“I think what really got me going the past couple years was noticing how excited it got the guys and how much closer it brought everyone together,” Smith said. “There were just so many positives that I realized, ‘Let’s just do this as much as possible.’ It teaches us something about ourselves as individuals and brings us closer together.”
On the lacrosse field, Smith helps coordinate and run a team-oriented style of defense. He came to Harvard knowing that playing time was not necessarily going to be easy to come by, but he embraced the challenge and climbed his way to a starting position.
“Ben has been a guy that has honestly worked his way up to his position,” Duboe said. “He didn’t get a lot of playing time as a freshman, but he willed it to happen. He watches more film than anybody and gets in extra lifts—he’s very disciplined.”
Last season, Smith picked up a total of 14 ground balls and caused two turnovers. His commitment to his teammates and to forming a strong connection with them will be crucial to rebuilding this season’s defense after losing a number of seniors last year.
The Crimson will look to Smith to continue to step up his game on the lacrosse field in order to fill the big shoes left by last year’s graduating class.
If his leadership through community outreach is any indication of how willing he is to assume responsibility, then coaches, fans and opponents can expect to see great things from Smith’s game this year.
“We want [an athlete] to meet his full potential as a person first, a student second, and a player third,” Tillman said. “We’re going to do our best to set a guy up to be successful in all of those areas. [And] we know that if we’re talking about leadership, discipline, honesty, and being tough, it’s going to help in every aspect of his life.”
Back on the ground in Lynn, a couple of guys tentatively step forward from the circle. For them, it will be a long ascent up the ladder to the remaining patch of siding that needs to be secured to the house. Down below, their teammates cheer them on and watch in awe—or perhaps horror—as they balance on nothing but a thin piece of scaffolding.
At the end of the day, the siding gets nailed up, and just as they have been taught to do, the players have accomplished their objective. In the process, they saw glimpses of bravery and teamwork that they can carry onto the lacrosse field.
“At the end of the season, our goal isn’t just to have a perfect record,” Smith said. “We want to have grown as individuals into better-equipped leaders on and off the field. If we have done this, then we’ll win games too.”
—Staff writer Jessica L. Flakne can be reached at jflakne@fas.harvard.edu.