Me in the 1985 NCAA semi finals championship game covering University of North Carolina’s All American midfielder Steve Martel in the Carrier Dome.
When it comes to lacrosse and college, my advice is always choose an academic program that is both affordable and will help you develop your non-lacrosse passion. I also suggest a school that is relatively close to home say 4 or less hours from home if you want your folks to see you play and you want to make it home for holidays and special occasions. Then choose a school where there is a need for you at your position earlier rather than in your junior or senior year. Most competitive athletes come apart emotionally and get depressed when they are not playing; that happened to me on more than one occasion during my career. Ask important questions to coaches recruiting you. For example, how deep is a team’s roster is at your position? Remember in the fall of 1983 Syracuse had graduated three starting defensemen, that made SU appealing to me. Finally let me quote Lou Holtz as it is related to the stress one might feel when top coaches are evaluating you as a potential recruit: “You only succumb to stress if your are ill-prepared.” In short, make sure you are prepared physically, emotionally, and most important in my book, spiritually. That is, have your house in order. Success I say is when preparation meets opportunity.
