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Fireside Chat With Jerry Nevin, St. John’s University

St Johns NCAA Big East Jerry Nevin 3

Today’s Fireside Chat is with St. John’s defenseman Jerry Nevin. A senior captain for the Red Storm, Nevin was recently selected to join the Irish National Team and will play with the team in the FIL World Championships this summer. He’s also a Northern California transplant out of St Ignatius College Prep. Check out the conversation below:

St Johns NCAA Big East Jerry Nevin 1LAS: So, you’re originally from Northern Cal. What made you decide to travel across the country and go to St. John’s?
Jerry Nevin: Going into my senior year of high school at St. Ignatius College Prep, I began to get recruited heavily by Division I lacrosse schools and it just so happened that they were all on the east coast. I decided that was the path for me and I chose St. John’s for its proximity in New York City and its great athletic tradition.

You were recently chosen for the Irish National Team. How did that opportunity come about? What were tryouts like?
Jerry Nevin: On my mother’s side both of my grandparents, Mary O’Brien Lucey and Jeremiah Lucey were immigrants from County Cork, Ireland to San Francisco. Because of them I was able to get my Irish citizenship. The tryouts were very competitive with over eighty players trying out at the US Merchant Marine Academy on Long Island earlier this Fall. It was an all day camp with drills, scrimmages and physical fitness tests. I played well that day and made the cut from eighty to twenty five.

The twenty five that were chosen played the New York Athletic Club at their home field on Travers Island. It was the day after we scrimmaged UMBC in Baltimore and I had to really get myself up for the game. I did and played well enough to make the final US roster of twelve players. We had a minicamp in Dublin, Ireland earlier in January that was awesome. All the guys (Irish and US) got to know each other extremely well on and off the field, and when we get back together in July we will be ready to hit the ground running.

How would you describe campus life at St. John’s? Does the team spend a lot of time together off the field?
Jerry Nevin: Campus life at St. John’s is booming with new townhouses and dorms popping up yearly. The school has really amped up the campus dining facilities with late night food spots and extended the regular hours of previous dining areas. The new University Center is amazing and is the best building on campus. Not to mention it sits perfectly behind our field making it look that much better. The team spends a great deal of time together trying to build “C-Rod” formerly known as camaradery. We began the tradition of Thursday night dinners at my house where most of our seniors live. Spending time together off the field definitely brings us a lot closer on the field.

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What are your personal goals for 2010?
Jerry Nevin: My personal goals for 2010 are to have no regrets and to leave every ounce of energy on the field. After my last game whenever it is, I want to be smiling knowing that I gave it my all.

What are the team goals for 2010?
Jerry Nevin: Team goals are to win the inaugural Big East Championship and to play sharp in all four quarters of every game.

Who are some of your teammates we should watch out for this year?
Jerry Nevin:Our first mid field is going to be dominant, it has serious speed with senior Garrett Mitchell, expert knowledge from fifth year senior Tom Manes and snipe shooting from sophomore Matt Hurst. Also, we are looking for our attack to put up big numbers this year with Harry Kutner and Teddy Leach leading the way. What I am most excited about is our close defense and the play of my buddies Dan Cremens and Mike Sherry. All three of us are experienced and battle tested.

What team(s) are you looking forward to playing the most this year? Why?
Jerry Nevin: We always look forward to playing our rivals Rutgers and Georgetown but I have had Penn State marked on my calendar since we played them last year and lost on an OT goal. We want that one back badly.

Describe your pregame – what do you do to get ready for a big game?
Jerry Nevin: Team breakfast at 9 am then I like to rest at the house until 10:30am, then head to the locker room for a shower. I listen to my iPhone with my pre game music while taping my poles perfectly to my standards, get my ankles taped tight, stretch by myself with music and then get pumped up with my teammates before taking the field for stretching and warm up. This routine has worked for me since my freshman year so I have stuck with it.

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What kind of d-pole will you be using this season? Head?
Jerry Nevin: I will be using Maverik H2 d-poles and the Maverik Juice for my head.

We read in your St. John’s bio that your nickname is “Larry.” Is there a story behind that?
Jerry Nevin: The story with my nickname Larry started in the fall of my junior year because of the switch in my personality between on the field situations and off the field situations. The team decided that my alter ego while playing lacrosse was more intense and aggressive, hence “Larry” and my off the field laid back personality was regular Jerry. It stuck right away and has been with me since.

What are 2 TV shows you can’t miss these days? It’s okay to put Jersey Shore…
Jerry Nevin: My two favorite TV shows are Seinfeld and Lost. The final season of Lost is just getting under way and I am very excited about how they are going to finally end it.

Any plans for after college?
Jerry Nevin: I have no set plans for my life after college, but I would like to stay in New York City. I’d love to move into Manhattan for a couple of years and work in finance, which is my major in the Tobin College of Business at St. John’s.

Awesome. Thanks for the great interview, Jerry, and best of luck in your home opener against Holy Cross this Saturday!

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This has been another Lax All Stars Fireside Chat. Stay tuned to the LAS Network for more interviews, and see our full list here.