The moment the clock at Coors Field ran out cheers rang from the crowd, the 2015 AHS lacrosse team stood as state champions. One of the players rejoicing with the team was junior Zac Storm. Six months later Storm is being recruited to play D1 lacrosse at Wagner College in Staten Island, New York. He knew from the moment he stepped on campus during a routine college tour last year that this was the place he wanted to spend his next four years.

Wagner had all the qualities on Storm’s “perfect college” list. It is a small liberal arts school with great athletics and 20 overall D1 sports. With only 2200 students, Storm will be among some amazing athletes. However, he had to prove himself before he was recruited. He started by contacting the Assistant Coach, Gary DiClementi of the Wagner Seahawks, who then invited him to participate in a prospect camp last summer.

The camp was a typical summer training program. Around 30 prospective student athletes travelled to Staten Island to participate in scrimmages and drills to show off their skills and hope to catch the eye of one of the coaches. The competition was tough, which brought on feelings of uncertainty for Storm. He shared these feelings with close friends, including long-time childhood friend Diana Flores.

“When he went to the prospect camp, I told him that he would kill it even though he was worried about the skill of the other players, but I knew all along they would want him,” Flores said.

Just a few weeks ago, Storm got the call from DiClementi delivering him the news. Though, the coach wasn’t very clear as Storm had to hear it from his mom before he understood what was going on.

“I didn’t really realize it at first because he was only talking about financial aid. I didn’t understand that he was telling me I was on the team,” Storm said. “My mom was like ‘you didn’t tell me you were on the team!’ and I was like ‘I’m on the team?’”

With the comfort of knowing he made the team, the feeling of relief washed over Storm. With a guaranteed place to attend college and a place where he can say he achieved his goal of playing lacrosse at the college level, he is still struggling to grasp the reality of the whole situation.

“I had my doubts. I had times when I thought it wasn’t going to work out and I wouldn’t play in college but you know it always works out the way it is supposed to. I was the very last defender they chose and I feel so lucky,” Storm said.

Knowing he has reached this point in his life Storm had only one thing left to say: “I owe it to the boys.”