Senior Liam Dollard and junior Weston Gray are eager to bring home a SUNYAC Championship for the Oswego State men’s lacrosse team, that is of course if the season happens. SUNYAC athletes have not been able to play sports since March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dollard has played lacrosse his entire life. Growing up in Albany, he was constantly surrounded by lacrosse. Both of his parents attended Oswego State, with his father on the lacrosse team. His brother, Garrett, also played college lacrosse for Onondaga Community College before transferring to the University of Hartford in Connecticut.
After playing lacrosse at Colonie Central High School, Dollard was in touch with the Oswego State head coach Drew Bezek. Bezek motivated Dollard to come play lacrosse at Oswego State, and he eventually transferred to Oswego State from Mercyhurst University to join the Lakers.
Gray, who grew up in Carthage, played baseball for a majority of his life until he was encouraged to play lacrosse. Since then, he has grown a passion for the sport.
Gray fell in love with Oswego State because it was a perfect fit for him, not too big and not too small. He also knew Bezek and had a great connection with him.
Unfortunately for both athletes, their season got cut short last year. The team was only able to play four games in which it went 3-1. Both athletes still have a strong desire to play the sport.
“It felt great being back, getting to play for the first time in a couple of years, but I still think there is a lot I have to prove,” Dollard said.
With a lot to prove and the heart to do it, Dollard has his eyes on the prize going into next season with the intention of a SUNYAC Championship.
“I want to win a SUNYAC [Championship] more than anything, but our season got cut short unfortunately,” Gray said. “I am just happy to be back, and hopefully we’ll have a full season this year.”
Holding onto hope is one of the key factors of staying motivated during a time like this. Bezek, who has been at Oswego State for six years, emphasized that the hardest part as a coach is trying to manage the uncontrollable.
“This has been so different than anything we have ever dealt with,” Bezek said. “Trying to find the motivation to keep ourselves going, in a circumstance we really have zero control over, is hard.”
Despite these uncontrollable circumstances, Bezek and other staff members have been doing the best they can to keep their athletes involved. The team has had Zoom meetings as well as individual meetings this past week to start getting a game plan for what is to come if a season were to occur.
Bezek gives a lot of credit to his athletes, especially Gray and Dollard, for having a positive mindset even throughout the worst times.
“We talk a lot about consistency. Showing up day in and day out doing what you’re supposed to do,” Bezek said. “They’ve both done a terrific job of buying into what we’re doing.”
The lacrosse team is doing everything they can to stay organized and meet in ways that are acceptable to the COVID-19 protocols. They have outlines that still need to be confirmed with the Oswego State administration in order to get the season up and running.
“It’s been tough, but you know I love the game. Any glimpse of hope for us to have a season will definitely light a fire under me and I’ll be ready to go when it’s time for sure,” Dollard said.
Photo from The Oswegonian file photo from 2020
