Welcome to The Freshman Foundation® Podcast where we help young athletes BE READY for every next step in the game of life through mental performance coaching.
My guest in this episode is John Bachenski, a lacrosse player at Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania. Lacrosse was John’s first love growing up in New Jersey. He knew early on that he wanted to continue his playing career in college. However, the process of finding the right college program was a challenging one.
John discusses how he learned about the recruiting process the hard way and shares what aspiring college athletes need to learn in order to find their right fit.
So, what was your biggest takeaway from my conversation with John Bachenski?
My biggest takeaway is that aspiring collegiate athletes need to take control of their own recruiting process as early as possible. Young athletes need to do their research and ask college coaches hard questions even if it might be uncomfortable. Failing to do so can lead to finding the wrong college fit.
I want to thank John for sharing his story on this episode. He’s a great role model for any young athlete that wants to succeed at the next level.
To learn how mental performance coaching can help you BE READY for your next step in the game of life, visit https://michaelvhuber.com.
Please follow, like and comment on The Freshman Foundation YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@thefreshmanfoundation
Thank you for listening. We’ll see you back soon for Episode 72.
00:00.67
John Bachenski
Good. How are you.
00:00.95
mvhuber
Hey John how's it going good. Thanks for joining me on the podcast. Ah really appreciate it. So for those of you for those listening who don't know you can you just sort of give a little bit a but little bit of your background.
00:15.76
John Bachenski
Sure sure. Sure. So um, my name is John Pchinski I'm a rising senior at susquan university on the men's Lacrosse team or division 3 team. So it's like its it's gonna be a big year This year we're we're returning a lot of talent especially for the landmark conference. So we're we're we're looking forward to ah a huge year. A little back for before college I played a st joseph high school in a touch in New Jersey played there for 4 years and with with that experience. It led me to to the position I'm in now. So rising seniors. It's gone very quickly. So I'm excited.
00:50.33
mvhuber
Yeah, so when did you when did you start playing lacrosse.
00:53.87
John Bachenski
So I started playing back when I was wow fourth grade. So it's it's it's been it's been a it's been a while now I'm in college. So it's the experiences there I started picking up my stick back in Wreck League in Monroe New Jersey played youth there. And then I decided to take my talent out of public school and go to catholic school being my dad is an alumni from St. Joe's kind of had to follow the tradition so I did that.
01:22.72
mvhuber
Yeah, so and at what point in that path from say starting in Fourth grade when you started playing at what point did you have a sense that you might be able to to go on and play playing college.
01:35.68
John Bachenski
Sure yeah I I believe it was right after Seventh grade going to eighth grade. Um, you know once that peak before high school reaches your team you know, kind of figures out. Okay, you know whether or not, you're talented to move from Eighth grade into trying out for jv and varsity.
01:38.79
mvhuber
Are you.
01:50.10
mvhuber
And.
01:52.53
John Bachenski
And at the time and we still are there was a rival between the Gmc's Monroe and St Joe's and St Joes at the time had one of the best lacrosse themes in the state in Jersey regarding and and Central Jersey by far the best 1 and being my dad was anumni.
02:00.98
mvhuber
Ah.
02:09.96
John Bachenski
I knew automatically, you know I had to extend my talent. We had other kids from my town go to St Peter's pret christian brothers Academy The Hunt School Princeton um and you know I wasn't a talented as some of those kids but I knew if I went to a better environment and team. I could develop those skills fighting against the best of the best. So.
02:28.86
mvhuber
So so it's interesting because from what I don't know much about high school across here in New Jersey you know a little bit so how would you sort of characterize the difference between being at St Joe's ah and a place like Monroe which is a public school.
02:42.33
John Bachenski
Sure sure so I think the biggest thing with catholic school is that there is a misconception on on athletics and when we talk about having a player for example at any type of level or sport. When you want to exceed your talent and get to the next level you have to play the best of the best just because you play club ball on a good team over the summer and then your varsity team goes you know 500 even or or even under that will will not prepare you for the next level you have to play against the best of the best. And you know it doesn't have to be the best of the best of catholic schools but it can you know you're playing in nonpublic a nonpublic b and those are the 2 big leagues in New Jersey varying from any types of sports and anyone can agree to if you talk about football you look at being catholic abo prep.
03:18.44
mvhuber
I mean I have.
03:31.30
mvhuber
Are.
03:35.10
John Bachenski
You know there's an example of of I believe there's an offensive lineman who's six foot 7 from obridge new jersey and instead of staying at obridge you know he has to play and develop against the best of the best talent so he transferred the burgen catholic this fall.
03:44.74
mvhuber
Are.
03:49.00
John Bachenski
So you know that's a perfect example of of athletes extending their talent to the next level because they want to get to the college level and what I've realized is that when you get to the college level a lot of excuse me a lot of these kids that you know get you know, commit to these schools they play against you know. They're all stars in their towns and then when they play against better talent at the first year of their college they struggle and it's because we're prepared before. So there's a difference between don't get me wrong. There are some public schools that are good. But I think it comes down to the environment and culture too. There is more of a dedication and there's more of a set standard.
04:10.83
mvhuber
Yeah.
04:27.67
John Bachenski
At a catholic school when it comes to respect dignity. Especially you know some of these coaches that are coaching at catholic schools they're ex-collge athletes and realistically when you're in that recruitment process when your school has a large reputation of history of alumni every catholic school in New Jersey has
04:43.13
mvhuber
Ah.
04:46.86
John Bachenski
It's it's an automatic plus button for those coaches and that's something that they don't tell you is that of course they look at public schools but they will look at catholic schools and perfect example is Lawrenceville Prep in New Jersey they finished number 1 nationally and what that coaching staff does is they recruit heavily but it's a great marketing pitch because you know. Who doesn't want to play on the the more national team in the country. It's that amazing boarding school and you're playing against a large reputation that college coaches know. So I think there's a big talent difference in between public schools and catholic schools and geographically to if you're looking at what's happening in New Jersey now you know.
