Hood Today

Imagine being a healthy athlete, earning a starting position for the sport that you love, and then have everything just crash down on you. That is the feeling that Men's Lacrosse player Dan Rocker had only one year ago, when he found out that his liver…was failing.

During the inauguration to the athletic complex, Rocker felt sick and couldn't attend. He had lost a total of 12 pounds, but started feeling better only a little while after that event. He was ready to compete in his second lacrosse season, one which had a positive outlook at the beginning of the year. He earned the start in the men's first game of the year against Virginia Wesleyan, but once again, felt sick. At first, it was the thought of the flu bug, but it was something much more severe.

"I went to the health center, got tested, and actually my liver was failing," said Rocker. He was admitted to Frederick Memorial Hospital and discovered that it was a viral issue. Rocker, who had never tasted victory at Hood like many of his other teammates, was in a hospital bed for the teams first ever program victory. "My dad was at the game, and he was texting me score updates and stuff," Rocker said.

Rocker was hurt…not necessarily physically, but because he could not play alongside his teammates. Making matters even worse was that the team did not win a single game after their first program victory. "The losing still hurts the same, your still part of the team, and it's important to remember that," Rocker said. It is an important thing to remember, and one that slips many injured athletes minds when they are on the sideline unable to participate. Maybe that's a reason his teammates and coaches respect him so much.

"It was cool because my teammates and coaches came to the hospital afterwards, and I got a game ball and a jersey." That level of respect goes a long way in sports, and whether his teammates and coaches noticed it or not, it made him feel part of the team. If they hadn't showed that kindness, Rocker may not have had the spirit inside him to keep motivating his teammates. But they did it…the right way.

Rocker, only a junior, hasn't missed too much time, and is ready to jump into this season. "The front end of our schedule is favorable and we have a lot of home games." He commented that it will be tough on the first year of turf, as groundballs fly around more, and the team may struggle. However, the team has a big squad this year, as 15 new faces are on the team. "This is one of the better first-year classes; we have depth in the midfield, mixture of speed and skill."

The 2009 season may have been a lost one, but not in Rocker's book. He felt part of the team, and even if he didn't play, he was still there. This year looks promising, more then ever before, and Rocker knows, "We have to take it game by game."

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