May 5, 2006

OFF THE FIELD WITH MARK HAMMITT

Sometimes a player comes along at just the right time.  With twelve seniors graduating at the end of the 2005 season, including four midfielders, it would be an understatement that the Wolverines had some holes to fill entering the 2006 campaign.  Although the Maize and Blue expected one of their best recruiting classes ever, it would still be a very raw group that would have to learn what it took to compete at a national collegiate level. 

Enter sophomore midfielder Mark Hammitt (Madison, NJ/Delbarton - Boston College).  A transfer from Boston College, Hammitt is the farthest thing from a raw talent.  Having played at one of the top high school lacrosse programs in the country at the Delbarton School in New Jersey, he knows what it takes to play the best at his level.  A starter on his senior season State Champion team that also earned a #5 national ranking, the first-year Wolverine still had to work his way in as a new player on an established club. 

After battling through some early-season injuries, Hammitt has come on strong in the second half of the season, and has now totaled 34 goals and eight assists in his first Maize and Blue campaign.  Having quickly become a key component to the Wolverine midfield, Hammitt explains how his previous lacrosse experience has helped...

On his high school lax experience

"I got the chance to play for a great high school program [Delbarton School].  Most of the guys on the team are off playing Division I lacrosse somewhere.  I think I was actually the only starter who didn't.  It was great to play for a program like that because every year you knew if you went undefeated you could be a top-5 national team.  One year we even lost a game and were still top-5.  We had some really talented players on those teams."

Before high school

"I've been playing since probably fourth grade which is a lot earlier than a lot of these kids I think.  We were lucky to have a program in my town and I started playing as soon as I could for them.  I was able to get the fundamentals down really early, and for some of these guys, they don't get that until high school or even college.  I had a relatively strong skill-set going in to college and I think that helped me focus on some other things."

On how his experience at Delbarton has prepared him for him for playing at Michigan

"The programs were very similar in the sense that they are both well-known and both are expected to win.  A lot like Michigan, we were always on everyone's radar.  Teams could go winless on the season but if they were able to beat us, it was a good year for them.  You have to go into every game with your head up and prepared because you know you're getting everyone's best."

 

On coming to Michigan

"I took a semester off after my freshman year at B.C. thinking I was going to go back in the spring and eventually play lacrosse again, but I ended up taking off the whole year and traveling and working in New York.  I think matured a lot during the year off and I realized just because I was going to miss my friends at B.C. it shouldn't be the reason I went back.  This was a better school and the lacrosse program was better. 

On the role of lacrosse in his choice

Lacrosse impacted my decision a lot.  I'll always be a student first and a player second but its still extremely important - I've always been a lacrosse player.  Michigan was the only school I applied to.  In the end it was the right decision because I'm getting it all." 

On getting healthy after some early-season injuries

"My back stuff was making it a little difficult for me to dodge, but to be honest I can't really say that's the reason I came out a little slow.  I hadn't played in a game since I left B.C. over a year ago, so it took me a little while to get going.  After that California trip I really started clicking and I got back into that mode."

On meshing with the team

"It always takes a little while to get used to a new environment.  The more we played together the more comfortable I began to feel, and I started to understand I could play with the rest of the guys on the offense.  Sometimes it's a little tough to crack into the group but eventually things start to come together and I just started shooting more."

On the mindset of the man-up unit

"You're expected to go out there and score every time so it's a unique role.  It doesn't matter where the goal comes from.  I guess it's also sort of an elite team out there.  I've always loved to play on the man-up.  We've got some good plays in their now and we're starting to get teams over-thinking out there.  It's always fun to shoot on an open goal."

On whether the injuries having accelerated his growth

"You never want to see your fellow players injured, but yeah, the obvious result is more playing time.  Against Michigan State I felt like my line ran about 80% of the runs or more.  You start to feel like a bigger part of the team.  You also get valuable leadership experience at that time.  You may get a little more tired playing that much but obviously the experienced gained is really going to help you out down the road."

On his post-collegiate plans

"Oh boy, that's a tough call.  I haven't even declared a major yet.  I grew up just outside New York and a lot of my parents friends work in the financial world in New York.  I'd love to move back and live there for some time.  Even just living there for five years would be an advantage I think.  You know what they say; you make it in New York you can make it anywhere."

• Complete list of Off the Field interviews

Contact: Joe Hennessy (734) 276-8493, jjhennes@umich.edu