As a young man, T.J. Pilewski has endured two hip surgeries for two separate injuries on his hip. Resilience and determination to not give up have been instilled in him ever since.
Pilewski overcame these injuries and continued down his journey of lacrosse. The love of the game is what made Pilewski come back from the trenches and perfect his dream.
Pilewski is a well-rounded player. He moves like the wind as he’s extremely fast and sharp. When he plays, the game slows down for him.
He started to play the sport at a very young age. Ever since he picked up the stick, he knew that this was the sport for him. He now throws the ball over 70 mph and his balance on the field is just as good.
“As a kid, I played with my friend’s stick and fell in love with it and got obsessed,” said Pilewski. “I was in the middle of recovering from hip surgery and I told myself that when I was cleared I going to start playing.”
In high school, T.J. had a similar injury as his 3rd-grade injury. He was playing on his team and was hit so hard that he developed a stress fracture in his hip.
“I had a left hip surgery in high school and I overcame that with therapy,” said Pilewski.
As an athlete, going under a surplus of pressure, handling that, and staying focused is what separates a great athlete from a lousy one. “I like to think I’m a very composed player and I try to feed off my team’s energy,” said Pilewski.
In the world of sports, criticism is very much needed for you to better yourself as an athlete. This can come from many different sources, whether that be your coach, teammate, or even a parent. It is always good to have an open mind when playing.
“I take criticism very openly to make sure that I am bringing the team up and not down,” said Pilewski. “Applying what I have been told has helped me become a better person and most certainly a better athlete.”
Pilewski remembered a time when his coach was so mad at him because he couldn’t understand a new play. He practiced constantly while listening to his coach. He took all of that criticism with open arms.
“I should learn the play and be ready, rather than just going through the motions and not fully understanding the play,” said Pilewski. “My coaches may have been tough, but I was willing and ready to learn from them.”
Since Pilewski started playing, he has grown to love it more and more every day. He has learned how to stay calm and focused. He has had to do many different things to help him learn this, practice and meditation of the mind have helped him get through many years of lacrosse.
“I have played for so long that it is like second nature to me,” said Pilewski. “Staying calm and composed has helped me get ready mentally for my next opponent.”
When competing in any competition you must be in tip-top shape, meaning that practice is what will help you win matches and such.
“We stay healthy by going to the gym and making sure that we as a team are in shape,” said Pilewski. “Since we only have around 10 matches per season, we have to make sure we are ready for anything that comes our way.”
Being an athlete, your team is like your family. Everyone is held accountable and everyone is loved. A team should always have each other’s backs.
“We built a family this semester and there is nothing I would trade it for,” said Pilewski.