Five Questions with Marissa Ramos

Ithaca Journal

DRYDEN — Six years after stepping onto the field as one of the inaugural members of her school’s lacrosse program, Dryden senior Marissa Ramos is about to step off of it for the last time.
Ramos was simply trying out lacrosse when she was introduced to the sport in seventh grade, when Dryden added the sport. But after years of learning the ropes and working with the same coach every season, she developed into a leader for the team she helped start from scratch. When the season ends in a month or so, everything will come full circle.
The senior’s journey started with her playing on the same field as players who were five years older than she was. Even as the fledgling team struggled against more talented competition, Ramos remained patient and encouraging for the rest of her teammates.
And now, as a senior captain, Ramos has the time and experience to reflect on her years of lacrosse. With her high school campaign drawing to a close, we sat down with Ramos for this week’s edition of “Five Questions.”
How does it feel to be graduating as a member of the school’s first lacrosse program?
“It’s awesome because I’ve been with my coach since seventh grade. I always feel like I have something to give to the team or to help other teammates out because I know what to expect from the other teams. I know the competition we play against is intense for such a small school, to say the least. I always know not to get discouraged because we have to accept the fact that we don’t have modified or JV. We just have varsity. We deal with what we have so well.”
How did you get involved with lacrosse?
“This is my favorite sport. I started in seventh grade and that was the first time I picked up a lacrosse stick. The coach’s daughter came up and said to me, ‘Oh, you should go out for lacrosse.’ I went against my family and my two older sisters, who played softball, and I said I would try lacrosse. I tried it and I loved it.”
What is it like to be a senior now after spending six years on the team?
“When I started and we had seventh- through 12th-graders, it was different because the 12th-graders then were never in my spot. I was the youngest on the team. Now as a senior, I feel like I have some authority. I like to encourage and to help my teammates.
What other sports do you enjoy playing?
“In high school, I also played two years of basketball, four years volleyball, and two years of ice hockey. But lacrosse was my favorite sport to play.”
What are your plans for after graduation?
“I’m 99 percent sure that I am going to the College of Saint Rose (in Albany). I am not sure whether I will be playing sports or not. I know they don’t have lacrosse but I will probably play club ice hockey and volleyball.”