By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/17/08
When Sam Hargrove is finally done playing the drums for his jazz band, raising money for a class event, taking homework calls as a volunteer for NBC TV, giving gifts to needy kids, refereeing a youth lacrosse game and working as a teaching assistant at his local church school, 
he actually does have time to relax.
“Prioritizing is probably the key thing,” said the Strath Haven senior attacker. “I still have time to relax and if I don’t have something to do, I rest my bones; especially for lacrosse since I am always getting whacked around.”
Hargrove, the Laxzilla/Phillylacrosse.com Male Student-Athlete of the Week, has a ledger of academics and service excellence that reads like a grocery list for a family of nine. Hargrove, who has a 3.9 GPA, is a member of the National Honor Society who this Thursday will be honored by the Delaware County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as a scholar-athlete.
He is clearly well-rounded. Hargrove has played the drums since the third grade and was with the school’s Jazz Band during his freshman and sophomore years. He is a member of Class Congress, which raises money for events such as the prom and graduation.
Hargrove also is a member of the Black and Silver Service Club, which works several times a month doing projects for needy kids or stressed communities. At night, Hargrove takes calls for NBC’s Homework Helpline, often assisting younger students with problems on the computer.
Finally, Hargrove helps as a teaching assistant at Swarthmore Presbyterian Nursery Day School and helps his local youth lacrosse league as a referee. He also had time to play two years of varsity soccer for the Panthers’ vaunted program.
“I do have some rhythm,” he said of his ability to play the drums. “And I work at the school three or four times a week and give the teachers a break from running around after the 4-year-olds.”
Hargrove also found the time to get accepted by Williams College (Mass.), one of the top liberal arts colleges in the nation. He will play lacrosse and consider studying economics, psychology art history or music.
Hargrove’s final lacrosse season has also gone well. He scored 28 goals in the regular season, earning first-team All-Central League honors for a Panther team that went 13-7 and is hoping for a berth in the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association playoffs.
“We ups and downs on the field, but off the field we’re still guys that like to just come out and play lacrosse,” Hargrove said. “It could be one of the tightest groups we’ve had at Strath Haven.”
Panthers coach David Waldman said Hargrove’s contributions to the program are endless.
“Sammy is one of the finest attackman I have ever had the pleasure of coaching,” Waldman said. “His excellent athleticism and vision make him a very hard player to guard.
“Our offense has really run through No. 21 for the last four years. He will be remembered as one of greatest players to ever come through our program. Sam Hargrove is a special young man and has been a great pleasure to coach.”
