Personal Statement
When people ask me why I play goalie, I always joke: “Because I don’t have to run.” But the truth is, ten years ago my coach moved six-year old me into the goal without explanation. I assumed it because he thought I was too small to play the other positions, so I figured out how to use my size as an advantage: I capitalized on my speed and agility to pick up ground balls outside of the cage, force the transition on offense, and make acrobatic saves. Although I didn’t choose the position, it turns out it was where I belonged.
Growing up in Maryland—where it can feel like just about everyone was born with a lacrosse stick in hand—I have learned from playing alongside and against some of the best in the nation. Now, at 5’ 6” 140 pounds, I am no longer the smallest on my Calvert Hall JV team, but I am still right where I belong—in the goal.
Being a goalie has raised my lacrosse IQ considerably, as I get to see the whole game in front of me. From this vantage point, I can help my team by picking up on other players' tendencies and by having a close read of the offense. I also understand that I am the last line of defense, and I strive to be the most trustworthy member of the team at all times.
I directly apply the focus and discipline I’ve developed as a lacrosse player to my academic life. The sense of camaraderie I experience from being part of a team inspired me to join my school’s selective Peer Ministry program, in which I mentor younger students at Calvert Hall. I’m also a member of the graphic design club, and when we can safely travel again, I hope to go on immersion service trips abroad. Although playing lacrosse is my main pursuit, I’m also a self-taught surfer, an avid fisher, and I genuinely enjoy spending time with family. And I am able to balance my social and extracurricular commitments while maintaining a 3.7 GPA.
I’m fairly open to the type of college or university I ultimately attend, but my main goals for my higher education are to find a place where I can be an integral part of a competitive lacrosse program, be intellectually and personally challenged, and where I feel the way I do while I’m playing goalie—like I belong.
Thank you for your time.
Respectfully,
Jack X. Dwyer
Calvert Hall Class of 2022
