Peter Rossetti's Athletic Journey
Just a month into his junior year at Collegiate, Peter Rossetti stood in the office of Georgetown University lacrosse coach Dave Urick, firmly shook his hand, and made the solemn promise that he would cast his lot with the Hoyas.
Rossetti, one of the most accomplished athletes in the class of 2011, had plenty of time to reconsider.
After all, a slew of college coaches had bombarded him with letters, packets, and emails, and according to NCAA guidelines, he couldn’t actually sign his binding letter-of-intent for another 14 months.
Reneging on his commitment never crossed Rossetti’s mind.
You see, he had thoroughly researched each of his choices, and, well, he had given his word.
“Once I made the decision,” he explained, “I couldn’t worry about it.
“It was kind of like a monkey was off my back. The coach’s too.
“I was fortunate. Mr. (Brian) Leipheimer (Collegiate's director of college counseling) and Coach (Andrew) Stanley made me think about things before I made the decision so once I made it, I wouldn’t look back.”
Rossetti, one of the most accomplished athletes in the class of 2011, had plenty of time to reconsider.
After all, a slew of college coaches had bombarded him with letters, packets, and emails, and according to NCAA guidelines, he couldn’t actually sign his binding letter-of-intent for another 14 months.
Reneging on his commitment never crossed Rossetti’s mind.
You see, he had thoroughly researched each of his choices, and, well, he had given his word.
“Once I made the decision,” he explained, “I couldn’t worry about it.
“It was kind of like a monkey was off my back. The coach’s too.
“I was fortunate. Mr. (Brian) Leipheimer (Collegiate's director of college counseling) and Coach (Andrew) Stanley made me think about things before I made the decision so once I made it, I wouldn’t look back.”
Rossetti’s athletic career began when he was in kindergarten and progressed at breakneck speed.
First, he was a year-round swimmer for NOVA and soon thereafter joined the Geronimo lacrosse program.
As a seventh grader, he began a cycle of football (fall), swimming (winter), and lacrosse (spring), then weight training each summer.
Once he committed to Georgetown, though, he dropped swimming altogether and joined the winter track team to improve his foot speed.
When the 6-4, 215-pound Rossetti graduates in June, he’ll have 13 varsity letters: 2 in track, 4 in swimming, 3 in football, and 4 in lacrosse.
He’s earned All-Prep League and all-state honors in four sports, and, by virtue of his contributions to his 4x200 yard freestyle relay team’s 1:24.87 clocking in 2009, he was a National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association All-American.
Along the way, he served as captain in football, swimming, and lacrosse.
Despite a challenging academic load which has included several honors and advanced placement classes, he has a 3.3 grade point average.
One day recently, Rossetti and I sat down and talked about his journey and the thought process that led him to select Georgetown, a Big East Conference affiliate located in Washington, D.C.
You were a really good swimmer. How hard was it to give up the sport?
It was definitely tough. Track was a nice transition because it’s the same type of competition, but it’s on the land. The results on the football field and the lacrosse field from the running have been a nice translation.
When did you decide that lacrosse would be your sport of choice after Collegiate?
Up until freshman year, I was open to playing football or lacrosse in college. I made varsity lacrosse in ninth grade and really liked it. That’s when I realized that lacrosse would probably be my best avenue to play college sports.
When did the recruiting interest begin?
The first time I really played in the summer was going into my sophomore year. I got invited to the Jake Reed Nike Blue Chip Camp (featuring 120 prospects and held at University of Maryland – Baltimore County).
When you play, college coaches are lined up along the sideline from end zone to end zone. It’s a crazy sight, especially when you’re 15 or 16 years old.
When you’re a sophomore, colleges can send you questionnaires. I got 9 or 10 including ones from Duke, Georgetown, Maryland, and Notre Dame.
The summer before your junior year is big for potential lacrosse players. I played all summer. September 1 rolled around. That’s when I got slammed with emails, letters, and packets. Probably heard from 35 or 40 schools.