05:09.33
mvhuber
Ah.
05:16.73
mvhuber
Um, and.
05:25.70
John Bachenski
You don't see you see these best stars on these club teams. You have 1 or 2 stars on these high school teams and they're carrying these teams are shooting out statistics through goals home runs touchdowns and then you know their whole team is you know they finish at least 2 and 10 or 2 and 20
05:33.45
mvhuber
O.
05:43.21
John Bachenski
So you know there's a difference you you know you have to decide whether or not, you know you're ready to to move on to that level and I think one of the biggest mistakes is that you know there are there's 2 options parents can afford it which I understand but then you have parents that they can't afford it.
05:57.22
mvhuber
Ah.
05:59.50
John Bachenski
But the biggest thing I see is that kids don't want to leave their towns because of their friends but what they don't realize realize is that when they get to college your high school friends are still there but you're gonna be on a team where yeah you know some people but those are your guys like those that's that's your new group offens and I'm still in contact with my St Joe's guys.
06:01.12
mvhuber
Sure.
06:18.87
John Bachenski
But I have my teammates back at Susquihanna and those those are those are my group of friends and you're meeting a whole new environment. Whole new. You know new level of of of talent. So um, there's a difference between public and graphics one I think it's a standard and and and that's that's where it's lays out. So.
06:30.80
mvhuber
sure sure I mean and having spent a couple years myself as a coach at St Joe's I saw that you know firsthand the idea that you know a lot of the athletes that come to St Joe's or any.
06:38.57
John Bachenski
Sure.
06:47.47
mvhuber
Private schools self-select in right? They're willing to walk away from their friends and go to a different school because they want to they want to get better right? And so that's sort of what you described I think the other thing that I'm curious about from your perspective. How do you think that going to school at an all boy school.
06:52.90
John Bachenski
Short short.
07:07.29
mvhuber
Helped or hurt or changed your experience.
07:11.40
John Bachenski
So that's a huge question I get a lot. Um, it come from public school. Everyone's like oh you got no girls at your school. It's all boys. It's all guys. But at the end of the day where I'm at an athletic school everyone and let me repeat myself every single one of these kids at St Joe's that I play with. Was either involved with some type of activity or was involved with the sports team and a lot of these kids consider halfway if they want to play college and then the other half decide hey well I'm gonna go to the good school you know focus on my academics but go into an old boy school at first I mean you're leaving public school and you're.
07:28.80
mvhuber
And.
07:40.51
mvhuber
Ah.
07:44.47
John Bachenski
You know you leaving view friends behind and you're going to another school I knew no one going to St Joe's except 1 of my dad's best friends son who ive met maybe twice we walked in I kind of find my own way. Met some kids which was great because it's so the school and offers you amazing people there.
07:53.37
mvhuber
And.
08:01.37
John Bachenski
And when you find guys that are willing to compete at the same level with you and are all committed to sports. It's no better environment I mean it's It's an end when you have sports teams from all different levels and they exceed and you're ranked and you have a reputation I shouldn't say you want to act you know, tough and cocky but it's It's a really good.
08:18.40
mvhuber
Yeah.
08:20.67
John Bachenski
Yeah, only knowing that you're you're part of a school that represents that. So yes, yes, no.
08:23.66
mvhuber
Yeah, it's a source of pride right? It's a source of pride and and having witnessed it and seeing like the basketball games or the students show up and watch the game right? The Falcon the falliccon flying. Yeah, it's fun right? and I think listen I I think the the thing I took out of it being. There was like there were just.
08:31.59
John Bachenski
Yeah, that's the best. Yeah yet. Yeah yeah.
08:43.65
mvhuber
Fewer Distractions right? It was more say it was more business because everybody there liked being there and had fun but it was definitely like hey I'm here to get better and a lot of the kids did want to go on and have a career you know at the college level and.
08:50.43
John Bachenski
Yeah.
08:57.93
mvhuber
You know you might not have the same opportunities you would if as if you went to a place like St Joe's or another private school so that that makes sense so you you talked about the like moving from where you were right from sort of a public school environment to St Joe's like what were some of the challenges you faced when you you know you went into.
09:02.11
John Bachenski
Yeah, yeah.
09:16.10
John Bachenski
You know at first before I even applied to the school I had a lot of parents come up to me because at the time St Joe's was beating you know Monroe at the time pretty badly regarding the gmc I mean we put the Gmc on the map and I I think it's for all sports especially lacrosse.
09:16.51
mvhuber
To St Joe's
09:32.19
mvhuber
Yeah.
09:34.68
John Bachenski
And we had our coach leave coach Murro we went to rumpson and we were up and down at the times I was there were coaches but we had you know, really good coaches that came in and out and we haven't established staff now as as many of you know from from coach collander and his staff from chatham so they're getting right back into the groove of what they were before. But. I was told hey like I'm not going I'm not going to make that team my my dad was even afraid that I might get cut because we had tryouts we had over 50 kids trying out for the lacrose team I mean it was just a reputation that we had it was St Joe's and 1 of the biggest things I took from a coach in my public school town is that the Gmc.
10:04.92
mvhuber
Ah.
10:10.35
John Bachenski
Having St Joe's there made other teams better and you know at first I was like okay so then why don't I stay have Monroe but then I realized I needed to take my talent somewhere else because you know just because I play on a club team in the summer and we beat teams up and you know we're playing good.
10:14.48
mvhuber
Ah.
10:29.12
John Bachenski
You have to play year-round to get better. It can't just be a couple months say hey that's so fine. Go into fall ball and then think that's okay I Also think to some one of the biggest challenges was too I mean leaving my friends. You know all my friends were back in public school I told I was going to Catholic School I knew no one there.
10:40.23
mvhuber
And sure.
