Curtis High School senior Colby Carr didn't exactly plan on becoming part of a family legacy.

His father, Lt. Col. Colin Carr, and two uncles all attended the Air Force Academy.

Colby just wanted to play lacrosse at the Division I level.

But the two elements came together recently as Colby accepted an athletic scholarship to play lacrosse at the academy.

"It's a privilege," Colby said. "I'm pretty excited about the opportunity."

Throughout the entire process, Colin, a C-17 Globemaster III pilot and squadron commander with the 446th Airlift Wing at McChord Field, did his best to be objective.

"I wanted it to be his decision," said Colin, a reservist who's currently on active duty orders. "Because you have to want to go (to the academy) for you."

Lacrosse has been a uniting force in the father and son relationship for years. Colby started playing in fourth grade for the Tacoma Youth Lacrosse Association after a neighbor introduced him to the sport. At the time, the association needed coaches, so despite having never played the sport, Colin volunteered to coach.

"It was growing so fast, and they needed people to step up," Colin said.

The association started with one team with 30 players, and when Colin stepped away a couple years ago, the association had grown to 26 teams and 500 players.

Despite the growth of the sport at the lower levels, the college prospects for high school lacrosse players in Washington are slim. Curtis High has a lacrosse program, but it's not a sport sanctioned by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. The sport is big on the East coast, and a majority of college players come from that region. Colby joined an elite traveling team composed of players from the West and competed against teams all over the East coast.

"You don't get recruited if you just stay in Washington," said Colby, who is a midfielder. "It's because of (the involvement with the traveling team) that got me the exposure."

The Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., and the University of Denver are the furthest schools west that feature Division I lacrosse programs.

Colby took his official recruiting trip to the academy in late October and was hooked after that.

"From that I got to see what cadet life was like," he said. "I know it will be hard, but every one of the cadets said it's worth it."

Colin is confident his son will do fine. He knows the leadership qualities Colby has acquired over the years will come in handy.

"They're going to test you," Colin said. "They're going to keep pushing you."

Although some things have changed since Colin graduated from the academy in 1984, some things remain the same.

"(The visit) gave me a little more insight to what my father did when he attended," Colby said.

Colby hasn't decided whether or not to follow in his father's footsteps and become a pilot (he's also considering a career as a combat controller). While a part of Colin hopes Colby will choose the pilot route, he's excited about what the future will hold for his son nevertheless.

"I'm very proud of him for wanting to serve his country," Colin said. "It's not easy."