Ben Ferrara, Locust Valley senior, is Boston University Men’s Lacrosse’s newest commit. Ferrara is a face-off specialist and midfielder from Glen Head, NY and currently plays for his high school team and FLG. The class of 2021 grad is looking forward to playing Division I lacrosse with the Terriers after a unique and unprecedented junior season. After missing out on the 2020 spring season, Ferrara is more than ready to get back to the Face-off X for his final high school season.
Ben Ferrara ’21
Q: How did you get into the sport of lacrosse and how long have you been playing for?
A: I moved to Locust Valley in the third grade and all of my friends played lacrosse. I even stopped playing baseball to play lacrosse with my friends and I loved it.
Q: What teams and leagues have you played for in the past or are currently a member of?
A: I’ve played for Locust Valley PAL since the third grade and I played for Igloo Lacrosse as my first travel team. I then moved to True Blue for a couple of years, and eventually I moved to FLG for my last two years.
Q: Have you/do you currently play any other sports besides lacrosse? If so, how have they helped improve your lacrosse game?
A: I’ve played football since the seventh grade and it’s the toughest sport I’ve ever played. But it made me love contact and made me bring that same love of contact over to lacrosse.
Q: What about Boston University and its lacrosse program helped you decide it was the right school for you?
A: BU was the perfect mix of lacrosse and school. Boston University is a great school and I feel like the coaches were very genuine and caring. I felt like I could really see myself enjoying my four years there.
Q: I heard you worked on making your own highlight reel, what was the recruiting process like for you, especially with a unique junior season?
A: The recruiting process was definitely interesting. It was great knowing that a bunch of coaches believed that I could play at their schools. Fortunately, I committed before the pandemic hit, so it didn’t affect my initial recruiting.
Q: Have you always played middie/FOGO? What about this position has made you stick to it?
A: No, I didn’t start facing off until I was in ninth grade. Quickly, I fell in love with it because I felt like it combined all of my best skills that I had as a middie. I’ve always been good in scrums and most of my goals came from fast breaks. I kept with it because I loved the 1v1 aspect of going head-to-head with another player. I also love training face-offs with my coach, Matt Schomburg.
Q: When you’re not on the lacrosse field, what else are you likely to spend your time doing?
A: Most of my time is spent at face-off training and at the gym. When I’m not working, especially in the summer, I like to go out on my boat. A couple of my friends have boats and we spend a lot of time in Bayville, tying up and going on the sound to Connecticut.
Q: In what ways did the coronavirus quarantine impact your 2020 spring season?
A: Not playing my junior year was definitely strange and upsetting. I wasn’t able to take a live face-off or go to the gym for a month straight. It was definitely a weird time to say the least, but fortunately I’m back to training now.
Q: What are you looking forward to most about your last high school lacrosse season?
A: The face-off rules were recently changed to standing neutral grip only. Honestly, I’m in love with it, and I’m happier facing off now than I ever was. Personally, I think it’s much better and I’m way better at this method than I was knee down. I’m excited to see how I will match up this year with other top players going stand up.
Q: Are there any particular coaches or teammates that have taught you valuable lessons about the sport of lacrosse or life that you frequently keep in mind?
A: A hundred percent. The most impactful coach I’ve ever had the pleasure to play for was Coach Bob Hartranft. He taught me many things about lacrosse, but more importantly he taught me how to be a man. He tells it like it is. Hartranft knows what’s best for me and he pushed me to be the best I could be. He really believed in me and I would not be going to play Division I lacrosse without him.
Q: Do you have any professional lacrosse players or athletes that you look up to or try to replicate their game?
A: I was fortunate enough to train with TD Ierlan twice and he is special. His work ethic and skill is crazy. When I met him, he told me how hard he works and it was then clear to see why he was the best. I look up to him as a player and also as a person.