10:47.37
John Bachenski
So especially, you know, knowing that I'm not gonna have any of those guys I lost a lot of friends going to St Joe's because a lot of people disliked the school because it's just an aletic school and we beat teams up. That's just the reputation catholic schools have they recruit and there's nothing wrong with that. But. I think that was the biggest challenge for me too and I think the biggest. The third challenge was I think exceeding on my academics being in an environment where I got the focus on school and then make you know half time management going into the classroom onto the field really helped me.
11:17.34
mvhuber
Ah.
11:21.55
John Bachenski
Get to the next college level and that's what Kaos school did for me and I would recommend any parent or son or a daughter to send their kid there because you set those skills up for the next level and I I think it's extremely crucial, especially when and entering the college level if you don't understand that balance.
11:22.86
mvhuber
Um, yeah.
11:40.67
John Bachenski
And near level of competition and you just join that level of of just expecting what to expect? You're going to be challenged to a point to where you're going to probably end up crumbling or you can jump over the wall and that's that's completely up to you and there's levels of preparation for that.
11:52.73
mvhuber
Ah.
11:58.74
John Bachenski
And that one of those reasons is is to you know accept those challenges which I did at a young age and after accepting those challenges and kind of getting in the in the go zone and the comfort level of gain in experience then I realized hey like that's not that bad dad mom like this was not bad I wanted to try out St Joe's for a couple weeks I ended up loving it.
12:09.57
mvhuber
Ah, yes.
12:17.16
John Bachenski
And I was like you know what? this is even better than Monroe because I'm in a classroom where kids are focused on on academics. You're making amazing friends and you're playing on a good sports team. So there's a 3 and 1 right. Theres well yes, those are the kind of the 3 big challenges I had to.
12:27.68
mvhuber
Sure.
12:33.40
mvhuber
Yeah, did you did you play sports other than Lacrosse growing up.
12:33.25
John Bachenski
Leave from my public school again. The St chose. So.
12:39.82
John Bachenski
So I play I've been playing lacrosse probably since like I said to fourth grade played some rec basketball as I as any kid would with your friends at a young age. Um, but I I think realistically too I mean. Just specifically when I've wanted to focus on a sport I didn't think I'd go to college for it and then like I like we touched base before um, you know when you realize your talents needs some some better improvements I couldn't be on the team that you know revolved around that. So.
13:05.69
mvhuber
And.
13:11.99
John Bachenski
That was a sport I played I've been playing since I was fourth grade. So it's It's been great now I'm here now. So.
13:17.51
mvhuber
Yeah, ah at what point at in high school at what point did you realize like hey I want to play in college or I think I'm going to have a chance to play in college.
13:26.83
John Bachenski
So I think the biggest obstacle and you talk about challenges to I didn't have the guidance that I had when it came to recruiting um and I was playing on a great team you know and we weren't like Del Barton
13:34.87
mvhuber
And.
13:42.57
John Bachenski
But we're in nonpublic a so we're playing tough teams every year and I think the biggest thing is I didn't have the guidance and I did not have the guidance into tools of how I could get into recruiting. How should I email a coach. What should I do and I know those tools were there but at a young age.
13:45.33
mvhuber
Ah.
14:01.61
John Bachenski
Your son or daughter aren't you know we don't know what to do when it comes to that type of stuff and when it comes to recruiting I had to figure out all right after Seventh grade going into eighth grade and into high school after junior year you know.
14:03.98
mvhuber
Right.
14:18.93
John Bachenski
Junior year is you know your last year of summer ball and then getting recruited I was late to the ball game because I didn't email a lot of coaches and schools that I missed out on earlier before because I had no idea I wasn't provided with that knowledge. So.
14:20.00
mvhuber
A.
14:34.65
John Bachenski
I Think advice for for any athlete is that when you're choosing a club team that focuses on on potential and that helps you and provides you these tools and skills at a younger age so that your parents are also informed with this then you can be on the right boat and path to figuring out what school you want to be in.
14:51.21
mvhuber
Are.
14:54.90
John Bachenski
And that was that was kind of realizing. Okay when I was late to the ballgame I had over a dozen offers from from division 3 schools and but I didn't know like okay you know I was looking into research and kind of figuring out. Okay, what I want to do at the same time. So It's a whole process of that. That recruiting stage because it's not only picking a school. It's about deciding your next four years of your career on your major? Yes, Yes, it extremely important too And um, you know being a senior now I look back at it now and I wish I had those types of I had that that guidance through my club program.
15:14.85
mvhuber
I Think that's really important.
15:28.16
mvhuber
Yeah, so so and I think you've answered their question but I'm going to ask it again. I want to make sure I understand so in lacrose like what I learned actually being at st joe's honestly is like any sport whether it's baseball or basketball which is where I spent most of my time I learned from that. Experience that recruiting was happening at the aa you level in basketball and the travel baseball level in the summer whatever you know in baseball right? It wasn't through the high school so is it is it the same in lacrosse like you you're getting recruited through your travel ball. You know. Um, performance rather than being focused on high school.
16:06.97
John Bachenski
I think it it varies at the at the end of the day but mainly in my opinion. It's both playing on a good up team and then playing on a good high school team and the high school team right now. For example, we have coach Calandra at St Joe's and he's got a very good reputation. Great coach. Great staff.
16:14.99
mvhuber
Um, okay.
16:26.90
John Bachenski
Has a goal set in mind for for the team and the program. It's an athletic school like we talked about before but when you're playing on a good high school team and you're playing against good talent year-round and then you're transitioning that into club ball coaches like to see both of those things and you need to have both and there's people in the situations where. They can't control that high school environment you can and those options are trying to figure out what I can do other than playing Varsity If My varsity team is horrible get into camps see what else you can develop as an athlete at that age before.
16:58.91
mvhuber
And.
