Dual athlete in lacrosse and field hockey, Gavin Risbry, is definitely a strong force, both as a forward for field hockey and as a goalkeeper for lacrosse. He was named defensive player of the year by the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association. He also received an honorable mention as an All-American Athlete for lacrosse. The third year captain, and senior, from Sacramento is also the president for the Chico State’s lacrosse team and is this week’s Wildcat of the week.
How did you start playing both sports?
I started playing both sports because I had stopped playing baseball and needed to find another alternative to a spring sport. My mom suggested playing lacrosse, because I had some sticks and we found a local organization near my house, and I started playing there. Now it has been about 12 years.
My sister played field hockey in high school and so did my mom. Then my sister played at Chico State and I ended up playing with her two years ago. She graduated and I continued to play.
Do both sports go hand in hand?
Both sports go hand in hand, they are very fast paced sports. There is not much time that is stopped on the field. They say that lacrosse is one of the fastest sports on two feet, I could say the same thing about field hockey too.
Why did you choose to be a goalkeeper?
I started playing goalie my first year of lacrosse because not a lot of people wanted to play the position. You tend to get hit by the ball a lot, but I ended up hopping on cage and I actually really enjoyed it and I stuck with it.
What is the most exciting part of being a dual athlete?
The most exciting part about being a dual athlete, I would have to say, is you get two different worlds playing two different sports. So you can take some of the things that you’re good at in both sports and kind of transition it. But staying active is one of the most fun parts for me.
How do you manage your time being a dual athlete?
Well, being a dual athlete takes up a lot of time. I definitely have to make time for homework and projects. They are usually on a crunch, but I do manage to do my stuff at night and make deadlines.
Do you have any routine before games?
Before a game, my teammates might laugh at me, but I tend to eat junk food. I don’t know why but it makes me play good, I think. They make fun of me for eating mac and cheese and drinking Red bull before a game, it is not good.
How was it to experience making it All-American in lacrosse?
Making it All-American in lacrosse was a great experience, but it didn’t really matter to me as much as I play every game because I just play it hard. I’m going to take that into next season and I’m going to play even harder than I did last season. It was a great experience but I just want to win, I want our team to be the best.
Lucero Del Rayo can be reached at [email protected] or @del_rayo98 on Twitter.
