A.J. and Austin Rocco have played alongside one another for as long as they’ve been playing lacrosse.
Usually on the same attack line – most recently with Avon Old Farms (Conn.) and the Connecticut Bulldogs.
That shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, the two are twin brothers.
It should also come as no surprise that the junior duo has decided to stay together at the next level.
They will both be playing their college lacrosse at Yale. They selected Yale after they were each recruited by Johns Hopkins and Georgetown.
For some background and info on the decision, we checked in first with A.J. (pictured above, shown scoring for Team New England in the Under Armour Underclass Tournament championship game.)
Q & A with A.J. Rocco:
What were the main factors in your decision?
I really started to have an interest in Yale when I first got involved with the Connecticut Bulldog summer team a few years ago, coached by Yale assistant Graham Niemi. I have known Coach Niemi for four years now, and he is a great coach and a great guy. He had a big role in my commitment to Yale.
Also, I took a visit up to the campus and really liked what I saw. The campus is second to none, and the academic name speaks for itself. My family liked the idea that I would be close to home, and after I sat down with Coach (Andy) Shay and talked with him, I knew where I wanted to go.
What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
Johns Hopkins and Georgetown. I visited and liked both of them. I wanted to attend the school that would provide me with the best opportunities in the future, academically and athletically, and Yale was the best fit for me.
Did you and Austin plan on going to college together and how big a factor did that play in the decision to attend Yale?
A lot of people asked if my brother and I wanted to play together in college, and I think right from the beginning, we both did. We have played with each other for our whole lives, mostly on the same attack line. Wherever we were going to go, we had to go together.
Coach Niemi liked having us on the same line during summer league, and I think he would like to see more of that at the college level, which ultimately was a big factor in our commitment to Yale. We wanted to go wherever a college would accept both of us, and Yale certainly gave us that opportunity.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
Some of my strengths would be my feeding ability to get other players involved and I really like to dodge from all spots of the field.
What areas of your game do you think you need to improve on?
There is always room for improvement in all aspects of my game, but some specific areas where I need to improve are my left- and right-hand shot speed and getting bigger and stronger for the college level.
What were some of the big summer showcase events you’ve competed in the last couple of years and how did you do?
The Under Armour Underclassmen Tournament, the Brine Shootout, King of the Hill and Tri- State National. My Bulldog 2013 team is one of the best summer programs for our class, and we advanced to the semifinals of King of the Hill and the Shootout, and made it to the championship of Tri-State.
The highlight of my summer was winning the Under Armour Underclass Tournament with Team New England. I was very fortunate to be playing with and against some of the best kids in the country, and it was truly an honor.
When did you first realize you had the potential to play at the college level?
I always wanted to play college lacrosse, and there was not really a moment when I first realized that I had the ability to play at the college level. I just worked hard and played year-round to improve my game. I hoped that by playing and practicing a lot, I would get the opportunity to play in college.
Now, here are Austin’s thoughts on his commitment:
Q & A with Austin Rocco:
What were the main factors in your decision?
Besides its prestigious academic institution, Yale has a successful lacrosse program that is sure to accomplish great things in upcoming years. Also, I’ve known Coach Niemi for the past three years through the Bulldog Elite program, and enjoyed meeting with Coach Shay and Coach (Ryan) Polley. Yale has a lot to offer and I believe that it is a right fit for me.
What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
The two other schools that contacted me were Johns Hopkins and Georgetown. I visited both of these schools.
Did you and AJ plan on going to college together and how big a factor did that play in the decision to attend Yale?
Throughout our entire lives, A.J. and I have been playing lacrosse with one another, so it was basically a given that we would continue on together at the college level. Most of the colleges that we were contacted by were interested in both of us as well. Also, I believe that we work better together rather than individually on the field.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
I would say my strengths as a player are my feeding ability, field vision, and my quickness around the crease. I am more of a “dodge to feed” attackman, and like to work with my brother on the field.
What areas of your game do you think you need to improve on?
There is room for improvement in all parts of my game, but I feel that I need to develop a faster shot and work on turning the corner and shooting more.
When did you first realize you had the potential to play at the college level?
After attending a couple of fall tournaments my sophomore year, I received interest from a few Division I schools. When I attended tournaments in the summer with the Connecticut Bulldogs I was contacted by more college coaches. At that point in time I began to see my potential as a college level player.
What were some of the big summer showcase events you’ve competed in the last couple of years and how did you do?
The Brine Shootout is probably the biggest summer showcase that I have been to. Two years ago, I went with the CT Bulldogs and ended up winning the tournament, which is a big accomplishment. This summer I attended the Shootout again with my CT Bulldog 2013 team and made it to the semi-final game. I also played with team New England at the Under Armour Underclass games this summer and won the tournament, which was very exciting.
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Saw the Roccos plays over the summer with Team New England and the Bulldogs. Not sure where they fall in the rankings that are highly subjective and really very Baltimore biased but they are as good offensively as anyone in the junior class.
The Roccos are fun to watch. They’re really in synch with one another and very creative on offense