Goals Are Easy for Eckert

Mike Eckert knows all about goals.

He knows how to score goals, and he knows how to set goals. Most importantly, the co-captain of the Harvard men's lacrosse team knows how to reach goals.

When Eckert was a freshman at Pittsford-Mendon High School in upstate New York, he developed a four-year plan to become an All-American and to have the option to attend any college in the nation. By the time he graduated, Eckert could check both of these off of the list.

When recruiting season rolled around during the summer after Eckert's junior year, Harvard coach Scott Anderson was among those actively pursuing the highly-touted prospect. Eckert's talent impressed Anderson, but what was most apparent was the athlete's unusual work ethic.

"It wasn't just that he performed well," Anderson says, "but he was just such a hard worker."

As a two-sport athlete in high school, Eckert was the starting quarterback for the Pittsford-Mendon football team. It became clear, however, that lacrosse was his true passion. Eckert's determination to become one of the best young players in the nation led to two team MVP awards, four All-County All Star teams, a place on the All-American team and a 15-2 season to end his high school career.

These accomplishments are even more impressive considering Eckert's small physical size while in high school. At 5'8" and 130 pounds, the attacker found a way to score despite often being the recipient of brutal physical punishment.

"I was so small I used to get beat on like there was no tomorrow," Eckert says. "It was pretty ugly."

Coming out of high school, Eckert thought he had the skills necessary to succeed in Division I lacrosse but saw his size as a disadvantage. During the summer before his first year at Harvard, Eckert spent several hours in the weight room each week. With the aid of a couple growth spurts, Eckert now stands at 6'3" and 185 pounds.

Despite this physical metamorphosis, Eckert does not consider himself a great athlete. He cites his lack of speed as a weakness.

But whatever the Crimson's captain lacks in athletic ability, he makes up for elsewhere.

"I don't think of Mike as a fantastic athlete," Anderson says, "but as an athlete with excellent physical skills."

Eckert believes his ability to "play the game out" in his mind has been a large contributor to his success. The ability to anticipate what is going to happen allows Eckert to position himself properly, for example, or to set a teammate up for the perfect shot.

"One of the things that makes Mike so hard to play is his inclination to feed," Anderson says. "He holds the feeding position very well, and that gives our team a dimension that other teams don't have. If you overplay him as a feeder, he dodges. He is very difficult to play because there is no one way to play him."

Eckert has been unbelievably successful in his four years as a Crimson starter. He has played in every game and led Harvard in scoring all four seasons. As a freshman and sophomore, he earned Second Team All-Ivy and Second Team All-New England honors. As a junior, he earned Honorable Mention All-America honors, Second Team All-Ivy, and First Team All-New England.

The list of personal accomplishments goes on, but Eckert is not driven by personal achievements alone. Before he began his senior season as one of the team's four captains, Eckert posted his aims for the year on the wall in his room.

At the top of the list was an Ivy League title for the Crimson, followed by a successful NCAA tournament.

Another aim was breaking the Harvard all-time scoring record. When the season began, Eckert was 70 points away from breaking Grady Watts's 38-year-old mark of 241 points.

Eckert says he did not even know about the record until the Sports Information office told him about it. When he became aware of this, he added this goal onto his wall--way down at bottom, second to last. As the season progressed and he came closer to the record, Eckert still maintained his focus.

"Sure, I would think about it, but it was in the back of my mind," Eckert says. "It just wasn't my main concern."

But it still was a goal, and Eckert is a man who reaches his goals. He continued to play the only way he knows as he came closer to breaking the record--unselfishly.

"Mike was so excited about the team's success he didn't think a lot about breaking the record," Anderson says. "It was so obvious where his priorities were that he almost didn't get the record. He just kept playing to win, and I think his teammates saw the truth behind his motivation."

Eckert says becoming the Crimson's all-time scoring leader during the NCAA first-round win over Hofstra was a "tremendous honor," but was not the high point of the season.

In a year in which the Crimson went 12-3 (good enough for a second-place finish behind national champion Princeton) and advanced to the second round of NCAA tournament, nothing made Eckert happier than his team's success.

"As a senior going out I really couldn't have asked for more from the other guys on the team," Eckert says. "One of the goals on my list was to have a lot of fun, and I had a great time. It was great to see all of the hard work come to fruition."

Hard work? Mike Eckert knows all about hard work.

"Mike is one of those guys who is always in the weight room, playing summers, doing something every day," Anderson says. "He was very successful as a freshman, and what is most impressive about Mike is that he has continued to improve. He always wants to get better."

As a captain this year, Eckert says that he saw the need to be more vocal than in the past, but says more than anything he led by example.

Anderson says that Eckert's leadership was the senior's most significant contribution this past year.

"The best leaders are motivated by team goals," Anderson says, "and that's what Mike is all about."

Perhaps nothing is a better indication of Eckert's priorities on the field than his assists. This year's Ivy League Co-Player of the Year, the senior led the nation in assists per game and broke Harvard's all-time assist record set by Watts in 1962. Eckert finished his college career with 152 assists.

These impressive numbers, as well as Eckert's unselfish play, contributed to his selection to the All-American Second Team and the All-Ivy First Team following the 1996 season.

