Jan. 12, 2005

Johns Hopkins men's lacrosse coach Dave Pietramala speaks about it frequently. The seniors understand and so do the juniors. The sophomores - they're more in tune than the freshmen, but have experienced it for just a year themselves.

What is it that Pietramala speaks about so often? Why is it so important to him and assistant coaches Seth Tierney and Bill Dwan?

"It" is the responsibility of playing lacrosse at Johns Hopkins. The opportunity to play in front of nearly 50,000 people at the Final Four, as the Blue Jays did last May, that's the reward. The responsibility is something everyone associated with the Hopkins lacrosse team takes very seriously - just as seriously as competing for a national championship.

"It would be easy for us to recruit these young men to come here to just play lacrosse and go to school," Pietramala noted. "What we make our players realize very quickly is that there are kids who look up to them as role models on and off the field. Our players aren't football players at Michigan, or basketball players at Kentucky, but in our small world, they have a responsibility to these kids who look up to them. The impact that we can have on the life of an underprivileged youngster or a child who is battling a terminal illness is something far more satisfying than anything we can accomplish on the field. Whether they realize it or not, the impression they make on us is far greater than the impression we make on them."

Never have the Blue Jays taken this responsibility further than they did in December, when Tierney initiated a program called "Holiday Magic." Throughout the month the Blue Jays were not only working hard on their final exams and research papers, but they were busy putting smiles on the faces of people who otherwise had no reason to smile.

The Holiday Magic program raised $5,330.00 and hundreds of toys from various individuals and local companies. Over 320 children received a gift with over 225 of them receiving more than one present. Over 200 kids received a bag of school supplies that included at least one notebook, crayons, pens, pencils, markers, etc. The Blue Jays used the funds donated to supplement the gifts and supplies.

Over 300 children received games, toys, school supplies, clothes and shoes through the Holiday Magic Initiative.

It was nearly impossible to walk past the Blue Jays' locker room during the first 10 days of December and not see a North Pole-like assembly line of players and coaches wrapping presents, putting gift bags together and figuring out a schedule of places to attend between exams.

The Initiatives

Johns Hopkins Tutorial Program

Johns Hopkins University sponsors a tutorial program for 120 children each semester who live in Baltimore City. The kids come to Hopkins once each week to receive one-on-one tutoring from 120 Johns Hopkins undergraduates. Many are from the poorest areas of the city, where crime and poverty are evident in the run-down housing they live in and the schools they attend.

Members of the team and the coaching staff spent two afternoons with the kids in early December with each child receiving a gift bag that included books and school supplies along with toys and games. Playing board games, drawing and reading with members of the team were among the highlights for the kids, who having been coming to Hopkins as part of this program since it was founded in 1958.

Johns Hopkins Hospital

The Johns Hopkins Children's Center has held a special place with the men's lacrosse program at Hopkins since Chris Gardner lost his battle with cancer there during the fall of 1997. Gardner, who was a member of the 1996 Johns Hopkins lacrosse team before being diagnosed, received his treatment at the Children's Center and the lacrosse team hosts a benefit game each year in his honor with proceeds being donated in Chris' name.

Last season, Hopkins hosted the University of Maryland in the 100th meeting between these bitter rivals. Both teams wore throw-back uniforms that were auctioned off at the game. The 38 Johns Hopkins jerseys netted $10,634.00 - every penny of which was donated to the Children's Center. Members of the team continue to make trips to the Children's Center to spend time with the kids there, many of which are receiving long-term care for terminal illnesses.

In a different focus than normal, the Blue Jays worked with Cora Gallagher, a Child Life Specialist from Johns Hopkins Hospital (the Johns Hopkins Children's Center is a part of the Johns Hopkins Hospital), who works with an outreach program for mom's with HIV and children that need medical attention that can't afford the treatment necessary. Through Gallagher's program the Blue Jays delivered toys to 85 kids, all of which live in the area surrounding the hospital. The joy expressed on the faces of these children was amazing and created an impression on the players and coaches that won't soon be forgotten. However, it wasn't the joy expressed by a gift-opener that made the biggest impact.

