The next in a series of interviews with Florida-bred kids who have made the successful leap to Division 1 lacrosse!  Thanks to Jerry and the Yale lacrosse community for responding!   Name:  Jerry O’Connor College: Yale Class: 2018 Position: Defenseman Major: Economics   Describe what made you decide why this school was what you wanted to attend: There was a lot included in my decision to attend Yale, but I’d say that the combination of academics and athletics was too impressive to pass up on. All of that was tied together with a phenomenal coaching staff and a really good group of guys, both on and off the field.   What surprised you after you started attending your school? While I was used to pretty big workload in high school, I would say that I was a bit surprised with how intense day-to-day schedules could be between schoolwork and lacrosse. My mother was a lifesaver in high school and initially it was a bit difficult adjusting without her constant help.   Describe a typical day in lacrosse season: A typical day during the week usually consists of a morning lift, followed by morning/afternoon classes with sometimes film with coaches in between classes. Practice is in the late afternoon and after practice, we usually grab dinner and then head to the library to do work.     What advice would you give Florida high school kids going through the recruiting process? I would recommend just staying active in the process and going to as many high-quality recruiting camps you can. While Florida lacrosse has come a long way, coaches like to see and recruit you in person while competing with other players from across the nation rather than just from looking at a highlight tape.   How do you balance your schoolwork and your lacrosse responsibilities? I would say that it’s pretty tough managing all of my responsibilities, but having 40 other guys going through similar schedules really helps. We lean on each other.   Some Quick Hits:   What food do you miss eating while training in season? Ice Cream   What song pumps you up for playing? Work – Rihanna ft. Drake   Who’s your funniest teammate? Ryan McQuaide   What one person do you wish you could have dinner with? Vladimir Putin     Last Call:   What is your favorite college lacrosse memory so far? While all Ivy games are fun, I would say winning the Ivy League Tournament last year was pretty special. There wasn’t anything specific about it other than just the general atmosphere and the fact that it was great to see all our work culminate into a single moment. We had a great group of seniors last year – as we do this year as well – and they really deserved that championship.     Jerry’s Yale Biography     Thanks Jerry and good luck with the rest of your college career!