His time at Harvard may have come to an end, but Eckert's lacrosse career is far from over. He plans to spend the summer coaching lacrosse at several different camps along the East Coast. In December, he and Crimson teammate Chris Wojcik plan to travel to Melbourne, Australia, where they will play for the Chetney Redbacks. Eckert has deferred his acceptance to Atlanta's Emory Law School for one year in order to do so.

"Lacrosse is just something I love to do," Eckert says. "It will definitely be a part of my life for a long time. I can easily see myself playing on club teams until I am in my thirties, and maybe even coaching for a few years."

Unlike other things in life, Eckert says, lacrosse is unique in that he always knows exactly what he wants to do on the field. With his work ethic and ability to reach the lofty goals he sets for himself, this year's Male Athlete of the Year appears to have found a formula for success that will help him accomplish anything he sets his mind to. After all, Mike Eckert knows all about success.CrimsonE. Houston WuPrinceton, like many teams, always put a body on MIKE ECKERT.

Despite this physical metamorphosis, Eckert does not consider himself a great athlete. He cites his lack of speed as a weakness.

But whatever the Crimson's captain lacks in athletic ability, he makes up for elsewhere.

"I don't think of Mike as a fantastic athlete," Anderson says, "but as an athlete with excellent physical skills."

Eckert believes his ability to "play the game out" in his mind has been a large contributor to his success. The ability to anticipate what is going to happen allows Eckert to position himself properly, for example, or to set a teammate up for the perfect shot.

"One of the things that makes Mike so hard to play is his inclination to feed," Anderson says. "He holds the feeding position very well, and that gives our team a dimension that other teams don't have. If you overplay him as a feeder, he dodges. He is very difficult to play because there is no one way to play him."

Eckert has been unbelievably successful in his four years as a Crimson starter. He has played in every game and led Harvard in scoring all four seasons. As a freshman and sophomore, he earned Second Team All-Ivy and Second Team All-New England honors. As a junior, he earned Honorable Mention All-America honors, Second Team All-Ivy, and First Team All-New England.

The list of personal accomplishments goes on, but Eckert is not driven by personal achievements alone. Before he began his senior season as one of the team's four captains, Eckert posted his aims for the year on the wall in his room.

At the top of the list was an Ivy League title for the Crimson, followed by a successful NCAA tournament.

Another aim was breaking the Harvard all-time scoring record. When the season began, Eckert was 70 points away from breaking Grady Watts's 38-year-old mark of 241 points.

Eckert says he did not even know about the record until the Sports Information office told him about it. When he became aware of this, he added this goal onto his wall--way down at bottom, second to last. As the season progressed and he came closer to the record, Eckert still maintained his focus.

"Sure, I would think about it, but it was in the back of my mind," Eckert says. "It just wasn't my main concern."

But it still was a goal, and Eckert is a man who reaches his goals. He continued to play the only way he knows as he came closer to breaking the record--unselfishly.

"Mike was so excited about the team's success he didn't think a lot about breaking the record," Anderson says. "It was so obvious where his priorities were that he almost didn't get the record. He just kept playing to win, and I think his teammates saw the truth behind his motivation."

Eckert says becoming the Crimson's all-time scoring leader during the NCAA first-round win over Hofstra was a "tremendous honor," but was not the high point of the season.

In a year in which the Crimson went 12-3 (good enough for a second-place finish behind national champion Princeton) and advanced to the second round of NCAA tournament, nothing made Eckert happier than his team's success.

"As a senior going out I really couldn't have asked for more from the other guys on the team," Eckert says. "One of the goals on my list was to have a lot of fun, and I had a great time. It was great to see all of the hard work come to fruition."

Hard work? Mike Eckert knows all about hard work.

"Mike is one of those guys who is always in the weight room, playing summers, doing something every day," Anderson says. "He was very successful as a freshman, and what is most impressive about Mike is that he has continued to improve. He always wants to get better."

As a captain this year, Eckert says that he saw the need to be more vocal than in the past, but says more than anything he led by example.

Anderson says that Eckert's leadership was the senior's most significant contribution this past year.

"The best leaders are motivated by team goals," Anderson says, "and that's what Mike is all about."

Perhaps nothing is a better indication of Eckert's priorities on the field than his assists. This year's Ivy League Co-Player of the Year, the senior led the nation in assists per game and broke Harvard's all-time assist record set by Watts in 1962. Eckert finished his college career with 152 assists.

These impressive numbers, as well as Eckert's unselfish play, contributed to his selection to the All-American Second Team and the All-Ivy First Team following the 1996 season.

His time at Harvard may have come to an end, but Eckert's lacrosse career is far from over. He plans to spend the summer coaching lacrosse at several different camps along the East Coast. In December, he and Crimson teammate Chris Wojcik plan to travel to Melbourne, Australia, where they will play for the Chetney Redbacks. Eckert has deferred his acceptance to Atlanta's Emory Law School for one year in order to do so.

"Lacrosse is just something I love to do," Eckert says. "It will definitely be a part of my life for a long time. I can easily see myself playing on club teams until I am in my thirties, and maybe even coaching for a few years."

Unlike other things in life, Eckert says, lacrosse is unique in that he always knows exactly what he wants to do on the field. With his work ethic and ability to reach the lofty goals he sets for himself, this year's Male Athlete of the Year appears to have found a formula for success that will help him accomplish anything he sets his mind to. After all, Mike Eckert knows all about success.CrimsonE. Houston WuPrinceton, like many teams, always put a body on MIKE ECKERT.