Luca Duva Finishes hIs Business at John Jay as an All-American

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As a John Jay Lacrosse player, Luca Duva has endured some pretty tough season ending losses. This year’s Section One final defeat to Rye among them, he doesn’t discount the value of the pain.“ It does allow you to mature,” said the senior. But he is leaving John Jay High School with more than just experiences that will take him into the real world.

“The recognition shows how the hard work I put in really paid off,” said the High School All-American.

As a young kid, he got a sampling of all the sports available, and for a while, wrestling was his main interest. But the sport may have proved too stationary. “I always liked to move around - especially as a kid,” he said. “I was just a ball of energy.”

The friendship aspect was there too and so was the back of the net. “I really enjoy scoring,” he assured.

A proficiency that doesn’t necessarily really mean pressure to put up lots of points. “When I’m playing, I don’t think about anything else outside of lacrosse,” he said. “I’m focused, I’m present in the moment and I’m with all my best friends.”

Still, competition does get in the way, and he credits Coach Mike Bocklet with recentering his mind when needed. “He preached not really thinking about the game too much, just playing loose and having fun,” said Duva.

The sentiment came across off the sidelines too. Steve DelMoro, Matt Gallagher, Adrionna Palmiero and trainers Emma Meore and Christian Tsakanikas provide a presence that sends a message to every single John Jay athlete. Seeing them at all the games, he said, “It’s like a weight off your shoulder.”

Either way, the whole package has taught him to follow the lead of the caring community at Contest Field. “Lacrosse is 95 percent mental,” he clarified. “That last 5 percent is you have the skill. So do it, don’t talk about it.”

His football experience couldn’t help get him over 100 percent, though. “The physicality definitely correlated to lacrosse,” he said.

So in backing down defenders he knew who played football and who didn’t. But one on one isn’t really the name of the game. “When you’re clicking, and when everybody is going together, everything moves smoother,” Duva said. “That’s when it really starts to be a lot fun.”

His most memorable moment definitely aligned. “I remember Andrew Kiefer coming down the middle of the field, he dumped it off to me, and I ended the game in overtime,” he said of a victory this spring over Rye.

A couple early goals versus Rye in the finals wasn’t enough so the omission from his time here is hard to overlook. “I feel I’m leaving with unfinished business,” he said.

Yes when it comes to hardware but not in terms of the heart. “I hope I left behind everything I had, and I hope I’ve motivated those returning next year,” Duva said.

Of course, he’s not done, and the economic major will be joining the squad at UMass Amherst. A faster game, Duva knows he won’t be left behind. “I’m ready,” the Wolf concluded.

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