Joe Vranizan’s Journey in Lacrosse
Junior Joe Vranizan is a recent commit to the Georgetown University for Lacrosse. This was not an easy feat to accomplish. It required much hard work, dedication and persistence.
In January of last year when Joe was playing in a club Lacrosse game when his career was put off track. Vranizan was tripped and sent flying towards the grass. As he fell he stuck his right arm down to soften the fall.
“I rolled over my right side and felt the biggest pop of my life,” said Vranizan, “ It sounded to me like a firework went off and I rolled over and saw my arm bending in a different way than it should have been.”
With the impact of the fall his right elbow was so severely dislocated that it was fractured. Joe was rushed to the hospital but it was clear that he would be out for a while.
“I still have a flash memory of me screaming and looking at my arm bending outwards insteads of inwards,” Vranizan recalled.
Vranizan was crushed he would be missing out on the beginning of his sophomore season, but it would not be the end of his Lacrosse career. After his surgery he spent time in rehab. At first they focused on simple movements such as straightening his arm, but soon he was back to passing and catching. His injury was in 2019 and by spring break he was back and playing.
That summer Vranizan spent countless hours in the gym and on the field building up his strength and confidence. He was getting some quality college looks but his dream school turned into Georgetown. It took a couple tournaments of the coaches watching him but his dream became true when Georgetown made him an offer in January. He was ecstatic.
“I committed almost instantly and with the season almost upon me I am more than ready,” Vranizan said.
Gwynne Olson is a junior staff writer for the Jesuit Chronicle. Gwynne is the youngest of two. Brooke, her older sister, is a recent graduate from the...
GLAX Service
Courtesy of Ella Smith
GLAX Service
The motto of the Jesuit Women’s Lacrosse team is “Play for someone or something bigger than yourself.” This is exactly what the players and coaches in the program do.
In 2016, this motto began to evolve when the team recognized themselves as “playing for Ruby Gray.” As time went on, it became more prevalent to not only play for those they know but those who are strangers to them as well. The team began to play to empower others.
“Female empowerment is a big theme in the program,” head coach and freshman history teacher Ms. Blumhardt said. “The best way to empower yourself is to empower others.”
The motto further evolved into action: bringing the service aspect into the Jesuit Women’s Lacrosse program. By working with organizations, the girls are empowering themselves by playing for someone or something bigger than themselves. The team is working with organizations such as LLS, CCA and Headstrong.
“We have always been a team who has the goal of playing with purpose, but -[this year we have really grown that goal,” senior Ella Smith said. “With season not starting until the end of February, we have already started incorporating service into our team which not only supports important causes but unites our team even more. We are very excited to continue that service and bond once the season begins.”
During the off-season the team participated in the Alzhiemer’s walk and plans to participate in the CCA Walk for Joy. Furthermore, the team plans to donate over one hundred and twenty articles of clothing to Saint Andre’s Church.
During the season, service will continue to play a big role in the Jesuit Women’s Lacrosse Program. Instead of typical team bonding, the girls will hold team fundraisers for Headstrong, LLS, etc. and serve at food kitchens.
The team will also work hard to raise awareness for the Headstrong fund. Not only will they wear neon green laces and armbands to show support, but they are also participating in a match to raise money for the foundation.
The service is not only limited to organizations and donations. The team does smaller things such as make cards for people in the community, put together gift baskets and hold free clinics for those who want to try lacrosse.
“We like to reach out to the vulnerable in society and we like to go outside of our team and help bring the margins to the center,” Ms. Blumhardt said.
Gwynne Olson is a junior staff writer for the Jesuit Chronicle. Gwynne is the youngest of two. Brooke, her older sister, is a recent graduate from the...
