FLG senior, Lauren Jablonowski, has committed to attend the United States Merchant Marine Academy next fall. The attacker from Levittown plays lacrosse, soccer and basketball at Island Trees High School. Now, Jablonowski plans to make the most of her senior seasons.
Q: What about USMMA and its athletic program helped you decide it was the right school for you?
A: USMMA has a great athletic program and their women’s lacrosse team has been on the rise the pass two years being back to back Skyline Conference champions. I want to be a part of a team that wants to win and I see that with the team at Merchant Marine. Coach Simensky has also been the women’s lacrosse coach their since the beginning and knows what it takes to develop a winning team and develop players that want to win and I’m excited to be coached by him. Seeing the start of winning team tradition really helped in making the decision to attend the school.
Q: How did you get into lacrosse and how long have you been playing for?
A: I’ve been playing lacrosse since kindergarten. My older siblings have played and I was kind of forced into when I was younger, but I’m glad my parents pushed me to play because I fell in love with the sport. I got really into lacrosse in 8th grade when I decided to play club lacrosse for FLG and stuck with the club my whole club lacrosse career and I couldn’t be more grateful for the program as they helped so much during the recruiting process.
Q: When you’re not on the lacrosse field, what else are you likely to spend your time doing?
A: When I’m not playing lacrosse. I’m most likely on the soccer field preparing for my senior season or on the basketball court doing the same thing. I also spend a lot of time at the gym, I got really into fitness and working out that I love to spending time there.
Q: In what ways has playing soccer and basketball helped elevate your lacrosse game?
A: Being a soccer goalie has allowed me to work on my hand eye coordination as well as being quick to react to situations. Basketball has taught me how to work on my defense as well as working on specific movements that can translate to the lacrosse field. Both of these sports also taught me had to be the best teammate I can be no matter the setting as well as allowing me to work on communication outside of lacrosse.
Q: What is one thing you can’t live without?
A: I definitely could not live without my family and friends. I spend so much time with them talking and doing so many things outside of lacrosse that I would be bored without them. I am definitely an outgoing person and love to be with people at all times.
Q: What is your go-to iPhone app?
A: My go to iPhone app is definitely TikTok. I’m pretty much obsessed with it like a lot of people my age.
Q: Have you always played midfield/attack? What about this position has made you stick to it?
A: I’ve actually haven’t always played attack and midfield. For most of my youth when I was playing PAL, I was strictly a defender. I hated the thought of not playing defense. However, when one of my PAL coaches noticed my stick skills he urged me to play attack and I switched. Then when I joined FLG, my former coach, Brianna Wilson, realized I could play both defense and midfield. She basically made me into the midfielder I am today. My high school coach has played me at strictly attack, but my senior season I will be playing attack and midfield. I’ve stuck to these positions because I felt like I get to do a little bit of everything. I love being a player that can help wherever necessary.
Q: What are you looking forward to most about your senior season?
A: I am definitely looking forward to a lot in my senior season. I’m hoping my teammates and I can achieve a winning record and make playoffs. Island Trees hasn’t made the playoffs in over five years. As a personal achievement, I would love to be named an All-County Player. Luckily, I was named an All-County Honorable Mention my Sophomore year. I was hoping to be All-County my Junior year before it was canceled.
Q: Are there any particular coaches/teammates that have taught you lessons about lacrosse or life that you frequently keep in mind?
A: Brianna Wilson is one coach who taught me a super valuable lesson. She talked to me a lot about the whole recruiting process. And also told me to not rush it and pick somewhere that I would love to go to. Coach Wilson is very supportive and always offers to help and answer any questions. She said I had to step on the field and make the best of it. This is because you never knew who was watching. That mindset allowed me to have a lot of options during the recruiting process.
Q: Lastly, what is your favorite sports memory?
A: I would say my favorite sports memory has to be my whole career playing for FLG. I made life long best friends and had such a close connection with everyone in the club. It felt like I was apart of a big family. I wouldn’t trade that whole experience of practices, tournaments, and games for anything.
