Junior Alex Lachman is the placekicker for the Hopkins football team. What exactly does this mean? He is one of those who are "at times ostracized by other players due to the perceived non-physical and limited nature of their duties, as well as the fact they often are allowed to leave practice before the rest of the team." Thank you Wikipedia.
Poor Alex. Not only is his athletic reputation questioned, but he also lives at WaWa.
Luckily Lachman has confirmed that his athletic abilities surpass any "non-physical and limited" stereotypes that befall his position.
Proof that Alex Lachman is a contributing athlete to the Hopkins football team could be seen this past weekend, when he kicked the game-winning field goal that took the Jays the furthest they've been in program history, to the third round of the NCAA playoffs.
The kick happened on Saturday, in Crestview Hills, Kentucky. The score: Blue Jays 28, Thomas More (then undefeated) 29. With one second left on the clock, coach Jim Margraff turned to Lachman and said, "Kick it."
"I was weirdly calm," Lachman said. "More calm than I've ever been for a any kick before."
"Even though it was a 43 yard field goal, we had confidence in him," said Junior Max Islinger, who has been the holder for nearly every Lachman field goal and extra point.
Islinger held the ball, Lachman kicked it, and they both watched it head toward the goal post. Before the ball even went through the uprights, Lachman said he knew it was good.
He sprinted to his teammates, who piled on top of him. "Everyone was going nuts," he said. "They crushed me."
The Final Score: Hopkins 31, Thomas More 29.
"It was definitely the biggest play of the season," Islinger said.
Was luck on Lachman's side? Or was it skill? Lachman sure does have plenty of superstitions. For example, he always ties his left cleat before his right. He only shaves on Thursdays. He doesn't tuck in his jersey until the game starts, and he hasn't gotten a haircut all season.
On the other hand, he is talented. After a childhood soccer career, Lachman took his kicking skills to the football field, which he much preferred because he "didn't like all that running." He's been a kicker since he started, and claims he wouldn't want to play any position. And though Lachman is drawn to the physical aspects of his position - little running, little practice, and lots of kicking - he doesn't quite fit the personality stereotype.
"There are some sayings about kickers, like, 'Kickers don't speak unless spoken to,' or 'Know your role.' Kickers are supposed to be quiet, in the corner. But I talk a lot and joke around. I make my presence known," he said.
Lachman's presence is so intense that it even scares himself sometimes. Like the other month, when Lachman punched his reflection in a mirror after locking himself out of his room. Though he was taken to the emergency room for his bloody injury, luckily his golden foot was still in tact. No harm (to the team) done.
But now all he has is a scar and smile to show when he tells the story. "It was pretty funny," he said.
Lachman takes pretty much everything in his life with a light attitude. Like football practice. "I don't really do anything at practice," he admits. "I stretch, and then I'm done. I kick before practice and occasionally on Thursday. I do about eight minutes of practice per practice."
Only eight minutes? Like the Wikipedia entry says, this is where kickers get their bad rep.
But Lachman points out that there's just not much to practice when you're a kicker. "There's only so much you can do. You can only take so many kicks before you get tired or bored."
Despite the light practice, Lachman's results have been stellar. He has been the Jays starting placekicker since arriving on campus as a freshman, and has kicked his way right into Blue Jay football history.
His freshman season he was 11 for 12 on field goal attempts, and converted all 23 extra points - earning DIII Third-Team All-American Honors. This season, Lachman earned Second-Team All-Centennial Honors for his impressive body of work - converting 12 of 16 field goal attempts and 39 of 42 extra points. His 75 total points set a school single-season record.
Since his schedule is a bit on the open side, Lachman dedicates time as an elected member of the Student Government Association (SGA) and enjoys eating pizza and watching movies. His favorite movie is Step Brothers. Television, however, is one thing that Lachman doesn't take lightly. Though he watches TV, he is torn about the effects. "I don't like television series, because they never end," he said. "You watch the same show for four years, and you still don't know what's going to happen at the end."
Still, he can't help but watch shows like 24, which he wishes was shorter, "like 12." The one never-ending season Lachman is happy about, though, is this year's football season.
"It's been pretty incredible," he said. Not only have the Jays made football history this year, but Lachman has made quite a contribution to kickers nationwide. He's shown that, contrary to Wikipedia's report, kickers actually are able to be both athletic and important to the team.
