Montclair High School is full of talented lacrosse players, including Jeff O’Brien.
- Captain
Photo courtesy of Scott Kennedy. - #22
- Sport: Varsity Lacrosse
- Year: Senior
- Position: Defense
Through a slight loss of voice, Jeff O’Brien positively proclaimed a big win in Saturday’s game for a team that is going to turn around their slow start to a promising season. Named captain just a few days ago, O’Brien explained the physical demands of the sport he loves. He may need to rest his voice after a bit of too much support for his team both on and off the field.
Jeff O’Brien laughed, saying it was, “Just another physically demanding aspect of the sport,” which he has been playing since trading in his baseball mitt for a lacrosse stick in sixth grade.
Jeff O’Brien’s schedule would seem fittingly filled for a player on a high school sports team with practices daily and three weekly games, but his sport doesn’t stop his balance with academics and work. He works hard, and hard work pays off. Training both on his own and with the team, O’Brien has lost 30 lbs. and is ready to play his last season at the high school level, while looking forward to the future of college play.
While attending Georgetown University in the fall of 2014, he hopes to continue playing lacrosse, while majoring in economics with a minor in political science. His team player mentality doesn’t stop at sports; the captain is ready to join some political clubs of interest, believing the more he does, the more he stays focused.
“Time management,” O’Brien explained, is the secret to his success and he thanks his family and friends for the support they have surrounded him with, keeping him focused. Focused for sure, Jeff O’Brien passionately described a grueling sport schedule. He still finds time for tutoring, delivering pizza and helping an elderly gentlemen with housework. His hard work has paid off, as O’Brien was named captain of the team.
For upcoming freshmen his advice would be just that – to work hard. Jeff O’Brien gives a big thanks to the assistant coach of the varsity team, Brian Roth, for sharing this piece of knowledge with him at the start of his lacrosse career. “He changed my life and taught me that you have to work hard to be successful, but don’t be afraid to fail because we all do,” said O’Brien.
Jeff O’Brien is excited for the rest of the season and looking forward to a growing bond with a team that has been recently put under the coaching of Brian O’Rorke. “The team respects each other and whether on or off the field; no one is above each other, we are one,” said O’Brien.
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