Sitting on the sidelines while your teammates compete must be agonizing. Knowing that no matter how much you want to, you cannot help them.

It must be a terrible feeling, but it also happened to be a motivating one for Harvard junior defenseman Graham Morrell.

After a yearlong exile from the ice, Morrell is ready to return to the Crimson lineup this fall. Morrell is completely recovered from reconstructive shoulder surgery and will be expected to step in and anchor the Crimson blueline this upcoming season.

Morrell played in 62 games on the Crimson blueline during his freshman and sophomore years and had planned to return for his junior season in 1999-00. In August of last year, however, he had arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder. When the results of the operation were analyzed, the doctors called him back in and told Morrell he would need more extensive reconstructive surgery.

"It turned out to be a good situation," Morrell says. "I had the whole year to concentrate on getting healthy. More importantly, my fire and love for the game are back. Being banged up for my first two years here had not only taken a toll on me physically but mentally as well. Now, I can't wait to get on the ice every day."

The feeling is mutual. On more than one occasion last year, Harvard Coach Mark Mazzoleni mentioned Morrell as a key aspect of the team that was missing.

"I appreciate Coach keeping me involved in the program last year as much as possible and making me feel [like] part of the family," Morrell says. "I appreciate the respect and faith Coach has shown in me even though I have yet to play for him."

Mazzoleni needs Morrell for more than just his talent on the ice. Morrell will anchor the blueline, but he will also be counted on to mentor the three freshmen defensemen on the team, Kenny Smith, Blair Barlow, and David McCulloch. It is a responsibility that Morrell takes very seriously.