The now prevalent trend of sophomores making verbal commitments all began at Syosset.
It started when Ryan Feit became the first 10th-grader to make a Division I lacrosse verbal commitment when he declared his intentions to LaxLessons.com to attend Johns Hopkins in October, 2010.
Now, less than three years later, another Syosset player has made a verbal one step ahead of Feit.
He’s defenseman EJ Aronson, who just completed his freshman year with the Braves as a defender playing in front of Feit in goal.
Aronson has committed to Army, as reported late last month at Twitter.com/Joe_Lombardi.
The 6-foot, 165-pound Aronson is an athletic position defender who plays a physical style.
Now, here’s a Q&A with EJ on his commitment.
What were the main factors in your decision?
I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself. West Point provides me with that opportunity. The coaching staff at Syosset has always pushed me to take pride in being a big part of the big picture.
West Point treats each and every cadet and/or graduate as a family. This was exactly the type of school I was looking to attend.
What other schools did you consider, what other schools did you visit?
I have considered quite a few schools, but West Point was different and very special to me. It was “the one” I had my heart set on. I knew after my visit to West Point it could provide me with the tools to become a better son, student, man, and an overall better person.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
My strengths on the field are the other two defensemen on the field with me. The three of us play as one unit and we are directed by the goalie. Another strength of mine is my intensity and competitiveness. When I’m on the field, I’m a different person. My sole focus is my job and handling my assignments.
What area of your game do you need to work on?
An area of the game I need to work on is my lacrosse IQ. An area of immediate focus is a need to get more experience playing at the highest levels possible. I can accomplish this by the stiff competition here on Long Island as well as the various national tournaments I attend on my travel team 91.
How did you get introduced to lacrosse and what other sports have you played?
My youth league coach, Brian O’Keefe, introduced me to lacrosse. I had a rough start my first year. Many of the boys on the team made fun of me since they have been playing much longer than me.
Once I was able to pick up the game, I loved it, and worked extremely hard to get better every year. In addition to lacrosse, I play varsity football, and am a member of the varsity wrestling team.
What travel team did you play on last summer and what showcase events did you participate in?
I played for 91 and the Syosset High School teams.
Any final thoughts?
I got to West Point by putting in a lot of hard work, my love for the sport and, of course, the mentoring of my coaches at Syosset. I have had many wonderful coaches over the years, this year Coach Waxer was the coach of the defense. He was pivotal in gaining the complete understanding of the defense Coach Calabria and Waxer wanted to employ. Going into the start of the season their were two returning varsity defensemen, who were both great players in their own right. It was a hard-fought competition. Thankfully, I was able to win a starting position.
I believe I play at the level I do due to the fact that I know my teammates have my back and know their specific roles on the team. It makes focusing on my specific assignment a lot easier to focus on.
I can’t say enough about the coaching staff at Syosset — coaches Calabria, Murtha and Waxer. Each has a comprehensive understanding of the game. More importantly, the entire coaching staff has an amazing understanding of my game, and is able to help me take it to a higher level every time I take the field, because of their coaching and my true love of the game. I take great pride in being assigned to defend the top player on each team we play.
Have a recruiting commitment to report? Email us at info@laxlessons.com.
LAXLESSONS Links
New iPhone/iPad and Android apps
* Download for free the new LaxLessons’ playbook Android app in Google play.
* Download for free the new LaxLessons’ playbook iPad/iPhone app in the iTunes store.
Recruiting coverage
* Updated tristate recruiting review and commitment rundown (for classes of 2013, ’14, ’15 and ’16)
* College-by-college breakdown for Class of 2013
* Recruiting commitment story archive
* 2012 Fall Signing Week story/photo archive
* For a list of committed players with their profiles up, click here.
* To get your profile up, click here
Connect with us
* Follow LaxLessons on Twitter by clicking here.
* Become a Fan of LaxLessons on Facebook now by clicking here.
Posted In: Long Island lacrosse, Recruiting Rundown, Section 8
