For this week's Brockport Stylus, Corey Desiderio wrote about Brendon Rothfuss's decision to forgo the 2013 lacrosse season to focus on his health and hockey....
We all come to points in our lives where we have to sacrifice something we love in order to greater benefit ourselves in the end. For Brockport junior Brendon Rothfuss, that came in 2012 when he gave up playing lacrosse in order to continue playing hockey at a high level for the Golden Eagles.
Rothfuss made the decision after missing the first six weeks of the 2012-13 hockey season with a dislocated shoulder.
We all come to points in our lives where we have to sacrifice something we love in order to greater benefit ourselves in the end. For Brockport junior Brendon Rothfuss, that came in 2012 when he gave up playing lacrosse in order to continue playing hockey at a high level for the Golden Eagles.
Rothfuss made the decision after missing the first six weeks of the 2012-13 hockey season with a dislocated shoulder.
He said the injury allowed him to reflect and gave him the idea to sit out for the 2013 lacrosse season.
“The trainers were all telling me that they didn’t know how my body would hold up this year,”
Rothfuss said. “I think it was the right decision to heal up and get my body back to where it needs to be as opposed to where I put it the past two years playing two sports.”
This isn’t the first time Rothfuss had to make this decision. A two-sport star coming out of Webster Thomas High School in Webster, Rothfuss had to choose between hockey and lacrosse in 2007.
“Originally I had a scholarship for lacrosse,” Rothfuss said. “I was pretty much set on going to Le Moyne [College] until March of my senior year of high school when I got a couple of contracts to play for junior [hockey] teams.”
Rothfuss, who started playing hockey when he was 2 years old, said he just couldn’t leave the game he put 16 years of his blood, sweat and tears into.
“I didn’t want to give up hockey,” Rothfuss said. “I knew if I were to choose lacrosse I would never get to play competitive hockey again. But if I did go play juniors, I’d maybe get a chance to play lacrosse again.”
After bouncing around three different teams in three years of junior hockey, that chance came in 2010.
“Ever since my first year of juniors, [coaches/recruiters] were coming to my games so I built a relationship with Coach [Brian] Dickinson,” Rothfuss said. “That guy was at everything. So from the standpoint of someone getting recruited, I saw the coach a lot.”
Dickinson said he was initially attracted to Rothfuss’ offensive ability, but once they started to talk more, he knew Rothfuss had all the characteristics he was looking for in a player.
“He’s dedicated, well spoken, solid academically and all his previous coaches raved about him as a person,” Dickinson said.
Rothfuss said he felt the same attraction toward Brockport as well.
“It had a good hockey program,” Rothfuss said. “They have a physical education program and then with the opportunity to get to play lacrosse again it was just like, OK, well absolutely I’ll do it.’”
Rothfuss said. “I think it was the right decision to heal up and get my body back to where it needs to be as opposed to where I put it the past two years playing two sports.”
This isn’t the first time Rothfuss had to make this decision. A two-sport star coming out of Webster Thomas High School in Webster, Rothfuss had to choose between hockey and lacrosse in 2007.
“Originally I had a scholarship for lacrosse,” Rothfuss said. “I was pretty much set on going to Le Moyne [College] until March of my senior year of high school when I got a couple of contracts to play for junior [hockey] teams.”
Rothfuss, who started playing hockey when he was 2 years old, said he just couldn’t leave the game he put 16 years of his blood, sweat and tears into.
“I didn’t want to give up hockey,” Rothfuss said. “I knew if I were to choose lacrosse I would never get to play competitive hockey again. But if I did go play juniors, I’d maybe get a chance to play lacrosse again.”
After bouncing around three different teams in three years of junior hockey, that chance came in 2010.
“Ever since my first year of juniors, [coaches/recruiters] were coming to my games so I built a relationship with Coach [Brian] Dickinson,” Rothfuss said. “That guy was at everything. So from the standpoint of someone getting recruited, I saw the coach a lot.”
Dickinson said he was initially attracted to Rothfuss’ offensive ability, but once they started to talk more, he knew Rothfuss had all the characteristics he was looking for in a player.
