By Chris Goldberg
TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 8/13/13
The Blake School (MN) rising sophomore defenseman Crey Bankes has made a verbal commitment to play Division I lacrosse at Michigan University.
Crey Bankes ledger:
High School: The Blake School, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Graduation Year: 2016
Position: Defense
College Verbal Commitment: Michigan University
Club Affiliation: Team Minnesota – Rising Sophomores and Midwest Selects
Major Lacrosse Honors, All-Star Teams, Camps, Showcases: Blake High School (2013 Season): Starting Defenseman in my Freshman Year (Note: played high school lacrosse starting in 8th grade); Second Team All Conference- Minnesota State High School League;Rookie of the Year.
Elite Teams/Showcases: Team Minnesota Rising Sophomores and the Midwest Selects. Summer 2013 – Underclassmen Midwest Selects Team;
Baltimore Summer Kickoff, Crab Feast, Best of the Best Showcase, FLG in 3D Summer Showcase, Elite Showcase, Philly Boys Showcase Camp.
Tell us how the recruiting process was for you? “The recruiting process was exciting but stressful. As you can imagine every player has the dream of playing for a D1 program. This is the exciting part, especially when multiple schools show interest in you. However, when the verbal offers start to come in, it is stressful. You need to evaluate all the aspects you are looking for. I evaluated majors offered at the school, the academic support, the athletic program and the coaching staff.”
What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit? “I was considering Bucknell, Marquette, Ohio State and Michigan. I was able to visit all campuses except for Ohio state. I was scheduled to visit the campus, but cancelled the visit upon my verbal commitment to Michigan.”
What will you major in/study? “My intention is to pursue an undergraduate degree in engineering or science.”
Why did you choose Michigan? “The most important factor when choosing Michigan was the academic major I hope to pursue. I would like to do an undergraduate degree in engineering or science and Michigan is highly ranked in these areas of study. I also was very comfortable with Coach (John) Paul. The program is a newer Division 1. Coach Paul has received verbal commitments from some very impressive LAX players. He is building a strong D1 team and it will be amazing to be part of the Michigan Lacrosse program.”
What are your thoughts on this past HS lacrosse season/team’s outlook for next season? “The Blake School consists of some very talented lacrosse players. We were able to win the section title and advance to state playoffs. Major factors to the team’s success were the lacrosse skills of the players, the highly experienced coaching staff and the ‘team’ mentality.”
“We have a lot of returning varsity players that play elite all summer. With this type of commitment to the game, I am looking forward to the 2014 season and hope to have a return to the state playoffs.”
Thank You? “I want to thank the coaches that I have had the pleasure to play for: Frank Clark- Blake School Varsity Head Coach, Rob Graff and Chris Fleck; coaches for Team Minnesota and Jon Posner, Coach of Midwest Selects. These coaches have helped me improve my game and helped me to build confidence as a defensive player. Frank, Rob and Chris were tremendously helpful during the college recruiting process.
“I also want to thank my parents, Ed and Jeannette Bankes, for all of their support. They have allowed me to play across the country and were there to guide me. Lastly, I want to thank my teammates on the Blake team and Team Minnesota for pushing me to be the player I am. These players are not only teammates on the field but also friends for life.”
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play? “I believe my strongest asset is my fast footwork and downfield vision. Also my athletic ability (fast and strong). My style of play is aggressive and physical. I believe this comes from background in playing very physical sports – ice hockey, football and lacrosse since childhood.”
What area of the game do you need to work on? “I have always played on older teams – high school varsity in freshman year and I am a younger player, 1998 birth year, on my current team. Therefore, I need to work on being a strong leader. I need to increase my communication on the D line and become the leader the players turn to. I have had the pleasure of playing with strong leaders in the Blake defensemen.”
How did you get introduced to lacrosse and what other sports have you played? “I was born in Pennsylvania. I started playing lacrosse in the 3rd grade in Lehigh. When we moved to Minnesota in the 5th grade, my parents, being Pennsylvania natives, started a youth program in our town. Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in our state and we have great athletes. The hockey players are usually very good lacrosse players due to their physical mindset and athleticism. I was a fullback in football and played hockey since I was 5 years old. I have had the opportunity to play elite hockey in North America (US and Canada) on some top elite Minnesota team. I am a defenseman in hockey as well.”
Favorite part of the game? “My favorite part of lacrosse is the team aspect. I favor sports that are team dynamics (football, ice-hockey and lacrosse). I also favor physical sports. My size and speed help me be successful in these sports.”
Least favorite part of game? “The physical part, like 90 mph shots are rough. As a defenseman I have taken a few shots to the legs and back. Not fun!”
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