Jennifer Hoffer – Sports Editor
The men’s lacrosse team has started their season 1-6 so far, but senior Patrick Cooney said he has seen things in the team that he loves.
“What I’ve really liked seeing in the team this year so far is the commitment to the team,” Cooney said. “In years passed since I was a freshman on the team we have always had issues with players who were not committed and would only show up to games and never practice. This season it has not been that case, everyone is committed to the team try their hardest.”
Despite the team being committed this year, Cooney said the team could improve on the communication.
“The players communicate well but not to the capacity that I know they are all capable of,” Cooney said.
While the team can improve on communication, Cooney said that he could work on clearing the ball after a save.
“This has always been a short coming of mine,” Cooney said. “I’ve been working on that aspect of my game since last spring.”
Cooney has not always played goalie. He said he made that transition when he came to Southern.
During high school, where he played lacrosse at Fairfield-Ludlowe, he was an attack man.
Cooney said his high school experience at Fairfield was a difficult one for him because he received such little playtime.
“It was understandable, though, because it was my first time playing and I did not have the knowledge of the game like I do today,” Cooney said. “I only played for two years until I broke my arm mid season. After sophomore year of high school I decided to devote all my time and energy on ice hockey.”
Cooney originally chose to come to Southern to play ice hockey. During his freshman year, Cooney said there were six goalies trying to make the cut.
“So seeing that I decided that I wanted to try something new and I joined the paintball team,” Cooney said. “I did not even know that there was a lacrosse team at Southern until the spring leadership retreat. That’s where I met my current assistant head coach, William Wezenter. He told me to come out and play. Since then I’ve devoted my college athletic life to lacrosse.”
Since he has been playing at Southern, Cooney said he has improved most of his saving ability.
“When I first started out playing lacrosse goalie I would always use my body to make saves instead of my stick because of my background in ice hockey,” Cooney said.
Besides being the goalie for the team, Cooney is also team president for the lacrosse team, which he said is one of the most stressful positions he has ever held.
Not only does Cooney have the pressure of being president, and handling the responsibilities that come with that, but also he said he also is too hard of himself in school.
“I take the term student athlete to hard,” Cooney said. “I am a student first athlete second. I always manage to get my homework and classes done before or after practice, I give up my own free time by doing homework.”
But despite the challenges he faces during the on and off season, Cooney said that playing with friends on the team, and creating close bonds with them have been the most rewarding.
Not only has creating bonds with close friends been rewarding for the team, but Cooney said that the team has received opportunities that the varsity teams usually get, not club teams.
“Last season and this season we have been getting some practices and several games on the turf,” Cooney said. “I cannot thank athletics and Eric LaCharity enough for the opportunities they have given us these past two seasons.”
As Cooney’s season is starting to come to an end, he still has one thing he wants to happen. And that, he said, is the greatest game- and it hasn’t even happened yet.
“That favorite moment, that special game will happen Wednesday April 9th at 7:30 on Jess Dow Field,” Cooney said. “This is the last time myself and the other seniors William Wood, Tyler McNamara, Peter Tiemann, and Tim Albert will be playing on Jess Dow field. We have all been on this team since the very beginning in 2009-2010. We have shared through the triumphs and heartbreaks together for the past four years. And I don’t know about the other guys but that night will be a very emotional night for me, but I can’t wait.”