17:03.70
John Bachenski
High school but you know before high school summer ball when it comes to club ball though in the summer yeah that's a huge huge asset to playing on a good club team. Um, you know playing in a and double a coaches are a double a in lacrosse they're not at a you know you're going to see coaches at a but double a is where it's at.
17:10.54
mvhuber
Ah.
17:20.43
mvhuber
Um.
17:20.91
John Bachenski
The best of the best and something I address with my team too is that I'm a senior and I look back at it now. Um, you know my first covid game. You know I lost my senior year high school to k and my first game was against a national defending tramp salisbury university and they smoked this of course on our her um turf but it was an experience of a lifetime because it.
17:36.50
mvhuber
Who.
17:40.46
John Bachenski
You know, hit me and you know I looked at those kids and I realized you know these kids have had a commitment level of their talent at an early age and that revolved around high school and club ball. So when it comes to recruitment. It's both and it's both and the coaches may not come to your high school season because they're in season but they are watching.
17:57.14
mvhuber
Yeah, yeah.
18:00.25
John Bachenski
They're looking at your standings they're looking at who scores they're trying to join in some live live games see if they can watch you and and and it revolves around both because if you're at a high school team like I touched up before and they go at least 2 and 12 in the season and then you go to Summer Ball and your other friends are playing at some really really good team and they're playing year-round and they're going and there is a commitment level that that's just going to vary you know coaches are looking at that they want to see who's going to go who's going to be a go getter. Bottom line you want to be better. You want to be better than the other person in front of you do something about it.
18:30.53
mvhuber
Yeah.
18:37.61
mvhuber
Um, yeah.
18:37.65
John Bachenski
Don't complain because I think there's an error of athletes right now to where we've seen in my generation is that when you're on the bench and you have issues and you have problems you're blaming the coach and that just pisses me off respectfully from an athlete being a senior now if you know I've gone her 2 years in a row. And the two years in a row you know I did not once complain gulp to my coach and be like hey why you not starting me why you're not doing this why you're not doing that I put myself in the situation and I look back at it now and it's the biggest regret I've I've ever done and there's of course you know things I can't control with my body but if if you want to be better at.
19:13.40
mvhuber
Ah.
19:15.31
John Bachenski
Your craft you have to stand out and you have to be always willing to get better and you know that goes into the commitment and the passion level If you're committed to something and you love It. You will excel in it if you're not and you just love it for you know, just for an idea or sake of It. You're not going to succeed. And it will hit you because it's It's a repetitive system.
19:37.30
mvhuber
I Think that's something I talk to athletes a lot about which is I think there's probably this misconception that like every player regardless of the sport you're in you have to be a superstar right? You have to be like all state in order to get recruited and.
19:49.97
John Bachenski
Sure.
19:55.75
mvhuber
The truth is like any sport you don't need twenty thirty forty fifty one hundred all state guys. You need guys that play roles right? And so a lot of times there's ah, there's a misconception from the athlete who's in high school thinking like I've got to score more goals or I have to score more points. Otherwise I'm not going to get recognized when they don't realize like.
19:59.54
John Bachenski
Sure yes.
20:15.70
mvhuber
They need. They want a coachable kid. They want a kid who's going to work hard. They want a kid who's maybe not the best right now. But that's going to develop into a better player over 4 years because they're willing to work hard at it and I think that the recruiting process. There's a lot of mystery in it right? You kind of said it right? like if you don't have parents.
20:15.51
John Bachenski
Yeah, yes. Um, yeah.
20:28.85
John Bachenski
There.
20:33.53
mvhuber
Who understand it and a lot of us don't really understand how it works if you don't have the knowledge if you don't have um the guidance going through it. You're going to make you're going to make some mistakes right? And so like you you've got to be willing to like be humble and also like go after what you want.
20:44.39
John Bachenski
Sorry. Um, yes, yeah yeah, people.
20:53.50
mvhuber
You know and I know and it sounds like you're you're happy with the situation you're in so like it's not meant I'm um going I ask this question not meant to like it's not really about Cis Gohan it's more about your process like if you could do something over again in the recruiting process would you change like how you approached it or like what.
21:08.60
John Bachenski
Yes, definitely definitely? no. No definitely I Think the biggest thing too I mean the touch base on what you just said, um, finding the right club team and I have nothing against my club team that I played for um but I wish I was.
21:09.95
mvhuber
What thing do you know? do you know now that you would do differently.
21:26.15
John Bachenski
You know, informed about other club teams that you know were better and I wish that I got to apply with those club teams at an earlier age because you know like you said ah but you know about parents too. You know you want the best for your son and daughter. But at the same time. Do your research.
21:39.39
mvhuber
Sure sure.
21:43.38
John Bachenski
You know if if your son really has a passion is something nothing against my dad but you know that was on me too because I never you know I was set on something with my comfort level and it was my club team.
21:56.30
mvhuber
Um.
21:57.81
John Bachenski
And rather than being set and hey saying hey I like all these kids you know they're my friends. They're my teammates I feel comfortable with that that when you get to the college level.. There's gonna be so many things that you're gonna be doing at such a level ofcomfor when it comes to play style and adapting to new changes. You know you you have to start that at an early age and I think that's a huge misconception because I was so catered into being being informed of telling hey like you should just stay at this club Team. You have a great group of friends rather than you know, telling myself and being informed with the correct information hey like.
22:17.58
mvhuber
A.
22:34.97
John Bachenski
You know your talent's getting better. You should try out for another team. You know, like start looking into schools those types of things that's something I would do completely different in different teams at a young age and kind of focus on myself rather than just stay where my friends were at because what you know I'm looking back at it now I'm like.
22:40.55
mvhuber
E.
22:53.44
John Bachenski
What did that do for me like it did not do anything for me at the end of the day.
22:56.55
mvhuber
Yeah I think the biggest challenge there though is and I see this with my own kids is that like I think their goals and their priorities change as they get older right? when you're 141516 the priority as well. You know at that time you think like this is comfortable right? I like being with my friends. It's fun.
