(From a Starz Lacrosse December Newsletter interview)
St. Ignatius Attacker Bobby Gray (Jr., 6'2", 163 lbs)
How long have you been playing lacrosse, and who first got you into it?
I first started playing in 5th grade. I attended a Thanksgiving camp put on by Matt Ogelsby and All West Lacrosse Camps. Ever since then I have just loved the game. I was so fortunate to have gotten started with a coach like Matt Ogelsby. He is an amazing athlete and was a 3 time All-American at Duke. Matt has taught me everything I know about lacrosse. I continue to work out with Matt and he continues to push me on the field and in the classroom. He checks on me regularly and has been huge in helping me get noticed by college coaches.
Did you get a chance to see the Brown/UNC game in San Francisco?
Yes, I did see the Brown/UNC game, I was fortunate enough to be part of a group that got to help set up Kezar Stadium for the game. It was nice to be able to give back and Help the BAYS foundation, which sponsored the event. The game itself was awesome. I am a huge Billy Bitter fan and it was great to be able to see him play, I am trying to incorporate some of his game into mine.
What has been the highlight of your lacrosse career so far?
My on the field highlight was in Maryland last month with the West Coast Starz when I had back-to-back-to-back(3) goals in our final game. We were down 4-1 at the time and we went on to win 6-5. My-off the field lacrosse highlight is anytime I get to coach my younger brothers (I have 3) or volunteer at one of Matt Ogelsby’s camps.
What would you like to accomplish now, and then in College lacrosse wise?
Right now I want to help St. Ignatius go undefeated the next two years. As far as college lacrosse is concerned, my goal is to get into the best school possible and then contribute any way I can to the lacrosse team.
What do you think the biggest adjustment is going to be for you in college?
During this summer I was fortunate enough to play against guys like Roy Lang (Cornell) and Alex Capretta (Princeton) a few times and just the speed and confidence that they play with was very different than the high school game. So definitely the speed of the game will take a little bit of adjusting to.
Has playing for West Coast Starz helped you with the recruiting process/ What colleges are you looking at, or have you gotten letters from?
Yes, playing with West Coast Starz has been huge in the recruiting
process. There is something very cool about playing with 15 kids who play at a similar level and then having the success that we have had and win as many games as we have in front of all those college coaches is just amazing.
I have been contacted by Yale, Princeton, Georgetown, Notre Dame, and Dartmouth to name a few. The trip this past summer to Yale was particularly helpful because I was able to get on Yale’s radar early. Then they were able to see me play with West Coast Starz in Maryland which was cool but the best part is that they were able to talk and ask questions to my Starz coaches. I believe Coach Max Ritz, Coach Xander Ritz, and Coach Scott Hochstadt all spoke to them about me. The feedback I have gotten back from the Yale coaches since then has been very positive.
You recently took a trip east with the West Coast Starz to the tournament in Maryland, how was the trip? Who were some of the players that stuck out to you?
This was my second trip with West Coast Starz and our team went undefeated which was awesome. One of the great things about these tournaments is playing with guys that you have not really ever played with before and then just seeing what you can do out there with them. A couple guys that really stuck out to me were: Zach Weaver our goalie, Michael Bullett and Michael Riis our defensemen, Kyle Runyon was awesome and Barrett Mistele is going to be a great college player.
Off the field:
What’s your favorite activity to do aside from playing lacrosse?
I enjoy surfing and just spending time with family and friends.
What’s your favorite place to eat? What do you get?
We have a really good Mexican restaurant close to school called Gordo Taqueria. It was my pre-game meal last year and I always get the same thing …a beef super burrito.
If you could travel anywhere where would it be, and what would you do there?
I have never been outside the country, so if I could travel anywhere it would probably be either to Europe or Australia. I would love to just go sightseeing and enjoy being in a new and different place. It would also be fun to surf in Australia.
Is there anyone you would like to give thanks to?
My family. I have wonderful parents and a big family. We have 8 kids, including myself, and there is always a lot of excitement and many things going on at home.
laxbuzz
