Playing your childhood sport at the collegiate level is something that most athletes can only dream of, but JR DuBose has made that dream a reality, recently committing to Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
DuBose’s journey began in the second grade when he joined the Next Level Spartans, the club team he has competed with ever since. DuBose attributes a lot of his success to various coaches who have helped him along the way.
“My first coach was my dad, but my first legit coach was a guy named Mitch who I worked with until fourth grade when he moved off to law school. I also owe a lot of credit to one of my current coaches Boh Mitchell because he believed in me in times where I didn’t myself,” DuBose said.
Being on the smaller side, standing at just five feet and nine inches, DuBose has had to make up for his lack of size by honing in on his skills set and having a relentless work ethic.
“With me being one of the smaller guys, I’ve had to do a lot of extra work outside of the practices and with lifting weights more I’ve seen more improvement. The work ethic needs to be there because there is always a bigger player right next to you. Even when it comes to the WJ team I am one of the smallest players. You get joked at but it feels so much better when you accomplish your goals as a smaller player because of all the work you put in,” DuBose said.
As DuBose made the varsity lacrosse team as a freshman and continued to climb the ranks, the prospect of playing college lacrosse became more feasible. He finished his junior season with 20 goals, 21 assists, and led the county in ground balls with 162. Moving into the recruiting process, DuBose was initially in contact with many schools, before settling in on the division three route.
“I talked to a couple of Division I schools but as time went on I realized the division three route which allows me to focus more on studies and do well in school. I was looking for a school that supports the lacrosse program and supports students in the classroom,” DuBose said.
DuBose would soon find out that he made the right decision, finding his perfect match in Chatham University, a small school of just 1500 undergraduates in Pittsburgh.
“I chose Chatham because of the connection that I had with Coach McDonough and the other players. When I went on my official visit I felt at home and it seemed like a place I could excel at,” DuBose said.
DuBose’s hard work and dedication has not gone unnoticed, as friends and teammates have taken note of his development over the years.
“When he first started playing lacrosse he was only a face off guy, but he has really developed as a shooter, being able to score at all three levels. I expect that to happen a lot more because he sees the field very well, he can shoot, he can pass, he can do everything that you ask for him to do,” senior Brandon Moon said.
That versatility has served DuBose well over his career, allowing him to be a plug-and-play type of player; someone who can play anywhere on the field, making him a great asset for any team and coach.
“I have played almost everything from Defensive Midfield to Attack to even Faceoff which I do for WJ along with midfield. I’ll be playing attack in college,” DuBose said.
With the stress of finding the right fit for him out of the way, DuBose can now focus on the season ahead of him, with a few goals in mind. As one of the veterans and leaders of the team, he has high expectations for himself and of the team.
“As a team we all want to beat Churchill. All of us seniors have beaten every team in our division except them so that’s a big goal and hopefully to make it past our region. Individually I would like to see myself at about a 40 point player and make all-county in addition to all-division,” DuBose said.