How did you keep from being overwhelmed?
I’d already met with Mr. Leipheimer on Coach Stanley’s advice because he said I needed to be educated and aware. I knew I wanted to play at one of four schools: Georgetown, Duke, UNC, and UVA.
Coach Stanley had talked to Duke. They only needed one defenseman, and I was No. 3 on their list. Georgetown and UNC showed the interest based on the amount of emails and letters I was getting.
I visited both schools, spent the night, met with both coaches. Georgetown just seemed like the best fit.
Why?
The combination of academics and athletics was very enticing. I was getting a chance to play on a team that makes the (NCAA) tournament almost every year. I just socially fit in with the guys on the team, meshed well with them and the coaches.
Our college office encourages athletes to find a school where they’ll be comfortable without the sport. What made Georgetown that place?
It’s a school in a city. I love history. I knew that I could immerse myself in the city and the school if something happened and I couldn’t play lacrosse.
Being in D.C., there’re great opportunities for internships and studying abroad. It was just a place where my academic strengths fit well.
As far as the recruiting process so early in your high school career, did you ever feel pressure or was it exhilarating?
I would call it a double-edged blade. I had great advice from Mr. Leipheimer and Coach Stanley. It’s really cool when you come home and have a stack of mail from all these schools that want to recruit you, then get on your computer and have 30 emails waiting.
It’s a stressful situation, but it’s also exhilarating, and when it works out, it’s the best feeling in the world.
You just have to manage the highs and lows and remind yourself that you’ll find the place that’s the best fit academically and athletically.
How have you remained motivated?
I remind myself that it’s work, not talent, that got me here, and it’s work that will keep me here. My Dad always reminds me that I’m not just competing against high school athletes anymore. I’m already competing against the guys at Georgetown, and they're people who are better than I am. It's fuel that makes me more humble. It doesn’t make me awesome or special.
Well said.
I’m very fortunate. I have to continue doing what I did to get here and keep getting better. It’s one more motivation. It’s not one more accolade.
What advice can you give the next person who’s considering making a very early commitment?
Be proactive because it’s a major decision. Control what you can control. Keep studying hard and working hard in your sports.
If you feel uncomfortable with a coach or if you’ve always wanted to go to College X but it’s not working out, there's probably a reason.
Instead of stressing, embrace the situation, and move on to something that will work.
Anything else?
Use every resource available. Don’t be afraid to talk to anyone: your coach, your teachers, your college counselor, the coaches recruiting you.
There’s no harm in asking an honest question and expecting an honest answer.
-- Weldon Bradshaw
This is the second in a two-part series about college recruiting. The first installment discussed Collegiate's efforts to assist students who hope to continue their athletic careers in college.
Please click here to access more information on the recruiting process on Collegiate's college guidance office website.
Back
First, he was a year-round swimmer for NOVA and soon thereafter joined the Geronimo lacrosse program.
As a seventh grader, he began a cycle of football (fall), swimming (winter), and lacrosse (spring), then weight training each summer.
Once he committed to Georgetown, though, he dropped swimming altogether and joined the winter track team to improve his foot speed.
When the 6-4, 215-pound Rossetti graduates in June, he’ll have 13 varsity letters: 2 in track, 4 in swimming, 3 in football, and 4 in lacrosse.
He’s earned All-Prep League and all-state honors in four sports, and, by virtue of his contributions to his 4x200 yard freestyle relay team’s 1:24.87 clocking in 2009, he was a National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association All-American.
Along the way, he served as captain in football, swimming, and lacrosse.
Despite a challenging academic load which has included several honors and advanced placement classes, he has a 3.3 grade point average.
One day recently, Rossetti and I sat down and talked about his journey and the thought process that led him to select Georgetown, a Big East Conference affiliate located in Washington, D.C.
You were a really good swimmer. How hard was it to give up the sport?
