By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/5/14
Garden City (N.Y.) freshman defenseman Leif Johnson has made a commitment to the admissions process at the University of Pennsylvania.
Leif Johnson log:
High school: Garden City, N.Y.
Graduation year: 2017
Position: Defense
College choice: University Of Pennsylvania (ConnectLAX college profile)
Club affiliation: Team 91
Major lacrosse honors, camps and showcases: 2013- Philly Freshman Showcase (overall MVP and Fab 40 All-Star team Voltz member), Brine National Champions, 2017 Team (team Long Island North); Jake Reed Nike Blue Chip 2017 Team (only Undefeated team). 2012-Dick’s tournament of champions (member of winning team Tenacious Turtles of Long Island Express. 2011- Member of Dick’s tournament of Champions winning team Tenacious Turtles Of Long Island Express
What will you major in/study: Finance
Why did you choose school: “The University Of Pennsylvania has a long history of strong academic excellence and success of graduates that is paralleled by few institutions. The opportunities that a school like UPenn can offer me after college is what attracted me. The Coaching Staff of Coach (Mike) Murphy, Coach (Judd) Lattimore and Coach (Ryan) Klipstein impressed me with their vision of the future of lacrosse at UPenn and I felt that it was a great match for me as a student-athlete who wants to be challenged and to excel both academically and on the field.”
Outlook for your high school team: “Our team, led by Coach (Steve) Finnell, is, as always, looking to win a New York state championship and continuing to establish Garden City as a national powerhouse of high school lacrosse.”
Other comments: “I would like to thank the following coaches who have made me a better player and person:
My head Coach at Garden City High School, Steve Finnell; Special thanks to Coach Fabrizio Glick of FABLAX.COM (without whom I would never had learned to play lacrosse with high attention to execution of technique, field awareness and the strength to push harder than I ever thought I was able to); Coaches Mule and Spallina of Team 91; Coaches Chanenchuk and Lynott of Long Island Express; Coaches DeSimone, Haggerty, Licciardi and Powers of The Tenacious Turtles; and coaches Blair, Mixon and Walczyk of Garden City PAL lacrosse.
Other schools considered: Yale, Harvard, Duke, Notre Dame
Maplezone Sports Institute, the official sponsor for Phillylacrosse.com boys’ recruits, congratulates Leif Johnson. MSI is located on Conchester Highway (Rt. 322) in Garnet Valley, offering lacrosse and sports performance training for boys and girls. From summer and fall club teams to camps, clinics, tournaments and leagues, let MSI be your one stop training facility. Visit us at maplezone.com/lacrosse or contact jmurray@maplezone.com.
