He took a big risk taking this trip. But Brian Crockett wouldn’t have had it any other way. As a finance major hoping to be involved in the global market, it was only fitting he’d study abroad in Madrid, Spain. He’d become fluent in Spanish, giving him another advantage in the business field.

While Crockett broadened his world view and exposed himself to many business opportunities, he also had to leave Syracuse. That meant Crockett, SU’s senior midfielder/attackman, did so at the expense of missing fall ball.

Crockett didn’t carry a stick in his hand when he was abroad. But he followed Syracuse’s conditioning program every day. Even during Christmas break, Bill Crockett, Brian’s father, said he completed the drills and timing himself running sprints.

While he stayed physically active, Crockett attempted to overcome a much larger learning curve than what can ever happen on the lacrosse field. Although he has done some extensive traveling, including trips to Canada, Chile, Argentina, Israel, Kenya and Uganda, he never experienced living in another country for an extended period of time.

‘It was the first time seeing how a whole other culture lives,’ Brian Crockett said. ‘You grow up in New York or America, you kind of think this is the whole world. Getting the chance to go over there and really talk to people and see what their life was like kind of opened my eyes up a lot.’

As soon as he arrived in Madrid, Crockett encountered cultural barriers. The first two months he wasn’t used to how public transportation runs in Europe. At times, he felt buses arrived randomly as he struggled to understand the schedule. Then when he tried to ask the Spanish citizens for help, it proved rather difficult to converse. But Crockett forced himself to assimilate instead of following his American lifestyle.

‘Most of the American kids don’t learn Spanish,’ Bill Crockett said. ‘Most of them hang out with English kids and have fun. But (Brian) never spoke English.’

While Brian lived with a host family who only spoke Spanish, he had many opportunities to converse in English with other American students or natives who wanted to improve their English. But he never fell into that temptation.

Upon returning home, Brian’s brother, Richard, also a fluent speaker, became impressed with Brian’s ability to speak well not only in the technical and grammatical structure, but in also mastering the Spanish accent with the correct tones and expressions Spaniards use in every day conversation.

During his studies, he took a three-credit preliminary business course that entailed traveling all over Europe, ranging from Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, France and Italy. On that excursion he saw different sights, including the European Central Bank in Germany. There he saw the inner workings on how the European Union determines its monetary policy.

When he arrived at SU in January, Crockett registered for 18 credits this semester. With the way Crockett fills his schedule, it’s hard to imagine how he can fit it all. It’s even harder to imagine how he performs each arduous task with a laser-beam focus, but he doesn’t burn out.

After this semester, he’ll continue his business and Spanish studies in Argentina in the fall to finish his degree.

‘It’s an interesting question. It’s a question of him and life in general,’ Richard Crockett said. ‘There are 168 hours in a week. It’s unique how people use those in the week. He’s learning and perfecting his skills to delegate and having the ability to follow through and make sure the job gets done right the first time.’

Now on the lacrosse field, Crockett is finding his groove and trying to start where he left off. But when he was gone, a lot happened. SU men’s lacrosse head coach John Desko brought touted newcomers to the program, crowding the depth charts.

On top of that, Desko implemented a new offense, a mix of motion and zone. And during fall ball, he wasted little time having his team overcome the learning curve.

‘I thought I was going to feel rustier than I did,’ Crockett said of his return this spring. ‘Maybe the first couple days I felt a little bit off. But I feel like I’m getting back in the groove now. I’ve played with these guys for so long, they helped me get back into it quickly.’

Desko admits there has been a ‘catching-up process’ Crockett went through when he returned to the field. As recently as early February, assistant coach Kevin Donahue would pull Crockett aside and draw diagrams to refresh his understanding of the offense.

Crockett scored two goals in Le Moyne’s scrimmage on Feb. 5. Like the rest of the team, his slow transition has more to do with it being the beginning of the season than Crockett’s first semester absence.

He will start off right where he left off from last season, mixing between midfield and attack. Desko said, at least for now, that Crockett will play more in the midfield.

‘As he gets comfortable with (midfield), that’s something we can talk about in the future,’ Desko said. ‘It certainly could be plan B in the game plan but for right now we want to make sure he’s got plan A down.’

Splitting time at midfield and attack, Crockett led SU in scoring with 35 goals in 2005. During Crockett’s first three years, he was a dependable asset the Orange counted on. When the Orange hosts Army on Feb. 25, it won’t change.

‘Whenever he plays, he does great,’ said sophomore attack Greg Niewieroski. ‘I don’t think he ever lost anything. He’s a really talented player. That doesn’t leave you just because you miss fall ball.’

Said senior midfielder Greg Rommel: ‘It sounds like he had a good time in Spain. But he’s ready to get back into it.’

Published on February 21, 2006 at 12:00 pm