If you enjoy watching defenders who value style over substance, Paul Volante may not be what you’re looking for.
The sophomore at two-time Connecticut state finalist Ridgefield is all about being steady and not necessarily spectacular.
“I am not a very flashy player,” Volante said. “I play smart with good fundamentals and always play for my teammates.”
Which is all the more reason why the college he intends to attend after three more varsity seasons in Tiger Town seems like the perfect fit for the 6-foot-3, 165-pound Volante.
Volante announced his intentions late last week to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, as first reported at Twitter.com/joe_lombardi.
The hard-working Volante has ideal size,excellent stick stills as well as footwork, and good field awareness.
Now, here’s a Q&A with Paul on his commitment.
What were the main factors in your decision?
The main factors in my decision were that I wanted to go to a school that offered a great education, a top lacrosse program and high values.
Also, I want to go to West Point because it has a family atmosphere in its lacrosse program. I really liked (Head) Coach (Joe) Alberici and his coaching staff very much. Mostly, I want to go to West Point because of the opportunities you get from there and I want to serve my country.
What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
I considered Duke, Lehigh, UNC, Bryant and Hofstra. Besides visiting Army, I also visited UNC, Lehigh, Fairfield and Duke.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
I have good footwork, stick skills, field awareness and one-on-one and team defensive abilities. I am not a very flashy player. I play smart with good fundamentals and always play for my teammates.
What areas of your game have you been working to improve on?
The areas of my game that I have been working on have been to gain more speed and strength. I am always working on getting my game sharper and better than it was the game before, no matter what it is.
Who have been some of the biggest influences on you during your development as a player?
My youth lacrosse coaches taught me the game and the fundamentals.
The biggest influence on my development as a player is my high school coach, Roy Colsey, he has taught me so much and has improved my game tremendously. He has not only helped me on the lacrosse field, but in life.
What travel team did you play on and what were some of the big showcase events you participated in last summer?
The travel team that I play on is Team Superstar. The showcases that I participated in last summer were Maverik Showtime and Fab Frosh, where I was an all-star.
* For more info on Paul, check out his player profile by clicking here.
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Posted In: Fairfield lacrosse, fciac, Recruiting Rundown
An excellent player and an even better person. Paul – your tireless work ethic and dedication are qualities mature beyond your years. Best to you and your family.
From what I’ve seen, he’s a very solid position defender with good size and a great lax QB.
Some other defensemen at Ridgefield are flashy and seem to draw attention to themselves – taking shots themselves instead of passing ,etc.
Not this kid. Very coachable. Excellent recruit for Army.
Well done Paul. All the best.
You the man PV