It was definitely tough. Track was a nice transition because it’s the same type of competition, but it’s on the land. The results on the football field and the lacrosse field from the running have been a nice translation.
When did you decide that lacrosse would be your sport of choice after Collegiate?
Up until freshman year, I was open to playing football or lacrosse in college. I made varsity lacrosse in ninth grade and really liked it. That’s when I realized that lacrosse would probably be my best avenue to play college sports.
When did the recruiting interest begin?
The first time I really played in the summer was going into my sophomore year. I got invited to the Jake Reed Nike Blue Chip Camp (featuring 120 prospects and held at University of Maryland – Baltimore County).
When you play, college coaches are lined up along the sideline from end zone to end zone. It’s a crazy sight, especially when you’re 15 or 16 years old.
When you’re a sophomore, colleges can send you questionnaires. I got 9 or 10 including ones from Duke, Georgetown, Maryland, and Notre Dame.
The summer before your junior year is big for potential lacrosse players. I played all summer. September 1 rolled around. That’s when I got slammed with emails, letters, and packets. Probably heard from 35 or 40 schools.
How did you keep from being overwhelmed?
I’d already met with Mr. Leipheimer on Coach Stanley’s advice because he said I needed to be educated and aware. I knew I wanted to play at one of four schools: Georgetown, Duke, UNC, and UVA.
Coach Stanley had talked to Duke. They only needed one defenseman, and I was No. 3 on their list. Georgetown and UNC showed the interest based on the amount of emails and letters I was getting.
I visited both schools, spent the night, met with both coaches. Georgetown just seemed like the best fit.
Why?
The combination of academics and athletics was very enticing. I was getting a chance to play on a team that makes the (NCAA) tournament almost every year. I just socially fit in with the guys on the team, meshed well with them and the coaches.
Our college office encourages athletes to find a school where they’ll be comfortable without the sport. What made Georgetown that place?
It’s a school in a city. I love history. I knew that I could immerse myself in the city and the school if something happened and I couldn’t play lacrosse.
Being in D.C., there’re great opportunities for internships and studying abroad. It was just a place where my academic strengths fit well.
As far as the recruiting process so early in your high school career, did you ever feel pressure or was it exhilarating?
I would call it a double-edged blade. I had great advice from Mr. Leipheimer and Coach Stanley. It’s really cool when you come home and have a stack of mail from all these schools that want to recruit you, then get on your computer and have 30 emails waiting.
It’s a stressful situation, but it’s also exhilarating, and when it works out, it’s the best feeling in the world.
You just have to manage the highs and lows and remind yourself that you’ll find the place that’s the best fit academically and athletically.
How have you remained motivated?
I remind myself that it’s work, not talent, that got me here, and it’s work that will keep me here. My Dad always reminds me that I’m not just competing against high school athletes anymore. I’m already competing against the guys at Georgetown, and they're people who are better than I am. It's fuel that makes me more humble. It doesn’t make me awesome or special.
Well said.
I’m very fortunate. I have to continue doing what I did to get here and keep getting better. It’s one more motivation. It’s not one more accolade.
What advice can you give the next person who’s considering making a very early commitment?
Be proactive because it’s a major decision. Control what you can control. Keep studying hard and working hard in your sports.
If you feel uncomfortable with a coach or if you’ve always wanted to go to College X but it’s not working out, there's probably a reason.
Instead of stressing, embrace the situation, and move on to something that will work.
Anything else?
Use every resource available. Don’t be afraid to talk to anyone: your coach, your teachers, your college counselor, the coaches recruiting you.
There’s no harm in asking an honest question and expecting an honest answer.
-- Weldon Bradshaw
This is the second in a two-part series about college recruiting. The first installment discussed Collegiate's efforts to assist students who hope to continue their athletic careers in college.
Please click here to access more information on the recruiting process on Collegiate's college guidance office website.
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