Jace Conrad, Warwick High School, senior, defenseman
Q: What’s your origin story with lacrosse? What got you started and how long have you been playing?
Conrad: “I’ve been playing lacrosse since fifth grade. A lot of my buddies were playing baseball and many of us switched over to lacrosse in fifth grade. Since then I got really good. Then I got into club lacrosse and now I play year-round with both the school program and club lacrosse with IM3. At IM3 I’ve gotten some great coaching from Rich Lefever (former Manheim Township boys lacrosse head coach and current Franklin & Marshall College assistant coach). I’m grateful for him.”
Q: What are some strengths of this year’s team?
Conrad: “Our defense. We have a lot of varsity experience. We have a new goalie but he has been pretty good. We have an attack who was an all-state selection last season. We have some scorers. Our middies are all experienced, too.”
Q: What have you individually worked to improve on from last season to now?
Conrad: “Ground balls. Picking up ground balls. It’s just repetition. Throw the balls all over the ground, chase them and pick them up until I get tired.”
Q: Do you play any other sports?
Conrad: “Football.”
Q: How does football translate to lacrosse?
Conrad: “Definitely the physicality. I feel like a physical defense is a scary defense. Kids (offensive opponent) don’t want to dodge against a defense that’s very physical.”
Q: Are you involved in any other extracurricular activities?
Conrad: “No. But I work for my family’s business in Brownstown. EMM Sales & Service. We sell and service feed trailers to farmers. That’s all I do. I workout (exercise), play football and lacrosse, and work. Whenever I can work and get in hours I’m there.”
Q: Being involved in the family business, what has that taught you in terms of life skills and work ethic?
Conrad: “We have a manager there right now who has taught me a lot about integrity and how if you’re not a man of your word you are nothing. He’s taught me how important responsibilities are. He gives me responsibilities and keeps me growing, pushing as a person. He’s taught me a lot.”
Q: Any plans after high school?
Conrad: “I might take some business management courses at HACC, but I’m going to work for my family business.”
Q: What are some key games you have circled on the schedule?
Conrad: “Definitely Ephrata every year. I like playing Cocalico. That’s always a good game. Those two games.”
Q: Time for some fun questions. Let’s say you find a genie in a lamp and you get three wishes. What are they?
Conrad: “Unlimited money. To be jacked (physically fit, muscle-bound) so I don’t have to workout (exercise) all the time. And win a district championship.”
Q: What are some of the first things you would do if you had unlimited money?
Conrad: “You could give back and help a lot of people. There’s a lot of people who could use money around the world. There are a lot of places around the world who don’t have it as good as we do here in America.”
