By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 11/1/23
Kingsway (N.J.) 2025 defenseman Dane Jespersen says his greatest strength is his ability to communicate and pounce on groundballs.
“I’ve been told that my high school team and my club team (HEADstrong South Jersey) feel that I’m strong in communication,” he said. “I’m always calling slides and calling who is hot left and hot right. I really go after the groundballs; I think that’s something I am noticed for.”
Jespersen will aim to utilize these assets on Saturday when he competes in the Victory Events Liberty National Elite Showcase at Maple Zone Sports Complex in Aston. Limited spots (boys’ grad years 2024, 2025, 2026 & 2027) are available in most positions. The $325 fee includes game film and a custom reversible jersey.
The 6-0, 185-pound Jespersen was a starter as a sophomore (35 groundballs) on a Kingsway team that finished 14-6 and reached the South Jersey Group 4 semifinals in the spring. He is looking to gain some college looks and learn more about areas to work on during the showcase.
“This is my first showcase of the season,” he said. “I just want to be seen and get to play with different people. I want to get better as a person and see where I am in a group of new players.”
Jespersen will close out his Fall with HEADstrong SJ at the Timonium Aloha Fall Ball 2 on Sunday and then the Aloha Autumn Classic in Bel Air on Nov. 12.
What skills are Jespersen working on this season?
“Oakside of tournaments, I’m working on my footwork and and footspeed so I can keep up with the shifty and quicker players,” he said. “I want to be able to stay with them and get the ball out of their hands.
“Within tournaments, I always try to work on stick skills and I’m trying to take the ball away, get in good position and become more aggressive.”
Jespersen has an open mind about a college destination.
“I want a school that has something to offer outside of academics and lacrosse,” he said. “I want a college that cares about its students and its academics.”
How does he approach playing in a showcase?
“The thing I did with the (Victory Events) Beast of the East last year was to find the players on my team and start talking with them so I could get to know them right away,” he said. “In our practice I got to know how everyone played and I learned their skill sets and how to balance out the defense. In between games you sit with the group and keep talking so you can become more of a unit.”
Jespersen is proud to play for the HEADstrong club program, which focuses heavily on community service in honor of Nick Colleluori, the Ridley great who created the HEADstrong Foundation while valiantly fighting blood cancer 17 years ago.
“It’s an honor to play for this organization,” Jespersen said. “What they do is great. As a team we’ve really been growing over the past few years. We have a great group of guys that all get along and we’re finally starting to win some games. Now that we have the winning mentality, I want to see us pull through in playoff games. Some of us that know the expectations of winning playoff games are trying to help the kids that don’t know how to meet these expectations.”
Liberty National Elite Fall Showcase by Victory Events on Nov. 4 at Maple Zone Sports Complex.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, November 4, 2023
Location: MSI Sports Complex (Aston, PA)
Price: $325 Per Player
Click here to register
Price includes game film and custom reversible jersey!
Ages: Boys Grad Years: 2024, 2025, 2026 & 2027
Questions? Contact showcase@victoryeventseries.com
ELITE EXPERIENCE
This fall, the Liberty National Elite Fall Showcase returns to provide elite players with a competition and recruiting opportunity unlike any other. Held at Maplezone Sports Complex in Aston in front of NCAA Division I coaches, this event will be the premier fall recruiting showcase of 2023! Get on coaches’ radars BEFORE your November tournament season begins.
This Showcase will feature four grad years (2024 – 2027) and we anticipate hosting 100+ college coaches throughout the weekend (summer 2019 had more than 110 college coaches on-site), ensuring the best recruiting opportunity for your athletes.
