3-sport path leads Fox Chapel senior to college lacrosse

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, May 4, 2024 | 11:01 AM

Isaac Jacobs’ plan was to become a three-sport athlete. Lacrosse was going to be just one of those three for the Fox Chapel senior.

When Jacobs committed to John Carroll University to play men’s lacrosse, he knew he was going to have to keep working to be able to get on the field at the next level. Playing lacrosse in college wasn’t something Jacobs hoped for.

“It wasn’t,” Jacobs said. “I started playing lacrosse my sophomore year. I played baseball my freshman year, but there were some good kids coming up behind me at my position. I had a few friends who were playing lacrosse, and I decided to make the switch then.”

Trying different sports wasn’t something that Jacobs was unaccustomed to. In addition to playing lacrosse, Jacobs also played hockey and football at Fox Chapel. When he was growing up, he also dabbled in basketball.

“My dad was a big proponent of being a three-sport athlete,” Jacobs said. “He believes that you can’t get better by playing one sport all year and going to the gym. If you are playing football and hockey, you are training muscles you wouldn’t be able to do.”

When it comes to lacrosse, Jacobs has found a home in the midfield.

He has developed into a strong contributor for the Foxes’ program. Fox Chapel is 7-5 overall this season, including a 3-3 mark in section. The Foxes are attempting to outdo last year’s success after advancing past the first round of the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs.

Jacobs said he is constantly working on his skills. He is working on trying to be a well-rounded player.

“I go out and shoot with either myself or some teammates to get extra reps,” Jacobs said. “I’m still not where I need to be for John Carroll to get on the field. I try to get out and go pass against the wall and go to the field and shoot. Go run around the neighborhood.”

While Jacobs is proud of the progress he’s made in lacrosse, he is still focused on trying to acquire enough knowledge to play in college. This season, John Carroll is 10-4 overall and is 8-1 in Ohio Athletic Conference play.

“I’m still not super sure on some of the penalties,” Jacobs said. “Lacrosse is a nitpicky game. There are a lot of calls that happen on the fly. Hard to pick up on the game-play things. Watch as much lacrosse as I can. Any time it is on TV, I watch it. Before I go to bed, I’ll pick a past game, like the 2021 national championship. I watch full games on YouTube to learn the game and get new ideas on things to do. See how an offense works with a shot clock.”

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