everybody's asked me, "IS it true that Jeremy's up at S.U.

now?"

And I'm like, "Yeah."

They all ask about Hiana, and I'm like, "Oh, Hines!"

[Laughter] "Hines is Hines -- I don't know what's going on with that guy."

I always tell everyone he fell in love, so...

He was in love before, too, but I think he really fell in love now.

HIANA: Oh, that was beautiful!

When Jeremy, you know, when he got accepted to Syracuse, that was probably my second thought, you know, what about junior?

I know when he starts something, he'll finish it, but it's just going to take him longer.

We've always seen that.

You know, he's always followed Jeremy around.

It's hard to say, you know, if he's going to get there.

We're still hoping.

I know it's still his dream.

And how many more obstacles is he going to have to go through?

You think you're going to graduate?

Uh, yeah.

I don't know.

All I got to do is pass all these classes, and I think I can do that, so... FATHER: What if you don't?

HIANA: Hmm, then...

I probably won't go to school anymore.

FATHER: What are you going to do?

Maybe working, enter the draft.

What kind of work?

I don't know.

I haven't really decided.

[Laughter] [Scoffs] HIANA: You did it, why can't I?

So we're going to take the high side of this board... WOMAN: When me and Hiana talk about our dreams sometimes, he talks about S.U.

and how he wants to make it there and play lacrosse and stuff.

But I know if he doesn't make it there, then he'll feel really bad.

He'll feel like he let a lot of people down.

His brothers, his father...

There's a lot of people.

[Geese calling] HIANA: I try to live my life without having regrets, but I kind of do because like I really wish that I tried harder in high school so that I could have went to Syracuse right out of high school instead of doing all this stuff.

If I don't get into Syracuse this year, I don't think I'm going to keep on trying, because something's telling me it's time to move on.

Oh, yeah, for sure.

Practicing out here in the wintertime.

HIANA: Miles and Lyle are going to be great lacrosse players.

I can bet you they're going to be better than me and Jeremy.

They're my little brothers and I just want them to be the best.

I know they look up to me and Jeremy, so I just hope that they learned a lot from watching us and seeing everything that we went through.

MAN ON CELLPHONE: What are you doing now?

HIANA: Just chilling.

What are you up to?

We went to pick up my dad's Christmas gift.

How did school finish up?

How did your semester go and stuff?

Um... Not too good.

What do you mean?

Um... kind of stopped going.

I didn't really finish it.

What do you mean, you stopped going?

I did bad on a couple tests and I didn't do a couple papers in a couple classes and...

I pretty much needed all these classes to graduate.

So, I figured I wasn't going to pass those, so why even bother, you know?

Damn, man, I don't like to hear that!

Yeah, I know, but... All those years that I was trying to get in there, like, it was stressful for me.

I felt like I was pouring everything into getting there.

And after I just said enough was enough, then... it just felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

When I quit, I moved up north, up to Akwesasne.

And I just kind of sat up there and started rethinking of what I wanted to do next.

And we're off to work.

Jeremy's first game is coming up here for Syracuse.

It's this Friday.

It's going to be the first game that he hasn't played without me in a real long time.

I'm happy for Jeremy that he made it there.

But it's just...

It's probably going to be hard for me, just 'cause, like, I thought I was going to be there, thought I was going to be playing right with him, but... you know, I didn't make it, so... And I'm just going to have to sit there and watch him play, knowing that I should have and could have been there, too.

We'll be at the game watching, cheering him on.

So, I don't know.

I hope he tears it up.

[Razor buzzing] FATHER: Hines, you've got to take a little off this side.

Tear 'em up, baby!

Whooo!

Go!

MILES: I'm getting excited now.

I just want to see him score.

I want to see him tear it up and make a name for himself, a big name.

That's my goal when I get to the D-1 level.

That's what all of our goals is.

Having my brother play at Syracuse, I just think it's going to be big for me just to watch him play.

That is going to be cool to see a Thompson behind an orange jersey.

