Fall Ball and Battling Depression
Fred Opie 1985, Courtesy of Fred Opie
Fall ball in lacrosse parlance is the time in which college players compete for starting position in the spring regular season. In the fall of 1983 I was over confident that I would start as I stepped on the campus of Syracuse University (SU). I was a two time junior college All American and had the playing experience of a big fish in a small pond. I was out of playing shape and over my head. Do to knee surgery and overeating I lost my normal quick first step and the footwork essential to defending an offensive player. After Doc Baker cleared me to play, I returned to the field but during one on one drills guy flew by me like I was a Barak Obama cut out in front of the White House! In the fall of 1983 I started a battle with depression for several long and dark months which the overcast weather in Syracuse did not help. I doubt however if many people at the time knew it. Depression is serious and I suggest anyone dealing with it seek professional help. It's not something you can just tough it out like athletes are prone to do.
