This week, I talked with men’s lacrosse player Jack Korzelius ’18. Korzelius has already made a impact in the beginning of the season, being named the Ivy League Rookie of the Week, Covias ECAC Player of the Week and Northeast Credit Union Player of the Week. Korzelius also netted the game-winning goals for the Big Green against Harvard University in overtime last week and the team’s win against the University of Vermont.
What are some of the keys to your early success?
JK: It’s definitely with our new coach [Brendan Callahan], how hard he pushes us and the standards he sets for the team as a whole. When you work hard and set high standards, success comes early.
How has it felt to receive so many accolades so early in your career?
JK: That stuff is nice along the way, but at the end of the day, you have a bigger goal than just a couple of awards.
Is it challenging being a freshman and already having such a large role on the team?
JK: The guys are very good about the freshmen as a whole as a group, and we’re all working towards the same goal. So not really, no.
Have there been any adjustments in general to being a college athlete?
JK: In general, the workload from high school to college is a big step. The sport itself is a lot faster, and on top of it, the work of an Ivy League school is definitely something else.
Why did you choose Dartmouth?
JK: Well, I love the school itself and its small, community-like feel, and I thought that we could really prove something in the Ivy League and save the program from where it was headed.
Can you tell me a little about your game-winning shot against Harvard in the Ivy opener?
JK: Couldn’t ask for a better ending than that. Second overtime came, and we knew the whole game was going to be a fight. Late in the second overtime, we were just working the ball around and Cam Lee [’16] dodged the backside and then got the ball back to me. I just took the ball and headed down the right alley. I got a step on my guy and just finished the ball.
What are your thoughts on the season so far?
JK: I think the season has gone very well. We had two big wins last week. In general, the team as a whole has done so much from the fall, just the way we attack each practice, lift and each play in general. The whole attitude of the program has changed, and that sometimes gets overlooked when people want to look at results. But results come from the values on the team, and that’s something that has changed big time.
What are the team goals for the season?
JK: Definitely, we are looking to make the Ivy League tournament, which is something that we haven’t done in a while. Once we’re there, we’re going to do our best to bring home the championship.
What are your personal goals for the rest of the season?
JK: Just to basically keep working hard and put myself in a position where I can use my talents to help the team in general moving forward.
Did you every play anything other than lacrosse?
JK: In high school, I played two years of basketball, but that was it.
What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not playing lacrosse?
JK: I’m a big movie guy, so I guess watch movies.
Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions?
JK: Definitely regular things like re-taping sticks, but since high school, I’ve been doing a pregame prayer. Other than that, that’s pretty much it.
