Editor’s note: We’re back with another installment of our new series called Wolf of the MCLA! Thanks to the support of Wolf Athletics, we’re selecting, interviewing, and honoring impressive student-athletes who are competing in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association throughout the 2014-15 college lacrosse season. Each new member of the “Wolf Pack” will receive a Ghost shaft as an award for his accomplishments. We hope you enjoy!
[mks_separator style=”solid” height=”4″]
The second Wolf to join the Pack is Adam Smith, the vicious junior attackman for the Boise State Broncos. This predator on the turf has earned 1st Team PNCLL honors for his defensive short-stick abilities, but this 6’2” 205 lb beast of prey is coming off a 44 point season and taking his talents up the field to attack.
The team is going through changes and is under the guidance of a brand new head coach. The veteran heavy Broncos are going to need to rely on the wolves like Adam to lead the rest of the pack if they want a successful season in 2015.
Witnessing personally the consistency and tenacity this kid has to offer, expect more from Smith and the rest of Boise State this season.
Get to know the Vans wearing, longboard riding California kid holding it down for the Broncos, Adam Smith.
[mks_separator style=”solid” height=”4″]
Adam Smith – Wolf of the MCLA
Photo Credit: Shawn Carman
Full Name: Adam Smith
Number: 15
Position: Attack
Key Stats: 3.67 Points per game, 31 goals in 2015 and 112 career ground balls
College: Boise State University (MCLA Division I)
High School: Tesoro High School (CA)
LAS: When you aren’t playing lacrosse, what are your hobbies off of the field?
Smith: Snowboarding, wakeboarding or really anything in the water. I also longboard around campus a lot, it’s pretty much how I get everywhere.
Do you play any other sports?
I played football for a while but gave it up to focus on lacrosse.
What is one thing you wish the world would understand about you?
Quit with the stereotypes. I don’t like hearing the whole lax-bro thing all the time. People assume we are typical frat boys, but none of our team participates in frats at BSU, it’s not really a thing here.
We do have six of us living in one house and another four across the street so we are a bit like a frat in the way that we are so close knit and hang out together.
I just don’t like the idea of bro-culture too much, we’re just lacrosse players having fun.
Do you consider yourself a lone wolf, leader of the pack, or committed teammate?
I’m totally committed to the Boise State system and however I can fill those roles. If I am needed to lead I will lead, if I’m relied on to score, it’s my job so I can do that too. I lead through my actions and by going hard all of the time, something we need from upper and lower class-men.
How many years have you been playing lacrosse and where did you find your start?
I started playing in 7th grade after one of my friends at the time who was from New York got me interested and the rest was history. I played for Tesoro High School in the spring and the OC Kings and Wild Card Starz in the summers and fall too.
What made you choose to go to Boise State, a developing MCLA DI program in Idaho?
Well for me it came down to Colorado State and Boise State.
I visited my sister who went to school here when I was a sophomore in high school and got to attend a Broncos game on The Blue and there was nothing like it.
Plus the academic scholarship didn’t hurt either (laughs).
Last season the team went through an unexpected coaching change midseason, can you describe some of what the team went through and how you handled it personally?
The whole situation may have been a blessing in disguise. By losing our head coach during game week, we needed to find ourselves as a team. I don’t feel like we had an identity before the change, but when Coach Sanderson stepped in, he really helped the team find themselves and find our purpose.
For 2015, you have a new head coach and a big numbers fighting for the final roster, what can we expect in 2015 from the Broncos?
One of the best things about having Mundy as a coach is the team’s familiarity with who Jon is. We understand where he is coming from and we know how much he cares about the program.
Some coaches come in to a program and don’t respect the players and where they’re coming from. He’s earned the respect and has credibility in the area and with our team before he even got here.
The practices are faster paced and everyone plays and runs both sides. The team has been playing all fall instead of just conditioning like years past and it’s working for us. Guys are coming back that stepped away from previous coach’s actions, because of their respect for Coach Mundy.
In 2015 we’re not really losing much and we’ve gained a lot of local kids and outside talent that want to play for Coach Mundy, so it should be a great season.
What are the team goals for 2015 and how do you plan to help lead your Wolf pack?
Photo Credit: Robert White
The team goals are to win our PNCLL schedule, the PNCLL tournament, and then ultimately win a national championship.
I’m going to do my part and lead by example in practice, making sure that everyone is working hard and knows what it takes to get there.
You have been honored as a short-stick middie, but you also placed in the top 10 for scoring in the PNCLL. What are your personal goals for this coming season?
Since I was a first team middie I really wanted to win the honors at attack too, so this year I made the switch. But I just really just want to help the team win games this season.
I think will have a much better year than we’ve ever had before and I look forward to beating our PNCLL rivals Oregon State, Oregon and Simon Fraser.
[mks_separator style=”solid” height=”4″]
Congratulations to Adam, and a special thanks to Coach Mundy and the Boise State University Broncos for nominating him as our second Wolf of the MCLA!
To learn more about the Broncos, visit the team’s website at BoiseStateLax.com