"I gave a young boy a gift and his eyes lit up, but then he didn't open it," senior captain Chris Watson reflected. "I asked him if he needed help with the wrapping paper and he said no, that he was going to save the gift until Christmas morning so he could have something to enjoy. I don't think I realized the gravity of what he said until Christmas day, when I thought about him throughout the day."

Marian House/The Meeting Ground

The Blue Jays later contacted Rita Martin, who operates the Marian House. This transitional house is for women that have been incarcerated or have a drug/alcohol problem and don't have the means to provide many of the necessities for their kids. With Martin's assistance, the Blue Jays supplied 84 gift bags that included school supplies and at least one toy.

The Blue Jays saved the best for last as they visited their signature house, The Meeting Ground, just days before Christmas. The Meeting Ground is a homeless and transitional house located on a farm over an hour away from the Johns Hopkins campus (up near the Maryland-Delaware border). The house is currently home to two fathers, five mothers and 16 children, many of which wear old clothing and shoes with holes in them to school on a daily basis.

Each person in the house received a new pair of shoes, sneakers or boots, socks, a hat, gloves and a sweatshirt. The kids in the house received a new outfit and pajamas, school supplies and several toys each. For the use of everyone in the house the Blue Jays also donated a 32-inch television, a DVD/VCR, two bikes and several board games. Each of the mothers received a special care package.

"The satisfaction of being able to see the kids run around playing with their toys, and watching their faces light up when we brought the new television and DVD player (which played a Mickey Mouse show that captivated the kids) into the house was one I'll never forget," noted senior Kyle Harrison. "I have enjoyed being a part of every one of the community service projects we have been a part of in my time here, but our trip to the Meeting Ground was my favorite."

When the Blue Jays returned to campus later than day the coaching staff received a call from Cynthia Wood, their on-site contact at the Meeting Ground. Wood thanked the coaches for making The Meeting Ground part of the Holiday Magic program. Wood then inquired if they remembered Carmen, one of the mothers they had met at the house. It had been nearly two hours since the team had left and Carmen was still in tears. Her kids were on their way home from school and wouldn't have to wear shoes with holes in the bottom the next day when they returned to class.

The Blue Jays gathered hundreds of gifts to distribute to various groups.

The coaching staff made a point of relaying this story to members of the team who had yet to return home for the holidays. The response was virtually the same from all of them. Silence, followed by a brief shake of the head with an inaudible response.

The gravity of what they had done, for people they didn't know a week earlier, was hitting them. The younger players get involved and say they want to do these things. It's not long before they are saying "we need to do this" or "what else can we do."

An Earlier Start Next Year

The only regret the Blue Jays seem to have is that they waited too long to get started. They began working on the project in October, but felt like they were paddling up stream for the rest of the semester. "Now that we have gone through this once we have a better idea of things we'd like to do in the future and when we should get started," Tierney noted. "Like anything, the organization process is crucial and our experience this year should only make us more efficient next year. We are excited about what we were able to accomplish this year, but I truly feel like we have just touched the surface on this program."

Don't think that the seniors will be saying goodbye to their involvement when they pick up their diploma in May either. Harrison, for one, already has plans of his part next year. "I'm looking forward to dressing up in as an elf and dropping off presents to all the kids." Harrison, a leading candidate for National Player-of-the-Year honors this season, plays many roles for the Blue Jays on the field. None will be more important than his continued role with Holiday Magic.

Three days after the Blue Jays attended the Meeting Ground on December 19, they earned the number one ranking in the 2005 Preseason Division I Men's Lacrosse Poll. The top ranking in the country is something the Blue Jays have carried with them for most of the last three seasons.

There's a responsibility that comes with being ranked number one.

That's an easy one.