Senior Ethan Thomson is enjoying his final season playing lacrosse for JC as a long stick midfielder and close defenseman.

Ethan has been playing lacrosse since he was about five years old.
As for the reason he initially began playing lacrosse, Ethan said, “My dad played all his life, and I was basically raised in an atmosphere of lacrosse.”
Through that atmosphere from an early age, Ethan grew a strong passion for the sport. “I love everything about it ,” Ethan commented, referring to his teammates coaches, practice, and game day.
The early experience and knowledge he gained from being surrounded by the sport allowed for him to gain his own skill and knowledge.
Another source of knowledge stems from advice he was given – the best advice being: “Next play mentality is key in lacrosse.”
Ethan said, “’My coaches always say, ‘Get the next play,’ whether that be after a good play or a bad play. The whole idea is just keep grinding and focusing on the good and try to fix a mistake while continuing to work hard.”’
As for advice Ethan would give to others, he said, “I would tell somebody to master the art of the stick first. . . Make sure you can catch and throw with both hands; if you can do those things consistently, you will excel as long as you stay in shape and watch film. Studying the game in depth is another great way to learn (college and pros).”
With any sport or activity, there comes challenges that help lead to growth. Sophomore year was a year that really raised difficulties for Ethan and truly pushed him to the test. This obstacle was when he dislocated his elbow early-on in the sport season.
The outcome after this injury had “looked very unlikely that I would be able to play, but I persevered and worked extremely hard to get healthy, and I ended up being able to play all but one game.”
This injury could have been detrimental to Ethan’s lacrosse career, yet he did not let this hold him back.
That is the motive and drive to continue playing the sport he has loved since he was a young child. He has since been able to continue playing by being on the varsity team at JC.
Along with this challenge came the pandemic. Many athletes lost their seasons, forcing them to be independent with practice. It can be hard to stay motivated through the pandemic as everything seemed to shut down. For Ethan, he found the motivation to work harder “because I knew it would pay off when the season started.”
The time off allowed for Ethan to work on the smaller skills that “in the grand scheme of things is critical.”
With this experience and skill, Ethan has taken away major lessons that have stuck with him.
Ethan said, “Lacrosse has taught me how to be the best person, student, or player I can be; it requires dedication and heart, and that has applied to all aspects of my life.”
As for the future, Ethan plans on continuing to play lacrosse through college where is committed to play at Canisius College.