Recently, 'Prince' staff writer Chandra Russell sat down with men's lacrosse senior attackman B.J. Prager.
Prince: How long have you been playing lacrosse?
Prager: I've been playing lacrosse since I was in fifth grade.
P: What's your favorite aspect of the game?
BJ: I think that the intensity and speed at which lacrosse is played combines some of the most exciting aspects of other sports such as basketball, soccer, and football.
P: How did you decide on Princeton?
BJ: I narrowed my top four choices down to Duke, Georgetown, Harvard and Princeton. I chose Princeton because I felt that it had the best combination of academic excellence and lacrosse success.
P: How did tearing your ACL sophomore year and being out for the season affect how you approached the game junior year?
BJ: Watching the Final Four from the sideline my sophomore year made me more determined to return the next season and come away with the championship. Setting that goal helped me get through nearly seven months of physical therapy designed to strengthen my knee and keep my body in shape.
P: Was there ever any doubt that you'd be able to come back in top form after the surgery?
BJ: My brother Matt ('05) tore his ACL only a year earlier and returned to playing without any problems. My brother's example combined with the expertise of my doctor and the trainers here allowed me to feel confident that I would return in good shape for my junior season.
P: As captain, what are your goals for the team?
BJ: My goals for the team are to win the Ivy League and the national championship.
P: Are there noticeable differences in the team's style of play, strategy, outlook, or skill level having graduated some key seniors?
BJ: Graduation hit the team hard losing five starters, including four All-Americans. However, most of the players that are moving into starting positions played very significant roles last season. This has allowed us to basically keep the same style of play that was successful for us last year.
P: Can you comment on the freshman additions to the team?
BJ: This year's freshman class is a very talented one. I think they have found the college game to be a tad bit different than high school. Our team is a very close one and I feel that the freshman were able to fit right in.
P: What's it like having your younger brother on the team?
BJ: It's been a lot of fun having my brother here with me this year. I've actually never played on a lacrosse team with him until this year.
P: Did you always expect that both of you would play on the same Princeton team?
BJ: I don't think either of us believed we'd end up at the same school and certainly not on the same lacrosse team.
P: What went wrong in the season opener against Hopkins? After entering the season as national champions, do you think the early loss has set a negative tone for the season, perhaps contributing to the subsequent loss to Virginia?
BJ: Honestly, we just didn't play very well. It probably was one of the worst offensive performances by a Princeton team since I've been here.
P: What will you do after you graduate?
BJ: I have about a month and a half off and then I start working at Lehman Brothers in their START analyst program.
P: Is lacrosse still going to be a major part of your life?
BJ: My future playing lacrosse is pretty uncertain, but I will definitely follow my both of my brother's careers in the sport. Matt plays at Princeton and my other brother Pat plays at CW Post.
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