23:05.22
John Bachenski
Short for. Short short short.
23:15.42
mvhuber
And then you look back and go like oh I could have done better because but at that time like you're only making the decision based on the information but right to your point if if the goal is hey I wanted to play division 1 lacrosse like I think the better answer probably would have been right like I could have gone to a different club team at that point. But if you're not.
23:21.17
John Bachenski
Sure.
23:34.21
mvhuber
If you're not thinking that right if you're not thinking like this is where I want to go with this at the time. It's really hard. But I think you make a good point because I I do think a lot of young athletes boys boys or girls. You know the social is a huge component of it right? Who am I with am I comfortable am I having fun. And I'm a big advocate for all those things but at the same time like there's a consequence to every choice meaning like if you want to get better. You do have to challenge yourself and you do have to step away and say I could be really good at this I'm going to transfer to another school or I'm going to. Go to prep school or private school or wherever it is right to get a better more challenging experience and sometimes we just don't know but like I get your point I think it's really important because I think we'll get to now that idea of okay, you went from st joe's then you went to college like.
24:18.48
John Bachenski
Um, you know.
24:26.75
John Bachenski
Sure.
24:28.94
mvhuber
What was that like what was that transition from high school to college like what were the the challenges you saw there.
24:33.88
John Bachenski
So I think the biggest challenge was of course I mean I you know we we hit the pandemic year so I was hit with a bunch of obstacles my freshman year I didn't have a normal freshman year got a campus was getting tested weekly right? This is something I talked about before willing to adapt. So I adapted right.
24:39.41
mvhuber
True. A.
24:53.38
John Bachenski
Some of the schools weren't even sessions I took advantage of it being on on campus. We're gonna have some fall ball and we had that before the before you know cases got out of control and we were sent home in November um, but I think the biggest challenge from from high school to college was I think the level of of commitment and.
25:02.47
mvhuber
Is.
25:13.37
John Bachenski
That came through the first couple weeks I was at Susk Guhanna and you know when we're getting up early and we're practicing early and you know I'll be realistic with you like waking up at 5 a m or 6 am for lyft like. Yeah, I'm looking forward to it I have a passion of working out with my teammates. You know we're aspiring to a championship every season but it's not fun. It's like waking up for work. You know the biggest misconception too is at high school There's a lot more comfort level and a bit more relaxed when it comes to college your.
25:33.66
mvhuber
Um.
25:37.35
mvhuber
Yeah.
25:49.17
John Bachenski
Fully committed to a program and the biggest thing that stuck with me. Um, you know, shout out to coacher po he you know he's a great coach. 1 of my favorite coaches out of Monroe and he he told me this one quote and is stuck with me and he was like John when you get to the college level There are two things I tell my villanova guys and. 1 of those things is number one. It's not fun and number 2 it's a job so be ready and that's stuck with me because it didn't hit me until my freshman year like I just talked about and it it is a commitment. It is a job There are fun times and there's going to be times where you're walking up to that field.
26:24.20
mvhuber
Um, jump.
26:27.38
John Bachenski
Doing the same repetitive tasks consistently every day and then that comes to the factor of when March and April hits for spring teams 85% of these teams crumble because they fail to capitalize on that grit factor the previous month and then by the time they're trying to go after a playoff spot. You know there's that level of passion and grit that you know you're going to have to put in the factors and that grit factor is getting up early in the morning when you're sore, you're still working at it when when you're tired and you have to run hundred yard sprints that's great
26:45.25
mvhuber
Um.
27:04.38
John Bachenski
And that is the biggest challenge too. A lot of these athletes get to the next level and they realize hey like I don't have a passion for it I had it in high school. This is a whole nother level got to compare it to both and you know you got to get in the groove of things which any team will get you in the groo of things.
27:14.77
mvhuber
Um, definitely.
27:21.89
John Bachenski
But if you're willing and you're committed like I am I have a passion for lacrosse I can talk about it any hour many of the day. Um I love it. I love what I do I can't express how important it is when I told my brother this too. We're 2 athletes 2 college orcross players that love lacrosse. We. We love it. We we talk about it every day we talk about programs. We talk about players talk about recruiting. We love it. You have to love something and you will excel in it if you don't it's the biggest challenge in in college because kids get the next level and then crumbled. So.
27:54.72
mvhuber
Yeah I think that's absolutely true and I've I've had those conversations with people who are in the same exact boat as you and I don't mean just college I mean in that especially with that covid experience right? like.
28:01.50
John Bachenski
Yes.
28:07.51
John Bachenski
Short.
28:10.13
mvhuber
That first year setback a lot of athletes right? If you're coming in during the covid years of freshman like you don't have a normal experience so you're like set back in that. So then when you finally get back to competing and you're out on the field normally like you've got to make up that ground and and you've been home doing nothing for the last twelve months
28:15.59
John Bachenski
Um, yeah.
28:29.50
mvhuber
And now you're all of a sudden thrust into write these like you know, long days of like lift practice film. Whatever it is. You're doing plus calling a class like if you don't if you're not enjoying it right? like like you said it's a lot of work and it's a commitment if it's not something that means something to you like why am I doing this like.
28:45.30
John Bachenski
Exactly exactly exactly exactly Yeah, you just said it? Yeah yeah.
28:48.20
mvhuber
Then there's no point in doing it right? like why are you going to give away 4 years of college and and and have two full time jobs right? 1 is a student one is an athlete right? If you're willing to do that you got to you got to want it for a reason and if you don't it's okay and I think one of the things I see and and I don't know if you see this I don't know if you guys get like division 1
28:57.85
John Bachenski
Yes.
29:07.82
mvhuber
Division 3 transfers at all. But I I get the sense that that happens a lot more even now where kids are so anxious to get a division 1 offer just to say they got a division 1 offer then they get to division one and go like screw this like I don't want this right I want to like.
