Johns Creek player represents Russia in lacrosse world championship

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. - A Johns Creek High School graduate has taken his talents to Israel where he is competing in the men's lacrosse world championship.

But Roman Boothe isn't representing Team USA.

He's playing for Russia, the country he was born in.

"It will be really cool playing for Russia and getting to know some of the guys," Boothe said.

Boothe and his little sister Ana, also a lacrosse star, were adopted by Johns Creek residents Dave and Clare Boothe when they were only a few months old.

"We haven't gone back to Russia since 1999 when we got them and brought them here, so for him to have this experience and get some of the culture from his birth country is just something we couldn't pass up," Clare Boothe said.

Boothe said he reached out to the Russian national team's head coach and shared his highlight reel before the coach added him to the team.

"I really have no idea what to expect, but that's the fun in it anyways, isn't it?" Boothe said.

Boothe and his sister have played lacrosse for several years making a name for themselves at Johns Creek high school and now in college.

"We weren't really that competitive with one another growing up," Ana Boothe said. "But it was cool to have this connection."

Roman redshirted as a freshman this past season at Adelphi University in New York, a Division II lacrosse power. Ana earned a varsity letter as a freshman at Presbyterian College in South Carolina.

Lacrosse is rapidly gaining popularity across the U.S. and in Georgia, and Roman said he's glad to be a part of the growth.

"If it really takes off like it has in the north and abroad, then I will be able to say I had a role in that," Booth said.

Boothe said lacrosse has given him too many opportunities to count, but playing in a world championship and representing his birth country definitely takes the cake.

"Lacrosse has given me the chance to play in college and meet lifelong friends," Boothe said. "But playing for my home country in a world championship, that's just really cool."