BRSN: Clarke, thank you for taking the time to speak with us. What was your mindset going into the weekend?
Clarke: Going into this weekend we were focused on improving as a team. We knew that we were playing two top five teams in the country but we really emphasized focusing on our game and competing as hard as we could for each other as a team.
BRSN: How did you first get started with lacrosse, and what kept you in the sport?
Clarke: I first started playing lacrosse when I was two years old and I’ve been playing ever since. Lacrosse runs in my family as both of my uncles played lacrosse at Johns Hopkins University, so it is something that I have always loved to do.
BRSN: Why did you choose Cornell?
Clarke: I chose Cornell because it was an opportunity for me to play lacrosse at the highest level possible while at the same time getting a world-class education.
BRSN: What is your greatest lacrosse memory?
Clarke: My greatest lacrosse memory is winning the Ivy League tournament last year. We beat Yale who was the number one team in the country at the time.
BRSN: How do you like to prepare for games?
Clarke: In terms of preparations for games I have a lot of really weird superstitions on game day but before hand I like to watch a lot of film on the other team and I spend a lot of time visualizing things that might happen during the game.
BRSN: How does it feel running the offense again with your teammate from The Hill Academy, Jeff Teat?
Clarke: Playing on the same offense as Jeff is as easy as it gets. He is the best player in college lacrosse so it is easy to get yourself to a good position because you know he will be able to make the play to get you the ball.
BRSN: This season, STX is filming a documentary on the team. Describe what it’s been like having the cameras around the boys so far?
Clarke: The season documentary has been a pretty cool experience for our team so far. I think that they do a great job of not getting in our way and just letting us go about our everyday activities as usual.
BRSN: This past weekend, you were selected high in the MLL Draft. What was your reaction when hearing the big news?
Clarke: I was extremely excited and humbled to be picked by the Cannons in the MLL. I know that it would have never been possible without the help of my family as well as my teammates and coaches over the years.
BRSN: This season, the Big Red came in ranked very high and you guys just beat the #1 team in the country. How have you all been able to manage expectations and stay focused despite the amount of attention on the team?
Clarke: I think we are able to stay focused because we know how good of a team we are within our locker room so that makes it easier to block out the outside noise. We are really only ever focused on the task at hand whether that be a team lift, a film session or a practice—we only focus on one thing at a time and I think that is where our success stems from.
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