Nevitt Set to Lead Air Force Lacrosse in 2009
12/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Dec. 17, 2008
USAFA, Colo. - In the past three seasons, no player has been more consistent for the Air Force lacrosse team than senior Griffin Nevitt. Nevitt, who was recently named an honorable mention selection to the Face-Off Yearbook preseason All-America team for the second-straight season, has been the Falcons' top goal scorer in each of his first three years. This year, Nevitt will lead the team off the field, as well as on it, as he was selected as a captain for the 2009 campaign.
"It feels pretty good [to be named captain], because the team votes for you," said Nevitt. "I guess they saw me as a leader. That's a good thing, when you have the guys on your team believe in you. My mindset hasn't really changed, though. I'm still going to work hard and try to motivate the other guys to work hard."
A midfielder from Charlotte, N.C., Nevitt has shown that hard work pays off dividends. In addition to being the Falcons' top goal-scorer in each of the past three seasons, Nevitt also led Air Force in total points scored in 2007 and 2008. A three-time all-conference selection, including a two-time first-team pick, Nevitt will look to push a team which has had its share of ups and downs over the past several seasons.
"Griffin is a leader on and off the field," said Air Force head coach Eric Seremet. "He plays at an intensity that makes other players better. It's that intensity and blue-collar play that contribute to his leadership ability and has garnered the respect of his team and coaches. The expectations are certainly high for him this year."
Nevitt's own expectations are high as well. After Air Force posted a seven-win season in 2006, the most by the Falcons in nearly 10 years, the team has struggled somewhat for the last two years. Now in his final season, Nevitt aims to return Air Force to its winning ways, doing whatever it takes to reach the goal.
"Anytime you can help the team win, that's the number one goal," said Nevitt. "You can get better stats and and all of that, but the bottom line is if you're winning, that's the thing you want. You always want to do well for yourself, but as long as the team's winning, it doesn't really matter."
Of course, Nevitt and the rest of his teammates have a unique challenge when it comes to finding success on the field. The life of a cadet-athlete at the Academy is anything but easy, balancing the rigors of a demanding academic and military workload with the schedule of a Division I lacrosse player. Yet, despite all of the trials of Academy life, it all pays off in the end. Nevitt, like so many other Air Force graduates, plans to pursue a career as a pilot, something that most of his competitors could not even imagine.
"It's a great opportunity to travel all over the world," said Nevitt. "Not many people get to do that, flying jets and stuff like that. This is a pretty prestigious place to go to. When you talk to people and say you went to the Air Force Academy, then they are going to see you in a pretty good light. I'm really proud to go here."
 |  |
