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NJ Riot Interviews: Josh Karp

As we follow the New Jersey Riot 2016 team, and update you on their first hand experiences at camps, tournaments, and other events in the club lacrosse scene, we will also introduce you to some of their players via interviews. We want to know how potential college players think nowadays, and there is no better way to get informed than by talking to the players of today!

First up was NJ Riot 2016 Goalie, Wesley Moshier. Next up was his teammate, Jake Pepe, and now we’re speaking with Josh Karp! Be on the lookout THIS FRIDAY for a Google Hangout on the LAS YouTube page with Lee Southren, the founder of the NJ Riot.

What made you want to play lacrosse outside of school? Why play for the Riot?

Lacrosse is a huge part of my life and just playing one season a year is not enough. Riot is an up and coming program that I believe has a great future ahead of it, and I want to be able to look back on its success and say that I was on that team. I also like the way the team sticks together for the four years of high school and how the team is entirely in the hands of the players.

What recruiting camps did you go to this Summer? Why did you choose those camps?

I went to a bunch of camps this summer including Jake Reed Nike Blue Chip, Blue Chip 225, and National Invite 175. I chose these camps because they are not only very good camps for exposure to college coaches but members of Riot are going to every one of them, and I believe that having fun with your friends at these camps is one of the biggest goals of going.

What off field commitments do you make for Lacrosse? Outside of practice and games?

Lacrosse is a very physical game and staying in shape takes more than just your normal practices. Outside of school, I work out at a Crossfit gym. I have been going there for over a year and the improvements it has made for me are amazing.

What do you think your strongest Lacrosse trait is right now?

I think that my best lacrosse trait would be that I always want to get back in and being on the sideline just makes me antsy, and that drives me in practice and games.

Which area of your game do you want to work on most?

The area of the game I want to work on the most would be becoming more active with my stick and having my attackman not want the ball in their stick.

What type of charity or giving back to Lacrosse do you do?

To give back to the community this past spring I worked with my former youth coach and we helped coach the Montville fourth grade team to a successful season. Also, six members of Riot, including myself, did a Restore the Shore event down in Monmouth this past March to help clean up the beach after Hurricane Sandy.

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What kind of Stick do you use? Do you string your own sticks? If not, who does?

Unlike most defensemen I prefer to use offensive heads on my pole. So right now my go to stick is an STX Surgeon on a Warrior Krypto Pro. I strung the Surgeon myself but most of my sticks I have had strung for me by the captain of my high school team.

Have you always played your current position?

I have always played defense ever since I started playing lacrosse in third grade. At an indoor clinic where I couldn’t use my long pole I was told that someday I was going to switch to attack but that still has not happened yet so I am going to assume it wont.

What Colleges are you interested in?

As of now, my top choice for college is UVA but I am also interested in Cornell, Duke, and Tufts.

Who is your biggest Lacrosse influence?

My biggest influence in lacrosse is my former youth coach John O’Hara, an All American defender at who played at Villanova. He has taught me almost everything I know about defense and he has constantly raised my game to the best it can be.

How about your biggest off field influence?

My biggest influence not on the field are my parents, who always want the best for me and propel me to succeed in everything I do.

Who is your favorite Pro Athlete and why?

Believe it or not, my favorite pro athlete is Ryan Fitzpatrick because its not often that you see an NFL player who graduated from Harvard.

How often do you practice in off season?

In the off-season I am either playing football or going to the gym, sometimes both in the same day. Also, when the weather is nice I take out my stick in the backyard and have a catch with myself against the bounce back.

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What does lacrosse mean to you?

Lacrosse is a way for me to have fun, compete, and take with me through life as something I can always come back to.

If you could ask one person (within lacrosse, or not) one question, who would it be, and what would you ask them?

If I could ask any person one question, I would ask Jim Brown what it is like to be one of the best football rushers of all time and, quite possibly, the best lacrosse player of all time.