29:24.66
John Bachenski
Yeah, yeah, correct no correct I mean like like you just said to you're going to see so many kids you know, commit to a school so early and to a division one school.
29:26.27
mvhuber
Step away I mean you know I'm saying like I think it's more about the recognition and the prestige than it is about actually wanting it.
29:38.60
mvhuber
E.
29:42.70
John Bachenski
And then you're gonna see kids who commit to a division 3 school those are the ones that stand out because 1 realizes hey like I'm kind of committing to a division one school I think I can play nothing is guaranteed and then you look at the division 3 schools and then you really kind of satisfy with your talent level hey look John that's where I can play you know.
29:57.18
mvhuber
Um, now.
30:00.27
John Bachenski
I I realized that my my my junior year like I can't play out at division one school I don't have that type of talent to come from right out of high school into college you know once you gain college experience Maybe and that's your choice at the end of the day.
30:12.60
mvhuber
Right? right.
30:16.30
John Bachenski
And that's what most of those kids end up going. You know you see these kids going to jugo college or you go to you know County colleges or you started to division 3 and then you end transferring division division one but there is a sense of recognition hundred percent when when when parents see their son gets an offer the the daughter gets an offer and then they're so caught up in the.
30:22.84
mvhuber
Right. So.
30:33.58
John Bachenski
I got the division 1 offer like what do I do they commit and then you know you see so many kids something as me too I mean I've seen guys leave our team you know because you don't love it and they you know you see these kids sign a paper and then they end up pulling out because they just they just don't love it and that goes back to me what I said before.
30:33.66
mvhuber
Totally.
30:52.56
John Bachenski
When you get to the next level There is a sense of competition and you have to prove yourself and no matter what year or what class comes in you always have to prove yourself there can't be a sense of of comfort level and being like okay have my spot. You know this is not high school. You know they're always looking to replace someone and especially at the visual one schools.
31:09.57
mvhuber
A.
31:12.31
John Bachenski
You get hurt. It's the next guy up.. It's so hard to get back in then that spot unless you're fully healthy and you only have a short amount of time in that period to to really get you know back to where you were before you got Hurt. So I think there's of all, you know there's a sense of recognition. But then theres I think there's also a sense of of parents not knowing. Because is it the school. It's great. They have a major that your son or daughter likes and then they sign the paper and then your son or daughter calls you and says hey like I don't like this anymore like I Just don't want to plan anymore. You know there should be. You know you should have done your research.
31:32.49
mvhuber
Um.
31:49.66
John Bachenski
And you should have done done your your your full I call a full analysis of what to expect because a lot of these students when they visit schools the coaches tell them what they're doing and it goes out. It goes in 1 ear and out the other and then when they realize what they're doing after the coach told them a couple months later when you're back on campus.
31:53.93
mvhuber
E.
32:09.61
John Bachenski
They don't like it so when you're on these visits, ask questions full inside scoop don't be afraid to ask questions. You know like be afraid like like hey coach like how many kids are coming in next year Next year's recruiting class like you know. For example, my brother was looking at a school and.
32:12.50
mvhuber
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
32:27.81
John Bachenski
They told him they were recruiting Eleven kids and when my brother asked about that you know that's what one of the coaches said when my brother asked the head coach the N fishing would have recruiting class of 24 kids. So figuring out whether or not you want to you know pick a program that that you like and into all that information and research. The same time you know like you said before has to do with recognition and it has to do with people not knowing and then you know I really do feel for the know because they get themselves into something and then they end up not liking it and that's perfectly fine. But if you want to know for sure that you're going to love it.
32:52.94
mvhuber
E.
33:04.91
John Bachenski
You have to have that passion before you even decide to go to college because it starts in high school Mike like I can't express how important that is.
33:05.51
mvhuber
Yeah, yeah, yeah, what? what were some of the other reasons you picked or what are some of the reasons you picked Susquehanna as a school right? Like what were the things that you were looking at.
33:19.71
John Bachenski
I picked a place where I you know I thought I could excel plan a good team number 2 number 3 being an environment where I could be you know, catered to professors in a smaller environment where I I can excel.
33:24.91
mvhuber
Um, okay.
33:36.71
mvhuber
A.
33:38.86
John Bachenski
As well as where I think I could have played I think that comes down to the biggest thing I want to play I wanted to play on a team where I could see myself compete and get up to the next level and that's something my coach told me is that you know we're looking for guys who are going to be competing.
33:42.92
mvhuber
Am.
33:57.71
mvhuber
Earth.
33:58.22
John Bachenski
Who are gonna come home work hard and are willing to get better every day and that's stuck with me because all the other schools I visited to it was like oh you're not gonna play they this. You're not gonna play tilll senior or junior year. You're not Goingnna play till sophomore year you know I'd like that fact of being told hey like you have an opportunity of playing it's in your hands now. Prove it to us.
34:15.38
mvhuber
If.
34:17.65
John Bachenski
That is the best feeling knowing hey like I have a shot you know and you you can compare that to Tom Brady to being in being in his game. He had one shot to to prove himself and then he just excelled from there rather than being at a school and just being on a good team and being like hey like I'm just going to ride the bench and be like hey like you know.
34:28.55
mvhuber
O.
34:37.22
John Bachenski
Just don't understand at the end of the day you know you have to realize is that if you're going to pick a school pick a school that you see yourself playing at don't just pick it just because they have a good team. They have good academics and that you could just be a part of something that's good if you want to play pick the right place.
34:53.70
mvhuber
A.
34:55.60
John Bachenski
May not be the best school. But once you establish yourself when I came in with my guys my freshman year all of us we said the same thing you know we we all could have gone to different schools but we wanted to play so when you have those types of guys who. Settle for a program that isn't as best as a top rank program will still excel and but you know for for me I love I love playing. You know you don't want to be riding on the bench but you know I have a shot every year and I have to compete for my spot every year and
35:18.63
mvhuber
Um.
