Grow the Game®

Kyle Harrison LXM Pro
Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on reddit
Share on whatsapp

Lettin’ It Rip With Kyle Harrison

Editor’s note: Each week Ryan Powell interviews one current or former professional lacrosse player, asking them some quick hitter questions to better understand them as a person and lacrosse player. It is often these players that have driven, and continue to drive, the game of lacrosse to the next level. We hope you enjoy learning some fun facts that you might not have known about some of the greatest players to pick up a stick. This week Rhino interviews Kyle Harrison, Johns Hopkins Legend and LXM Pro Player.
_______________________________________________________________________________

Kyle Harrison LXM Pro
#18 looking good in his LXM PRO uni

What’s up guys – It’s time for another edition of Lettin’ It Rip! This week I talked to my friend and fellow Nike Athlete, Kyle Harrison. Kyle is one of the most well known players in our sport, and rightfully so! His list of awards goes on for days! A great guy and GREAT player, let’s check in with Kyle and get to know him off the field!

Player Profile:

Name: Kyle Mathew Harrison

Nickname: Harrison

Position: Midfield

Birthday: 3/12/83

Hometown: Baltimore, MD

College: Johns Hopkins University

High School: Friends School of Baltimore

Awards: High School All American, 3x All American, 2x Midfielder of the Year, 3x Tewaaraton Finalist, Player of the Year, Tewaaraton Award Winner, #1 MLL draft pick, 4x MLL All-Star, 2006 US National Team member, 2010 US National Training Team member

Current Gig: LXM PRO Player (and Co-founder), STX Athlete, Nike Athlete, Beats family and Playmaker Lacrosse camp owner/director

Kyle Harrison Beats
Kyle signing the wall at his Beats headphones launch

Time to let it rip!

What was the first vehicle that you had? What kind of vehicle do you currently drive?

First Vehicle: White Toyota Hatchback baby

Current Vehicle: Blue Range Rover

It’s your last meal, what are you going to eat?

Crab cakes in Baltimore before my flight back out to California.

Who do you look up to most today and why?

My parents… they taught me everything I know.

What is your biggest fear?

Losing the people I care about.

If you had to redo college at another school and you were going to play lacrosse at that new school, where would you go?

Toooooooooooooough one RP! I don’t think I would have done it any differently, but, for argument’s sake, it would have been nice to run around in the Dome on a daily basis at Cuse.

carrier dome
The Carrier Dome

What is the one thing that you need on a daily basis?

Some sort of athletic activity… hooping, shooting, working out… something.

What’s in your DVD collection?

Honestly, my DVD collection used to be pretty clean, but it’s certainly has fallen apart the past few years with all of the crazy travel. These days I usually have movies on my computer. The three I’ve been watching the past week or so are Just Go With it, Seriously Funny, and Adjustment Bureau.

Are you a cat person or a dog person?

Dog. Cats weird me out.

What are some of your household chores?

I’m fortunate that I sneak out of most, but, taking out the trash and cleaning the bathrooms are my jobs in the house.

What your favorite TV show?

Ever or currently? Ever, would be Fresh Prince. Currently, I enjoyed X-Factor, 24/7 leading up to the winter classic, The Game, and I’d like to give this new show Alcatraz a shot since it’s done by the same dude who wrote LOST.

fresh prince
Best show ever.

What is your favorite song ever?

Tough one….would need to know the specific genre we’re talking about, but, again, for arguments sake, I’ll go with Renegade, Eminem and Jay-Z.

What would you say if someone on the street asked you for 20 bucks?

Sounds like a bit of a loaded question, RP. It depends on the situation for sure.

What was the best lacrosse stick that you ever owned?

My current one… a Black Stallion Head with an Alliance 135.

If you could be a video game character, who would you be and why?

Whoa! Like this question….Mike Vick in Madden 2005, straight GETTING dudes ankles.

What kind of cologne do you wear?

Not into cologne, just Old Spice deodorant baby!

If you could be any color of a crayon, what color would you be?

Blue.

What is your favorite quote?

Finish Strong.

If you did not choose lacrosse as your sport, what sport would you have chosen?

Hoops!

What do you want to be remembered for?

For being a great son, brother, husband, friend, and doing my part to spread the sport of lacrosse all over the world.

Kyle Harrison Brooklyn
Kyle giving at lacrosse talk at Eagle Academy in Brooklyn, NY

What is your favorite pizza topping?

I don’t eat pizza all that much, but, pineapples are solid.

Did you have a nick name as a kid?

Nah, nothing too exciting to report here. Kyle is a pretty easy one. Then Harri took over when Coach Petro and Coach T started using it freshman year at Hop.

If you were to play an instrument what would it be?

“If I were to play an instrument”… come on Rhino!!! I played the trumpet and the piano, and I’m convinced if given two weeks’ notice, I could put on a nice recital. Yup, I said it.

If you could visit anywhere in the world that you have not visited before, where would it be?

South Africa.

If you could meet anyone in the world dead or alive who would it be, and what would you say?

I’d have to go with my Grandfather, apparently we’ve got a lot of similarities. I would have loved to have the opportunity to grow up with him around. He passed before I was born in the war.

What is the longest you’ve gone without a shower?

Love showers, take at least 3 a day… so, honestly, I’d say 2 days at the VERY most, and that’s with a trip out of the country (24 hours on the plane).

If you knew you were going to be stranded on a desert island, what 3 items would you take with you?

Sounds awful. I’m assuming cell phones and boats aren’t options? How big is the island? Or we talking a lil guy here? Need a bit more info to give my final answer, but, for arguments sake, I’d go with the three things below…

1) Converter for Salt water to fresh water
2) Sleeping bag (love my sleep)
3) Cell w/ international service, so hopefully, I’ll grab a signal and get outa there.

Tell us one random thing about yourself…

I love waffles.

What’s your favorite restaurant of all time?

BOA in Santa Monica, CA.

boa steakhouse
Looks like a nice place!

Who is your celebrity crush?

Uhhhhhh, no one! Ain’t getting me in trouble at home.

Do you have a pre-game ritual? If so, what is it?

Say a quick prayer right before putting on my jersey.

On your day off, you wake up and…..?

Hit the gym, then hoop, then see what the crew is up to!

Are you a good tipper?

Start at 20%, then make a decision from there depending on how the service is!

What do you put on your hot dog?

Ketchup, with a pretzel bread bun.

Why do you wear the # that you wear?

I wear the #18 because it’s the number my father wore, and he’s the guy I grew up wanting to play like.

Kevin Leveille had a question for you too – When you started playing lacrosse, what was your first dream/goal? Did you make it happen?

Clearly, as you play the sport your goals get bigger, like wanting to make A Team in middle school, Varsity in hs, play division 1, win a national championship, play for team USA, etc. But, way before any of that, when I first picked up a lacrosse stick, my number 1 goal was to make my father proud. One of the best memories of my lacrosse career will always be hugging my father on the field back in 2005 right after we won the National Championship (we’re still not sure how the big guy made it down there).

Do you have a questions that we could ask the next pro lacrosse players?

What’s your favorite lacrosse memory and why?

Kyle Harrison Grow The Game
Kyle Harrison rocking the Grow The Game tee!

[Photos courtesy collegegridirons.com, discoverlosangeles.com]