decided that a hitch as a Ranger would be the right first step. By the time he walked into that office, he probably knew more about life as a Ranger than most of the recruiters, who took turns taking pictures with the trophy as Malphrus filled out forms. Though his grooming habits needed work, Malphrus’ lacrosse background gave him a better than average chance to survive the grueling selection processes modern special operations forces like the Rangers and SEALs use to weed out wannabes. Ranger school, the Army’s elite
infantry program, dropped about 50 percent of candidates in 2011. The SEALs’ initial school, Basic Underwater Demolition/ SEAL (BUD/S), routinely washes out two of every three candidates.
In the Air Force, training for Pararescue and Combat Control, that branch’s rescue and air control commandos, often graduates as few as one in 10 volunteers.
A black- bearded and Mohawked Bray Malphrus hoists Virginia’s 2011 NCAA title trophy, which he brought with him to the Army recruiting office the next morning.
But lacrosse players who volunteer tend to do better than those steep odds imply. As a result, if you spend much time around America’s most highly trained warriors, you’ll likely meet former players, from high school backups to Division I All- Americans.
Rorke Denver, an All-American defenseman, played on two Syracuse NCAA title teams before joining the SEALs in 1998. After several combat tours, he was assigned as a senior training officer at BUD/S in the late 2000s when the Navy began
looking at candidates’ athletic backgrounds.
“For years we’d wondered, what is that secret sauce that gets somebody through our training?” Denver said. “We absolutely, mathematically figured out that you have a better chance — not a dramatically better chance, but better — if you play lacrosse, rugby, water polo, wrestling or [compete in] triathlon. By the numbers, you have a better chance of making it through SEAL training.”
Knowing it’s true is one thing; knowing why is quite another. Former players who have gone on to special ops careers cite several factors, including the particular breed of fitness that lacrosse demands — a mix of full- body endurance and fast-twitch coordination, enough flexibility to shake off hard hits and enough muscle to deliver them.
But as all special operations troops insist, the most difficult aspect of their training is mental. Denver thinks that’s where
Brendan Looney Navy SEAL
After leading Navy to the 2004 NCAA championship game, Looney became a Navy SEAL officer. He was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2010. Both of Looney’s younger brothers, Steve and Billy, followed him to Annapolis and now also are SEALs.
“I said, ‘I’m here because i want to be an army ranger.’ He was like, ‘OK, Did you just
finish playing call of duty?’” — Bray Malphrus, Army Ranger
laxmagazine.com November 2014 » LACROSSE MAGAZINE 33
©MATT RILEY (BM); ©JOHN STROHSACKER (BL)
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