35:20.37
mvhuber
Are.
35:31.39
John Bachenski
I Have an opportunity of playing on a good team because I chose an environment where I so I saw myself playing rather than just committing to a school because they have a reputation and they're ranked and they beat rankings. There's no porn on doing that because at the end of the day.
35:41.52
mvhuber
Ah.
35:46.19
John Bachenski
You shoot yourself in the foot because then it hits you in your your junior year and you're like oh this is great like we're beating ranked teams but I havenn't gone in the field dad in 3 years like what am I doing but then my other friend who's playing at a ah you know bit of ah, a lower talented team than me has been starting the past three years so like you have to balance these things out because from college that compares right into a job and your career path to where are you gonna stand out. You know what's something that you're going to like and where do you see yourself exceeding in a level or position at a company where you're gonna you know, be be be useful.
36:05.50
mvhuber
Um, yeah.
36:14.89
mvhuber
A.
36:24.13
John Bachenski
In a way rather than just being on the sidelines. That's just my perspective I like being involved and and and that's just my opinion.
36:24.52
mvhuber
Yeah, yeah, yeah I think you know and I think everyone's priorities and everyone's preferences are going to be different. But I think what you just said there is really important which I think there. The the way I think of it is I think a lot of people who are high school age are more concerned about what other people think of them than what they truly want for themselves right? and that could be that could be parents that could be teammates that could be friends. It could be people on social media whoever it is like they're trying to sort of.
36:48.62
John Bachenski
Short sure short short.
36:59.22
John Bachenski
Sure.
37:03.20
mvhuber
Present this image to that group of people outside of them whereas you're the one that has to live with the next four years like where am I going right? What do I really want and what am I committed to because it's important to me not because I want to you know, show people that I I can do this and then you know a year later you know there.
37:10.74
John Bachenski
Sure.
37:21.71
mvhuber
Packing up and they're moving to another school because really they made that choice for some other person and not themselves. Yeah.
37:24.36
John Bachenski
Short sure. Yeah, not I mean the touch base What you just said too about that I mean I think that choosing the right team in school comes down to your own personal preference and I feel like personal preference is in disregard to that.
37:37.36
mvhuber
E.
37:44.33
John Bachenski
Lot of these kids visit us to school and they're like they really like it. But then there's that outside factor and being like okay I'm committing to a school with not a lot of kids. They have a great team but then like these kids go back and they're like oh do I Really want to commit to that school. All my friends are going to party schools.
38:01.22
mvhuber
Right.
38:03.29
John Bachenski
You know they they forget their personal preference and then it revolves around. Okay I want to be like this I want to be like that rather than focusing on myself and you know I see this with a lot of the vision. 3 teams is that these kids come to visit and you know I know realistically they like to school. But.
38:06.89
mvhuber
Yeah.
38:20.96
John Bachenski
You know they don't want to commit to an unknown school and shoot themselves in the foot because of what other people think and that comes to your own personal preference if you like something and you see yourself exceeding into something especially on a team.
38:22.58
mvhuber
E.
38:38.85
John Bachenski
Compared to division 1 or to division 3 and you see yourself going to division 3 school go for it if that's where you see yourself succeeding go for it. You know I don't like this misconception of being like okay like if you go to this division three school. They're not good or you go to this division one school. They're not good every college team.
38:43.28
mvhuber
Yeah, yeah.
38:57.82
John Bachenski
Is going to have talent. It's just a matter of where you're going to see yourself fitting and that comes down to what I said before that's doing your research, ask questions to coaches that they don't expect if you want to really know don't be an erics to ask just just shoot it forward to them.
39:11.11
mvhuber
Um, yeah.
39:14.31
mvhuber
Right.
39:14.59
John Bachenski
Because this is your 4 years. This is no Joke. This is not where something you can be like hey Dad Mom I'm not gonna like it I'm gonna pull I'm go to another club Team. No This is once you're signed up. You're signed up and then you're have to go through that whole transfer portal process so make make sure you're asking those questions and I told that to my brother on his whole recruiting process is that when you're When. You You talk to these coaches be real with them hey I'm coming here to play like I want to play I Want to contribute ask ask I can't express how important that is yes, exactly.
39:34.57
mvhuber
Yeah.
39:41.90
mvhuber
Ah I think that's a tremendous piece of advice because I would say the same exact thing right? You need to understand what you're getting into because you're committing for the next right? and I think there's also this my sense is is that there's like this sort of like false. Comfort that well you know if I make a wrong choice I can just transfer to your point you you can, but it's not simple and so like rather than rather than having to do that. Ask the hard questions. It's your experience. It's your life right? like now.
40:02.59
John Bachenski
Yes, you know, no yeah.
40:11.29
John Bachenski
Exactly.
40:13.75
mvhuber
Right? If you get those answers and the coach is straight with you up front and you go in and you don't perform up to the level they expect. That's that's on you right? like you know and I think that a lot of people are just not willing to have those conversations. They don't want to hear the answers a lot of times so those questions because it's not. Like the story. They've told themselves they don't want to hear the truth. But that's the it's such a great piece of advice I'd rather know upfront and make choices based on good information than not know and then guess at where I'm going to end up right.
40:33.90
John Bachenski
Yeah, sure. Yeah I mean who yeah I mean who wouldn't too I mean I think at the think at the end of the day too. I mean if you think about it if you don't ask these types of questions you get put in a situation where you you know.
40:48.98
mvhuber
Yeah.
40:51.61
John Bachenski
Sometimes kids can get out and sometimes kids can't and I think that's a huge basis of of understanding if you're going to go on a visit bottom line if you're a student athlete girl or boy you need to ask these tough questions be real with these coaches. You're here for a reason they recruited you.
41:06.94
mvhuber
Um, that's right, That's right.
