Lacrosse and Football, Football and Lacrosse

Aaron Jones

In his senior year at Hempstead High School, the University of North Carolina offered Aaron Jones a scholarship to play defensive back for the Tar Heels but his mother, an English teacher at the time, at Hempstead High School, insisted on Ivy League academic excellence over ACC football. Hempstead athletes often excelled in football and basketball at the high school and many had the option to play those sports in college and did as scholarship athletes. They include University of Iowa defensive end Larry Blue (defense), Syracuse University linebacker Reggie Terry and who is now Director of Football Administration for the Arizona Cardinals (attack), Temple University linebacker Tim Terry (Goalie), Northeastern University basketball and football standout Lamont Hugh (midfield) and Syracuse University and NFL wide receiver Rob Moore who was a varsity midfielder at Hempstead his sophomore and junior year before he turned to track his senior year (Rob is returning to SU’s football program this year as the team’s wide receiver coach). All these guys played youth and high school lacrosse because of the recruiting effort and passion for the game of Al Hoddish, the man with a hatchback full of lacrosse sticks and a vision for greatness for the youth of Hempstead.