Florida high school lacrosse players are still at a stage where they need to prove themselves just a little bit more than their brethren in the traditional hot bed states when it comes to getting noticed at the major college level.  Two college freshmen from the Boca Raton area have shown over the past few months that even if you aren’t a big name or a recruited player that does not mean you aren’t good enough to take that next step.   Two local Boca Raton players, one from Boca Raton High School and one from Saint Andrews, district rivals who played each other many times, have walked on and made the teams at Duke and Johns Hopkins. That is not a misprint or a typo . . . Calder Alfano (#43 in the above picture) of Boca Raton High is now a member of the REIGNING National Champions, the Duke Blue Devils. Alexander Bartzokis of Saint Andrews is now a member of the traditional lacrosse powerhouse, the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays. These two stories are significant on many levels, but mostly for what it says about the two of them on a personal level as well as how the game has progressed down here at the youth and high school levels.  First and foremost, after talking to both of them (the interviews will follow) I came away with a similar impression; that both decided they wanted to pursue a goal, a goal they were not recruited for.  But through hard work and perseverance they both beat long odds and achieved something terrific.  I think all Florida kids playing lacrosse need to take away from this to keep believing in themselves and not be afraid to take on something pretty special. Because it just might happen.   An Interview with Calder Alfano   “We’re excited to have Calder as a part of the Duke lacrosse family. He showed up all fall and worked hard and as a coach you can’t ask for anything more than that. We’re excited to see him grow as a young man and develop as a lacrosse player.”  -Coach John Danowski   Did Duke ever recruit you and did you turn down any other Division 1 offers to go to Duke?   No, I didn’t receive any other D1 offers to play lacrosse and wasn’t recruited here, I just wanted to come here as a student.  It’s the only top lacrosse playing school I applied to.   What made you want to try to make the team as a walk-on?   I just wanted to come here and try to play.  Coach Danowski was very encouraging about my trying out when I talked to him about it.  I talked to players on the team when I visited the school while I was in high school.  Then when I got here I had the entire fall ball season to try out in.   At what point in the tryouts did it occur to you that you had a chance to make the team?   I don’t know if I ever did until Coach Danowski called me in to the office and offered me a spot on the team.  He explained the commitment it would take and told me to go home and think about over the weekend.  Then if I wanted on the team to show up on Monday for the next practice.   What surprised you the most about the experience?   The caliber of the lacrosse player and athlete is just at another level; it’s such an elite athletic level.  You can’t really mentally prepare for it, you just have to experience it to get used to it.   Were you a Duke fan before going there?   No, I grew up a fan of South Florida sports in general; it wasn’t until last spring when I decided to go to Duke as a student that it turned on.  Dawson Allen (2014 grad at Calvary Christian who is committed to D1 Mt. St. Mary’s) is a friend of mine and he took me to the national championship game against Syracuse and that also helped turn me on to it.  I wasn’t really a person who watched a lot of lacrosse and I didn’t even start playing until late in 8^th grade.   What are you looking forward to studying in college?   I’m looking to major in Economics potentially with minor in Psychology with a goal down the line of becoming a full-time Minister/Pastor.   Some Personal Stuff:   Favorite Meal:  Chicken Parmesan   Favorite TV Show:  Scandal   Favorite Sport Beside’s Lacrosse:  Football   Favorite music:  I’m a Pandora user; Josh Garrells   What Celebrity Would You Like to Meet?  Richard Sherman, there seems to be a lot to learn about him   What Hobby or Interest Do You Have That Would Surprise Those Who Know You?  My Active Involvement in the Kid’s Ministry.   Thanks to Calder for taking the time to talk with me, Coach Danowski of the Blue Devils for giving us his thoughts on Calder and Meredith Rieder, Assistant Sports Information Director of Duke, who put up with my constant requests for information in a good-natured way! Thanks for the photo goes to Michelle Pettit.