41:10.53
John Bachenski
They see something out of you. Okay, so your next step is you're going to come play for them. Ask them what's practice like can I come watch a practice can I do an overnight coach like can I can I So can I sit and and and watch a game or or be a part of something to kind of get a real feel of it.
41:26.86
mvhuber
Sure.
41:29.27
John Bachenski
Because a lot of these kids get they skip out on these overnights they skip out on these on these vids that they just commit just first based on on personal preference. But then they forget the whole other factor of being like okay well did you experience a team now. Did you experience practice. No did you watch a game in person. Yeah, you know 1 1 or 2
41:40.99
mvhuber
You.
41:49.10
John Bachenski
If you really want a full perspective you got to ask and just instead of just committing to a place make sure they have your major make sure they have something that you like walk around campus get a feel of this of the place that you're going to be at for the next four years it's no joke.
41:49.19
mvhuber
There.
42:02.82
mvhuber
E.
42:05.96
John Bachenski
Because it's a misconception of of just saying hey I'm just going to commit here and then you forget about all these factors and um I wish you know for personal preference I did that at an earlier stage of recruiting process because.
42:13.25
mvhuber
Ah.
42:23.80
John Bachenski
If I had those those types of I guess you could say a feeling of knowing. Okay, this is for me rather than you know, just committing just because of a talented team and being like oh like my team's losing but your team's winning like like pick your personal preference and shoot these.
42:41.25
mvhuber
Um, that.
42:42.40
John Bachenski
Coaches questions because I guarantee you if anyone's asking them the questions they're gonna they're going to. They're going to answer them. They're going to be real with you and and they're going to be straight with you if they're looking to recruit you are you going to ride the bench this the stuff that they end up telling you during the season because you don't ask and they're not going to tell you unless they ask.
42:55.95
mvhuber
Are.
43:00.25
John Bachenski
So ask? Yeah sure.
43:00.46
mvhuber
Good advice couple couple more questions. So I know it's your senior year coming up. What are you looking forward to.
43:10.10
John Bachenski
So senior year it is phone by I best advice I give enjoy it while it lasts because it goes quick. You know, um, biggest thing I'm looking forward to is is making a statement on our conference we have. Had our statement in our name in our conference before 2020 covid hit didn't have a full team didn't have the best season or below 500 then we entered my sophomore and to junior year. You know we had good teams but it's inexperience.
43:28.33
mvhuber
Expression.
43:43.17
John Bachenski
Now that we have a core group of guys returning back. It's my senior year. You know our team is consisted of of juniors and and seniors and we of course have sophomores and our freshmen that will you know that will contribute and are already on the field but our experience when you gain the experience of past two years we have high expectations.
43:43.37
mvhuber
Um, and.
43:55.76
mvhuber
Yeah.
44:02.37
John Bachenski
We should not be in the same predicament that we were in the past two years so expectations are are through the roof. We should not be losing the teams that we should. We should be beating and that happened the past two years that we we were up. We blow leads. We don't come out. We come out flat. You know these are small things that are fixable. With experience. So we have a solid returning group of guys coming back? Um, and we have an incredible freshman class coming coming in this fall so you know we're going to make a huge statement this year in our conference and it's it's very exciting. Very excited to be a part of it. Um. And um, I'm looking forward to it. So.
44:40.48
mvhuber
That's great and and it's good I Think what's what I like about what you said there was knowing that there are things that need to be corrected and knowing that you can correct them right? and and being honest, you know in your assessment of like hey we blue games like.
44:49.21
John Bachenski
Sure.
44:56.39
mvhuber
We need to focus on getting better at these things and and taking advantage of our experience and not you know doing that and I think that a lot of times that's again, it's not always that common that athletes are going to look in the mirror and say hey like you know what? you know there make excuses versus going you know, no this was on us. So.
45:01.55
John Bachenski
Sure.
45:11.20
John Bachenski
Yeah, yeah, and I mean we you just said with excuses too. The biggest thing is accountability too. You know it happens with every team and you know I'm not saying our team but I know teams that complain and just say okay, they're losing is based off the coach.
45:16.44
mvhuber
Yeah, yeah.
45:28.46
John Bachenski
You know coaching is a big factor but the end of the day you're on the field. So you know if you're if you have guys on your team that are not holding themselves accountable and just pointing fingers. You're not going to succeed and I just I can't express how important that is is if you don't have self accountability on a team or in yourself.
45:39.34
mvhuber
Yep.
45:46.81
mvhuber
We.
45:47.62
John Bachenski
Regarding Summer ball high school ball transition in the college. You're not going to succeed take criticism at a point where you're going to have to realize like hey like my freshman year. We were not good. We did not perform well like there's no excuse for it like we have.
45:55.56
mvhuber
Go.
46:04.93
John Bachenski
We didn't have the largest numbers we were experienced. We had freshmen a lot of freshmen playing against seniors and grads. But now we look back at it now there is no reason why we should not excel at all at all. So the expectations are through the roof. Um, and it's going to aim for our conference playoffs.
46:15.81
mvhuber
And.
46:24.70
John Bachenski
Because the past two years we've made our conference playoff. We haven't gotten been able to get to the finals we losing in the semifinals past two years so the goal was to get to the finals and win the finals and make the nca tournament and we can do that. It's just revolves on the tiny things if we implement those changes. No one will stop us so it's just you know this is.
46:40.54
mvhuber
Um.
46:42.64
John Bachenski
Like I said it's personal preference if you know we're willing to change. We have a great culture and standard coming in this fall. So I'm excited. We're gonna implement that and and kind of go forward from there. So yes, yes, yes, a a anytime anytime. So.
46:49.89
mvhuber
Well I'm excited for you I wish you guys the best of luck I wish you the best of luck. Thanks for coming on the podcast. It was great talking to John all right all right? I'll talk to you soon then right take care.
47:02.49
John Bachenski
Sure sure I take care.