Still a familiar name and figure to many at SHS, Alex Lagemann (SHS ’07), a sophomore at Cal and a Redshirt Freshman for Cal Bears is already en route to complete his B.A. (Media Studies) in three years so as to begin his MBA study while playing his remaining two years of football.  Falcons Sports News (FSN) caught up with Alex recently for a slice of his college sports life to share with the SHS community.

 

FSN: At what age did you realize that you had a knack for football?

 

Alex: I realized that I could compete in football when I was a freshman in high school. My friends had all been playing Pop-Warner for years, and several of them went out for the football team in our freshman year. I had fun playing touch-football when I was younger, but I never really liked the sport or felt that I had any special abilities in it. The SHS coaches however told me that I was the right size to do football, so with much reluctance I joined the team. I soon found that I had a love for the sport, and I've enjoyed my time being a Wide Receiver ever since.

FSN: Did you do other sports growing up?

 

Alex: I've played many different sports in my short lifetime. Like many of my friends, I was raised at Congress Springs (park) and the Saratoga Gym playing Little League Baseball, AYSO Soccer, and NJB Basketball. I also played many years of ice and roller hockey, and had traveled for both sports. When I got to Saratoga High School, I played football, basketball, and baseball. In my sophomore year, I added track and field to the mix.

FSN: Did you always know that you would go on to play in college?

 

Alex: To be honest, I never knew I could play football in college until a conversation I had with my football coach, Kurt Heinrich. I had played and had done pretty well on the Varsity football squad in my sophomore year. Coach Heinrich approached me before a summer workout. He told me I was good enough to play at the next level, but that I had to dedicate myself to football and had to get much faster. At that point, I began researching College Football and was glued to the TV every Saturday morning watching teams from all over the nation battle on the gridiron. I eventually quit baseball - the sport I was raised on - and joined SHS track team in an attempt to increase my speed and agility for performance on the football field. When I started to get calls from college coaches, I knew then I had a legitimate chance to play in the NCAA.  And after my first few scholarship offers, I was glad that I had accomplished my goal.

FSN: What were some of your most memorable sports moments at SHS?  

 

Alex: My most memorable moments were never actual "moments". Fridays during football season were my favorites: wearing the jersey at school, getting gift baskets from the cheerleaders, talking with my teammates at lunch, watching the JV team play before us as the sky turned from twilight to darkness, suiting up and getting taped, the pre-game speeches of my teammates and coaches, taking the field for warm ups, looking up at the sky and feeling the intensity of the crowd, playing beneath the lights, walking through the parking lot after the game, going to Jakes to watch highlights and eat pizzas. Those were my favorite moments.

FSN: How is sport in college same or different than you had expected?

 

Alex: Everyone adjusts differently when they get into the college sports environment. Most people say the speed of the game is the biggest change that they see. For me I think it's more than speed - its skill and athleticism. People are able to make plays you never thought were possible. People are just as smart, strong, fast, and gutsy as you. I think this is definitely a good thing because the harder people work around you, the harder you work and compete to be just as good or better than them.

FSN: Do you have recommendations for SHS athletes that are aspired to play college sports?

 

Alex: I'd say my biggest piece of advice would be to not give up. Everybody has his or her shortcomings, but you can always work to get better at every aspect of your game, and be able to compete at any level of college sport. My brother, Augie Lagemann, is a great example. When he was in high school, he had the skill and the mindset of a Division 1A college lineman, but people would say that he was not big or tall enough to fit the part. Instead of ending his career as a great high-school lineman at Saratoga, he chose to take his game to Pomona College, a Division III school. Next season, Augie will be returning to play in his senior year as a 4-year starter and the Most Valuable Lineman on his team. Realizing that though you may not make it to a big time university, there are still plenty of amazing paths you can take to continue your career in athletics.

 

At the closing of this article, Luci Lagemann – Alex’s mom - notified FSN that Alex had won Cal’s Student-Athlete of the Month for January 2009.  Congrats, Alex!