The Ultimate Role Player By Matthew DeFranks
Dave Pietramala could see Kyle Harrison’s basketball skills translate to lacrosse.
When the Johns Hopkins coach was recruiting the future Tewaaraton Award winner, it was a high school basketball game that sealed his lacrosse scholarship.
“He just had a fabulous game,
offensively, defensively,” Pietramala said. “We felt like with his acumen for basketball, his athleticism and his work ethic, he’d be a perfect fit for lacrosse.”
Harrison again may have to rely on his basketball skills to make Team USA’s 23-man roster as a defensive midfielder. The 31-year-old said his hoops background helps him stay in front of people on the defensive end. LXM Pro Tour and Ohio Machine teammate Peter Baum agrees.
“I’ve had the misfortune of having to guard him in basketball a number of
times and also trying to score on him,” Baum said. “His feet are so good, he’s so hard to get past. He’s very aggressive, and when he gets in that mode that he just wants to beat you up, basically, in lacrosse, his defense in phenomenal. “He’s just one of those guys you know you’re really going to have to earn it against because he’s so quick.” Harrison, mostly known for his exploits
on offense, said flipping to defense will not be new. At Johns Hopkins, where he won an NCAA championship and the Tewaaraton in 2005, Pietramala asked Harrison to close out quarters and games on the defensive end simply because he was good at it. “I’m comfortable playing defense,” Harrison said. “It’s something I’ve done my entire career.”
THE SHORTIES Breaking down the rest of Team USA’s short-stick midfield group 3 MATT ABBOTT
PRO TEAM: Bayhawks COLLEGE: Syracuse ‘09 HIGH SCHOOL: Nottingham (N.Y.) HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-2, 185 AGE: 27 TWITTER: @Matt3Abbott DAY JOB: Investment advisor, Armory Capital Management, Syracuse, N.Y.; Colgate men’s lacrosse volunteer assistant
“You could say that I was pretty much born with a lacrosse stick,” Abbott said. “My father, Tom, and grandfather, Larry, played lacrosse at Syracuse; my father from 1975-1978 and grandfather from 1951-1952. My older brother Mike actually had a lacrosse stick waiting for him in his crib at home when he was born. My dad has been a college lacrosse official for over 30 years.”
PRO TEAM: Bayhawks COLLEGE: Maryland ‘11 HIGH SCHOOL: Severna Park (Md.)
4 DAN BURNS
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-1, 185 AGE: 26 TWITTER: @dburnsy DAY JOB: Medical device sales representative, Biomet
“Most people don’t know that I was a college walk-on,” Burns said. “I got into Maryland on my own academically during the winter session of school and lived on the couch of Jake Baxter, a Severna Park (Md.) alum, for a month as I participated in winter workouts. I hope my story helps a couple high school students attempt to walk on a college team that normally would not consider it.”
44 LACROSSE MAGAZINE June 2014>> A Publication of US Lacrosse
Harrison is no stranger to multiple roles. He has been a faceoff man and a goal scorer. He has been a dodger and a shooter. Off the field, he has been a pioneer and lacrosse ambassador. “He’s willing to assume whatever role he needs to assume,” Pietramala said.
©JOHN STROHSACKER (ALL)
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