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Lax Lesson pic2JP Masaryk didn’t have to travel far to find his perfect fit in a college program.

The Fairfield Prep (Conn.) faceoff specialist discovered exactly what he was looking for in when he visited nearby Trinity College in Hartford, Conn.

“After my visit, I felt all my factors for an ideal college culminate with Trinity and I knew that Trinity was where I wanted to be,” said the senior, whose commitment was first reported by Joe Lombardi on LaxLessons.com’s Lacrosse Insider premium coverage section back in November.

The 5-foot-9, 155-pound Masaryk is an ambidextrous player, making him even more difficult for opposing teams to contend with.

“I write, throw and draw with both my left and right,” he said.

You can watch his highlight reel here.

recruiting_updateNow, here’s a Q&A with JP on his commitment.

What were the main factors in your decision?
From the very beginning of the recruiting process, I wanted to attend a prestigious school with a
very competitive lacrosse program. I also wanted to go to a school that was on the smaller side so that I could
get to know my professors and have the feeling of a tight-knit community.

As soon as I stepped on campus, (Trinity Head) Coach (Michael) Higgins and (Assistant) Coach (Brian) Praetorius really made me feel very comfortable and interested in what Trinity had to offer.

I really bought into their program and the direction they have for the team. Trinity offers a challenging college experience for me both academically and athletically at a highly respected school.

I also found the opportunity to compete in the prestigious NESCAC conference to be very appealing.

What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
I considered Lafayette, Muhlenberg, Hartford, Dickinson, Cortland, Connecticut College, Providence and Clark.
I visited Lafayette, Muhlenberg, Providence, Dickinson, Connecticut College, and Clark.

What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
I am a very quick off the whistle and consider myself an aggressive competitor. I rely strongly on my ability to pinch and pop the ball to any location on the field when necesarry. I am very comfortable with my stick skills, ball carrying ability and my ability to start fastbreaks.

I also find my size and wrestling background as an advantage at the faceoff X.

What area of your game do you need to work on?
I plan on working to improve in all facets of my game including my speed, strength, shot on the run and defensive ability.

I want to improve my overall ability at the face off X and continue to get better for the college game.

How did you get introduced to lacrosse and what other sports have you played?
I was introduced to lacrosse in the fourth grade when my good friend Drew Cerone showed up to school wearing shorts embroidered with “Stratford lacrosse” down the side.

I found a summer program near my house that was conducting summer box clinics for youth in the area and signed up. After that, my friends persuaded me to join the youth team in my town.

I have played just about every sport I could find. In my youth days I was very big into basketball and football.

In high schoolI have been a starter for my varsity wrestling team since my freshman year. Recently, after tearing my rotator cuff twice, I have participated in hurdling on the indoor track team.

What travel team do you play on what showcase events did you participate in?
For the past two summers I have played for the Sound Lacrosse Bucks under the helm of  Andrew Whitley and Coach Brian Fried.
This fall I also played for the CT Nuggets. I have attended Under Armour New England tryouts, CT Super Sophomores, Rutgers MVP, Elite 100, UMass Mid Fall Classic and the Sound Lacrosse Classic.

Any final thoughts?
I want to thank my mother and father for all they have sacrificed for me over the years and especially during lacrosse season.

I want to thank them especially for driving me to all my games and supporting me in all my endeavors. I also want to thank Mr. and Mrs. Scinto, for all the support they have given me which has made my high school experience possible.

I want to thank Chris Eck of the Boston Cannons for his mentorship and guidance over the past six years. He taught me everything I know about facing off and without him I would not be the face off guy I am today.

Huge thanks to Coach Whitley and Coach Fried for their coaching, support in the recruiting process and for all they have done for me over the last couple years.

Lastly I want to thank Coach Higgins and Coach Praetorius for the great opportunity they have presented me.

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: Connecticut, Fairfield lacrosse, Recruiting Rundown

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