By Abdullah Ahmed
Under bright lights at an away game, senior Nick O’Shea was filled with an adrenaline rush, deciding on what the opposing team’s next tactic should be. As the crowd got louder, the immense pressure on O’Shea was heavy but it remained memorable. A split second could either bring victory or a loss, and for the first time those decisions led to Adelphi University’s lacrosse team earning the NCAA Division II trophy in May 2024. And O’Shea was the winning point.
O’Shea is among the exceptional individuals on Adelphi’s lacrosse team, playing defensive midfielder. He grew up in New Hyde Park with his two brothers, Justin and Anthony. O’Shea’s mom — who he said is one of his biggest fans — pushed him to be the best version of himself and to always stick to teamwork and support his teammates, no matter what.
“Growing up, my mom always pushed us to get involved in sports,” the physical education major said.
O’Shea said his first encounter with sports was in elementary school, and he felt that they weren’t just physical activities; deep down, they were always something more. Throughout elementary, middle and high school, he played basketball, lacrosse and football. He graduated from Sewanhaka High School in 2021, and after transitioning to Adelphi, he said he knew that this was the next chapter for him, with new teammates, new coaching staff and a new environment. “It's time that I make history at Adelphi,” he recalled.
Attending Adelphi has been the proudest decision he has made, with the team’s championship win being a topper to his experience so far, he said.
“I’ve always dreamed of playing in a collegiate stadium on championship weekend. Never would I have thought my dream would come true — a moment I will never forget, and I get to share it with 52 of my lifelong brothers.”
As an athlete, there’s always some sort of setback, and for O’Shea, it was the mental health aspect of sports. Fatigue isn’t just physical for athletes; it’s also mental. It’s very common for them to get in over their heads and constantly have flashbacks of what they could have done during the game, or if someone else could have changed the course of the results. According to O’Shea, there should always be a “next play mentality,” which he learned from playing lacrosse. Having this mindset can prepare you for what comes next rather than pessimistically looking back: “We, as players, can only learn from our past.”
One of the significant mentors in O’Shea’s life was Coach Jack B. Kaley, a Sewanhaka High School alumnus and O’Shea’s coach before he graduated to Adelphi. Kaley told him that Sewanhaka has a rich lacrosse history with many great players to come out.
The Adelphi senior said that Kaley always taught his players to look at lacrosse from different angles, contributing to one of O’Shea’s most memorable moments: playing wheelchair lacrosse against the Long Island Hammerheads in Old Bethpage, New York.
There are many young athletes out there who want to improve their day-to-day craft. O’Shea’s advice to them is to just enjoy the moments as they happen, saying that we sometimes get caught up in too much. O’Shea said he lives by the Dr. Seuss quote, “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory” every day, which helps him remember to be grateful for where he currently is, and not to get stressed out or look too far ahead.
His future plan is to coach lacrosse, whether that’s with a high school, travel or club team, as he wants to give back to his community and give young athletes a chance to learn the game.
“I’d like to share with my fellow students about sports and teamwork because there is so much more to the sport than just running around and playing,” O’Shea said. “The people you meet while playing sports become a part of your family, and you build bonds that will last a lifetime. You go through ups and downs with a team the same way you would in life with family and friends. Having a team of brothers to always be able to fall back on when needed is so important in life.”
Reflecting on his journey thus far, O’Shea exemplifies the essence of teamwork, resilience and personal growth that sports can offer. His experiences on and off the field not only shaped him as an athlete but also as a mentor and a leader. As he looks toward a future in coaching, he’s committed to fostering the same spirit of camaraderie and dedication in the next generation of athletes. O’Shea’s journey is not just about winning championships but about building a family that supports one another through every challenge and triumph.
Comments