According to a source, JD Steidle is undefeated at home.
Without confirmation from older sisters, Bella and Emma, we'll just have to take the Clearview senior's word for it.
"They never beat me," Steidle said. "Never happened. That's something you'll never see."
Steidle's claims are an insight into just how impactful his sisters were to his athletic mindset.
"It is something that's always pushed me forward," Steidle said. "I have a lot to look up to. I have a lot of role models in life, even my parents, everyone in my life, has helped me so much. I'm just grateful for them."
Bella graduated at Clearview in 2020, Emma graduated in 2023. Both were 1,000-point scorers in basketball. They share a common role model with their younger brother.
Their mother, April played Division 1 basketball at Loyola University. After a tough practice or a challenging game. His mother offered her support, often with an added message — toughen up.
"That was usually her answer," Steidle said. "Sometimes you have a bad loss, or bad days. You have to take it to your chest and move forward. Use your short-term memory."
Steidle made am immediate impact on the lacrosse field at Clearview. He is a four-year starter.
"We have a pretty talented group when he was a freshman," coach Robert Rieck said. "He stepped in right away and played like he belonged there."
Steidle was named an All-American last spring and committed to play at Monmouth University.
"The first day I stepped on campus, it was super welcoming," Steidle said. "The coaching staff is awesome there. I've met plenty of their future commits and the other guys at the school. It seems like a great family there, an awesome program. I'm super excited for it."
Steidle will have to wait through one final varsity season at Clearview first. Even with a basketball pedigree, focusing on lacrosse was a no-brainer.
"I knew very early, I would say, before middle school," Steidle said. "I was set on lacrosse. I wanted it really badly. I just grinded for it every single day. It was something that I knew I wanted my whole life."
With his dreams clearly in sight, Steidle is quick to credit the support he got at home. That is where he really is undefeated.
"My sisters are amazing," Steidle said. With them being two and four years older than me, they were always able to push me. They've always just pushed me to be my best. They are great to look up to."
Tom Rimback grew up reading the Burlington County Times and Courier Post sports sections and began writing for the BCT in 1996. He has covered everything from Super Bowls and Final Fours to Tri-County Swimming but he’s happiest on a sideline interviewing South Jersey scholastic athletes. Follow him on twitter @Rimbacksports. Email him with story ideas at tomrimback@gmail.com and, most importantly, support local journalism with a subscription to the Courier-Post.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: HS boys lacrosse: Steidle, Clearview drawing on the past
