Zavitz epitome of ‘student athlete’
Shifting into a higher gear to keep up with faster pace in the indoor game isn’t the only adjustment will need to make. He also will have to get used to the more methodical style of field play south of the border.
“I think it’s going to be lot different when I go down to the States, because they play a different field game than we do. It’s more systematic.”
Zavitz said high school field lacrosse in Ontario is more free roaming in comparison.
“See who’s open and get them the ball.”
He has certainly done a lot of that during his lacrosse career at Denis Morris.
“Ninety per cent of our offence usually comes from Carter Zavitz, whether it’s through him scoring or from him finding other players,” Vinc said. “He’s a real cerebral player who really understands all positions on the field.”
“It’s almost like having a second coach on the field for the team and players, where he’s dictating a lot of the plays.”
The head coach is confident Zavitz can succeed at the next level despite his small stature.
“When I think about him as a person, he really epitomizes the term ‘student athlete,’” Vinc said. “He’s successful in the classroom, he’s successful on the field.
“I know how competitive he is, he’s going to work really hard, not only on the field but in the classroom in order to make sure that he’s a presence on that Princeton Tigers team.”
Earlier this year Vinc, a 12-year National Lacrosse League veteran, defended the Rochester Knighthawks net against Latrell Harris, a Denis Morris student who was making his professional debut after being selected in the second round, 12th overall, by the Toronto Rock in the 2016 NLL Draft.
Vinc was asked whether Zavitz will be the next Denis Morris alum to play against him.
“It’ll probably be at the tail end of my career, if I’m lucky to play that long,” the 34-year-old St. Catharines native said with a laugh. “He’ll definitely be in the NLL one day.”