It's going to be bad!

FATHER: Just anxious, anxious for the whistle.

If he gets the ball, he'll do something with it.

Good evening, everyone, welcome to the Carrier Dome and welcome to Syracuse lacrosse 2010, the quest for a second "three-peat" in the history of the school.

[Players whooping] [Fans cheering] Number 4, Jeremy Thompson!

Let's go, Jeremy!

It will be Jeremy Thompson at the face-off.

[Whistle blows] And Jeremy Thompson wins his first career face-off.

Thompson's off the box, now works his way toward the right alley, shoots, it hits the pipe.

[Cheering, whistle blows] Yes!

Whoa!

...Number 4, Jeremy Thompson!

HIANA: When I finally found out that Jeremy got into Syracuse, it made me feel proud because I saw how hard he was working to finally get there and accomplish his really big dream.

I wish I could have did it with him, but...

I was happy enough to see him get there and do really well.

DEE: It just brings back a lot of childhood memories of him as a kid saying he wanted to go to Syracuse, and a little kid, running around with a stick, and now he's, he's my little man.

[Dee chuckles] All grown up, at S.U.

Brings it straight to the top, and Thompson free on the right alley, whips her in -- Jeremy Thompson's second... JEREMY: Where I am today is where I am, and I'm happy.

I'm happy with everything that I have, and it's only getting better.

I definitely don't regret anything that I did or anything that happened to me, 'cause that's the way it was meant for me.

Desko behind to Jamieson.

COMMENTATOR #2: He scores!

COMMENTATOR #1: Quick stick and a shot and a score and it's Thompson on the left side goal line.

Thompson whips it and scores!

On the right side!

Jeremy Thompson off the face-off!

And in the blink of an eye...

I'm on a learning path right now and it just continues to get stronger every day.

I know the more I learn about my people, our history and just our way and the language, having that kind of thing gives me a better understanding of who I am.

Jeremy Thompson ready to go to work again.

Covering so much ground in a hurry.

Now Thompson still on the handle.

Thompson takes a whack.

Thompson throws it in and scores!

Jeremy Thompson!

[Crowd cheering] Uh-oh, I can see the arena.

I would have to say that life is real good right now.

I'm getting back in shape, working out.

Uh, playing lacrosse, box lacrosse right now.

I just love the game of lacrosse so much that I'll play the game anywhere just as long as I can play it, for as long as I can.

It would be awesome to, sometime now or in the near future, to play with all my brothers.

But for now I just want to play lacrosse.

[Crowd cheering, whistle blows] Me and my girl, we're... we're madly in love, we're going to get married soon.

We're going to start a family.

I'm just real excited for the next chapter of my life.

I didn't accomplish one of my dreams of playing for Syracuse, but... the next dream in line after that was to play professional lacrosse, and that's the dream that I'm going after right now.

And I'm going to try to accomplish that.

FATHER: Down...go!

The greatest gift that you can give your child is your time.

Money and this and that, it's basically meaningless because it's here and then it's gone.

[Chuckles] Lyle!

[Father chuckles] FATHER: But your time with your child will stay with them.

It sticks to them because it's something that you get to teach them, hand on hand, face to face with them.

That's why I think my family is close.

They miss each other.

When one of the brothers are gone and they get back together, you can see the joy and the happiness in their faces that, you know, "Yeah, we're back together."

Time has passed where, like, I'm a grandfather now, and I know that my kids are going to raise their kids in the same manner because right now I have the chance to see it.

My hope is that other people can see this and build off from that because it's all true.

It all is.

[Whistle blows] Another face-off win as well for Lyle.

Draws the double-team immediately.

[Whistle blows] And a score!

Miles Thompson, the "no look" over the shoulder!

The lead back to 4, but momentum on the Lancers' side.

Lyle Thompson for Miles!

The Thompson brothers putting on a show!

Three quick goals and still 2 1/2 to go... [Metal clangs] [Bird calling] This program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.