By Max Sass, Sports Editor
Most coaches have compared the playing field to a battlefield. Cody Solaja a freshman defender on the Hofstra men’s lacrosse team has heard it multiple times. It has the most meaning though, coming from his father.
Solaja’s father Steve has been in Afghanistan since November of 2008. “My dad works for a company where they train Afghanistan police and military,” Solaja said. “He is one of the guys who is helping that country so maybe we can get out sooner.”
Solaja, who lives in Dallas, TX, started playing lacrosse in fifth grade. “One of my best friends back home started playing [lacrosse] when I was in fourth grade and I was playing baseball at the time and wasn’t enjoying it,” he said.
While Long Island and Maryland are known as the lacrosse hot spots in the nation, Texas is starting to produce elite talent. “It is slowly growing a lot more competitive,” Solaja said. Thomas Wood, a friend of Solaja’s from Texas, currently plays attack for the University of North Carolina.
Solaja, the number 45 recruit in the nation, chose Hofstra over Virginia, Maryland and Navy. He also played football in high school but chose not to play in college. “I could have possibly [played football in college],” Solaja said. “I didn’t pursue them because I had already committed for lacrosse.”
Hofstra received Solaja’s commitment during his junior year of high school. “It’s pretty crazy because for lacrosse, compared to most sports, the recruiting process starts much more quickly,” said Solaja.
Solaja chose Hofstra and is thrilled with his decision. “I fell in love with the coaches and the team. I just felt home right here,” he said. “I love it here.”
Solaja recently moved into a starting role and feels that his play has improved because of it. “I have just been working hard,” he said. “I have to keep working hard. I have been learning new things every game and we just keep building our camaraderie as a defense.”
Like his father, Solaja’s older brother, also named Steve, is currently in Afghanistan. Steve Jr., a West Point graduate, left April 1 for Northern Afghanistan. He is a first lieutenant in the infantry. “It finally hit me that he was going overseas,” Solaja said. “I knew it was going to happen but I never really processed it until it actually happened.”
Despite being much younger than Steve Jr., Solaja was always very close to his brother.”He is kind of a quiet guy but I feed off of his example,” he said. He also added that, “Steve and I both took tae kwon do growing up so we both always knew how to fight and he toughened me up.”
Solaja hopes to stay in touch with his brother Steve, who will be away for a year. “I should be able to email him and he said he is going to try to buy a cell phone over there,” Solaja said.
One of his favorite moments with his brother happened just a few weeks ago. “My brother came down to the Hopkins game [on March 13],” Solaja said. “I am so glad he got to se a game before he went over. It was awesome.”
Steve Sr. is coming home soon and Solaja cannot wait to see his father again. “My dad is coming home the end of the month to catch the Towson game for sure and hopefully we win out so he can see the CAA and NCAA Tournament,” he said.
The last time Solaja saw his father was for Christmas, almost four months ago. “It was awesome because everyone was home for once,” he said. “My brother, my dad, my mom and me. We were all home together as a family for the first time in,I don’t know how long.”
Despite how much he misses his father, Solaja is able to stay calm about his father’s job. “I trust him. I am not worried about him at all, he knows how to take care of himself,” said Solaja “The person I am more worried about is my mom. I think it’s a little tougher on her.”
Solaja feels that his lacrosse is an escape for his mother. “It gets her away from real life because she is able to come up here to catch my games and escape from home,” he said. “At home she is all alone and I am sure she thinks about it more.”
Solaja thought about joining his brother at one of the service academies, specifically Navy to play lacrosse but does not see the military in his near future. “Right now no,” he said, “because I don’t want to put that on my mom. She is already going through enough.”
Solaja’s pregame ritual involves his father. “Before every game I always think about things he tells me,” Solaja said. “He sends me an email before every game to get me psyched up and focused.”
“My dad, growing up, he always pushed me to be mentally tough and he always compares the sports field to war and says you have to have a warrior mindset going into the game,” Solaja said. “If you are not mentally on it you are going to lose or you are not going to play well and it is the same thing in the war zone. If you are not focused you are going to die. He always compares and contrasts sports to war. That is just my dad.”
While Solaja gives his all on the lacrosse field, he certainly appreciates what his father and brother are doing on the battlefield. “I am just proud of them,” he said. “They are serving our country protecting me and my family and everyone, doing everything they can to keep us safe.”
Freshman defender and the rest of the Hofstra Pride shake hands with Johns Hopkins after the Pride defeated the Blue Jays on March 13. Solaja’s older brother Steve was able to come watch him play against Johns Hopkins before he was deployed to Northern Afghanistan. (Sean M. Gates/ The Chronicle)
