Today we’d like to introduce you to Davey Emala.
Davey, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My story began in Baltimore, Maryland where I grew up playing many different sports. My grandfather was a two-sport All-American at Princeton and my dad played football and baseball at Johns Hopkins University and was eventually drafted by the Baltimore Orioles. I attended Gilman School for 13 years where my grandfather was headmaster. This area of Maryland is known as a hotbed for lacrosse, so playing was always extremely competitive. I really enjoyed playing all different sports, but as I entered high school, lacrosse really became my focus. I played both on Gilman School’s varsity team and club lacrosse as well.
As a sophomore in high school, I committed to attending Georgetown University to study and play lacrosse. I really enjoyed Georgetown and had two great years there. However, I was set on competing for a national championship and wanted to be a part of a lacrosse program that could play at that level. Even though my dad cautioned me against leaving Georgetown because of its prestigious academic reputation, I decided to transfer to the University of North Carolina. At UNC, I played under Coach Joe Breschi and helped the team win an ACC championship my senior year. Following my college lacrosse career, I was drafted into Major League Lacrosse, playing for the Boston Cannons. I moved to Boston and became a coach here, as well as an analyst for the Lacrosse Sports Network. I was just recently traded to the Ohio Machine, another MLL team based outside of Columbus, Ohio.
Has it been a smooth road?
I’ve had a great playing career so far, but it definitely has not been a completely smooth road. Transferring in college and being traded in the MLL were both challenges that required me to meet new people, try to fit into new situations, and adjust to a new team culture.
We’d love to hear more about Davey Emala.
I am a professional lacrosse player for the Ohio Machine, an assistant varsity lacrosse coach at Cohasset High School, and an analyst for the Lax Sports Network where I appear in the studio and also work on live game broadcasts. I also work at a facility called Boost Lacrosse in Hanover, MA where we run a variety of lacrosse-specific camps and clinics, as well as adult fitness classes.
If someone was asked to describe me, I believe they would say I am a very positive, competitive, and energetic person. I try to put hundred percent into everything I do and have really found success in coaching. I relate to kids in a way that they understand and respect and because of that, I can help them reach their full potential. Playing sports has taught me a ton and I am passionate about sharing that with the kids I coach. I think my passion for lacrosse helps bring out the best in me and in the kids.
What are you looking forward to or planning for – any big changes?
My goal has always been to play lacrosse for as long as I possibly can. This is the time in my life where I will have the opportunity to do so and I want to make sure that I am taking advantage of it in every way. In addition to this, my mission since graduating college has been to help grow the game of lacrosse. Being a part of the sport has given me many amazing opportunities. I have been blessed to be able to travel the country, teach in many different states, and build strong roots here in Massachusetts. Between playing, coaching, and broadcasting, I feel like I can contribute a lot to growing the profile of lacrosse for many years to come.
Image Credit:
Davey Emala
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