“He’s dedicated, well spoken, solid academically and all his previous coaches raved about him as a person,” Dickinson said.
Rothfuss said he felt the same attraction toward Brockport as well.
“It had a good hockey program,” Rothfuss said. “They have a physical education program and then with the opportunity to get to play lacrosse again it was just like, OK, well absolutely I’ll do it.’”
As soon as Rothfuss chose Brockport, he said he thought he was going to play lacrosse for the school as well.
“The day I committed to Brockport for hockey, [Head] Coach [Ben] Wineberg texted me if I was interested in playing [lacrosse] and I absolutely was,” Rothfuss said. “It had been awhile since I’ve played in season, but I was really anxious to get the opportunity to play again.”
From the moment he set foot on campus, Rothfuss has shined on the ice, field and classroom.
In three seasons with the hockey team, Rothfuss has scored 17 goals and has 18 assists. In 2010-11 and 2011-12, Rothuss earned a spot on the All-Academic SUNYAC Team for hockey.
As for lacrosse, Rothfuss was second on the team in goals his freshman year, with 21, behind Andy Hilton. Rothfuss was third on the team as a sophomore with 19. The only two Eagles to outscore him as a sophomore were Jesse Elliott (37) and Riley Austin (26).
Rothfuss said stepping away from lacrosse was a tough decision for him, but it was made easier by the way his coach handled it.
“Last year was really tough on my body and Coach [Wineberg] knew that,” Rothfuss said. “There were days that I could barely get out of bed. He was more than supportive. He thanked me.”
Dickinson said he was pleased to hear Rothfuss decided to step away from lacrosse to focus more on hockey.
“Brendon has had numerous injuries throughout his tenure here at Brockport,” Dickinson said. “I believe he would like to let his body heal and put his best foot forward toward winning a SUNYAC Championship during his senior season.”
While Dickinson said he is looking forward to having a memorable season with a healthy Rothfuss in 2013-14, Rothfuss said he has not ruled out returning to the lacrosse field for one final go his senior season.
“We’ll see,” Rothfuss said. “Depending on how I feel and the timing and stuff with student teaching, I may play again.”
“The day I committed to Brockport for hockey, [Head] Coach [Ben] Wineberg texted me if I was interested in playing [lacrosse] and I absolutely was,” Rothfuss said. “It had been awhile since I’ve played in season, but I was really anxious to get the opportunity to play again.”
From the moment he set foot on campus, Rothfuss has shined on the ice, field and classroom.
In three seasons with the hockey team, Rothfuss has scored 17 goals and has 18 assists. In 2010-11 and 2011-12, Rothuss earned a spot on the All-Academic SUNYAC Team for hockey.
As for lacrosse, Rothfuss was second on the team in goals his freshman year, with 21, behind Andy Hilton. Rothfuss was third on the team as a sophomore with 19. The only two Eagles to outscore him as a sophomore were Jesse Elliott (37) and Riley Austin (26).
Rothfuss said stepping away from lacrosse was a tough decision for him, but it was made easier by the way his coach handled it.
“Last year was really tough on my body and Coach [Wineberg] knew that,” Rothfuss said. “There were days that I could barely get out of bed. He was more than supportive. He thanked me.”
Dickinson said he was pleased to hear Rothfuss decided to step away from lacrosse to focus more on hockey.
“Brendon has had numerous injuries throughout his tenure here at Brockport,” Dickinson said. “I believe he would like to let his body heal and put his best foot forward toward winning a SUNYAC Championship during his senior season.”
While Dickinson said he is looking forward to having a memorable season with a healthy Rothfuss in 2013-14, Rothfuss said he has not ruled out returning to the lacrosse field for one final go his senior season.
“We’ll see,” Rothfuss said. “Depending on how I feel and the timing and stuff with student teaching, I may play again.”
Source: http://www.thestylus.net/sports/golden-eagle-makes-athletic-sacrifice-1.3023620?pagereq=1#.UWfP08qrGwI
