How Lacrosse Shaped My Life
By Joe Walters

I can remember clearly my first-ever lacrosse experience: I was 8 years old, running around the field like a klutz at my first practice. Even though I couldn't keep the ball in my stick and spent the majority of that practice frustrated, there was something about the sport that was so appealing. It intrigued me and inspired me to learn as much as I could. From that point, I fell in love with lacrosse and dreamed about playing at the highest level, which was big-time Division 1.

I was fortunate enough to have a Father who was also interested in the sport, as he had no lacrosse experience either. He bought every book and instructional video possible and came to every camp, just to gain an understanding and to know what I should be working on to be a great lacrosse player.

Without his guidance and emphasis on work ethic, I would

never be where I am today.

The harder I worked, the better I became. It wasn't until high school that my dreams seemed realistic, as I began going to recruiting camps and competing against the best players from all over the country. Traveling to different tournaments and camps are some of my fondest memories. The relationships and experiences along the way definitely helped me grow as a person and opened my eyes to the life of a lacrosse player that I hoped to pursue.

During my junior year of high school, I took four out of my five recruiting visits, the University of Maryland being my fourth. I was familiar with the campus a bit, having attended several NCAA Final Four's when they were held there. But now that I was older and ready to make a decision on where to continue my education and playing career, it was a no-brainer — MARYLAND.