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“You can’t go home again,” the novelist Thomas Wolfe famously said.
JR Booth has proven him wrong.
Booth, a Class of 2015 attackman at Westwood High School in Texas has verbally committed to D-II power Dowling College, a decision first reported last week by Joe Lombardi on LaxLessons.com’s Lacrosse Insider premium coverage section.
Booth is a Long Island native who lived in Suffolk County in Mastic area, and who played William Floyd youth lacrosse before coming to Austin.
“I moved to Texas in the fifth grade,” Booth said. “My grandparents, aunts and sncles still live on LI (in Sayville, Medford and Mastic), so I was able to stay with them every summer.”
JR’s father, Jamie Booth, is the head coach at Westwood and a former Long Island standout himself at William Floyd High School.
The 5-foot-10 165-pound JR Booth is a crafty lefty finisher and feedback.
Now, here’s a Q&A with JR on his commitment.
What were the main factors in your decision?
I want to play high level lacrosse. I feel I can contribute and learn at the same time. When I talked with (Dowling Head) Coach (Tim) Boyle, he confirmed they are always in the hunt to compete. Location was also a deciding factor. Going to a hotbed of lacrosse while being close to family.
What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
I considered UMass Lowell, Tampa and Hartford.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
My footwork is my best attribute. I’m crafty and I have a great COS and COD dodges. My COS and COD helps me draw slides which allows me to look for the open guy.
What area of your game do you need to work on?
I need to work on my size in the weight room and conditioning. I also need to improve my off-ball cuts.
How did you get introduced to lacrosse and what other sports have you played?
My dad was pretty much my motivating factor. He put a stick in my hand as soon as I was born, he has coached me all my life. I also played soccer, I tried Ice Hockey and wrestling, unfortunately those are not very popular in TX.
What travel team do you play on what showcase events did you participate in?
I played with Iron Horse Dallas with Coach Chris Surran. I played in the BSK, Legacy, Best of the Best on Long Island, KOH and more. I have done Adrenaline’s Del Mar and Sonoma tournaments. I really traveled a ton trying to be seen.
I attended Island Uprising held at Stony Brook, I participated in a prospect day at Tampa.
This past summer I played with OneStar Lacrosse a new team out of Austin. We played in the LI Laxfest where I was selected an all-star and we just won the Shore Wars event in Ocean City Md.
Any final thoughts?
I need to thank my parents for providing me the opportunities and allowing me to travel so much. A special thank you to my dad who always believed in me and forced me to work hard to be a better player. I also would like to thank Coach Lewis Wright, he has been around since I moved to Texas and has helped shape my game.
Have a recruiting commitment to report? Send an email to info@laxlessons.com, contact Joe Lombardi directly at joe@laxlessons.com or send a Tweet to @Joe_Lombardi or @LaxLessons.
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Posted In: Beyond the Northeast, Long Island lacrosse, Recruiting Rundown, Texas lacrosse
