Spring Break
Gvozden stays relaxed on and off the field
Issue date: 4/24/08
The rituals may contradict his easy-going style a bit, but no Hopkins student could survive without a little paranoia, right? "Since I've gotten here, I've definitely become more superstitious," he admits. Still, when it comes to lacrosse, Gvozden knows the outcome of the game actually lies in his own hands. "Being the goalie, you're either the champ or the chump," he said.
In only his first year as a starter, Gvozden's became familiar with both titles in the Jays' challenging season. During the team's recent five-game losing streak, Gvozden had to really work in order to tune out some discouraging voices. During the small rough patch, he claimed he "really realized who [his] true friends and fans were."
At the end of the day, though, Gvozden really just wants to spend time with three of his favorite things: friends, family, and Brazilian heritage. Next summer, he's eager to mix all of these as some of his teammates and his family will travel to Brazil. He plans on bringing his lacrosse gear along for the vacation, too, of course. "If I could give anything to Brazil, it'd be the sport of lacrosse," he said.
This might be a hefty task for one person, but Gvozden's in no rush. He's just taking life easy for now, rocking along to the beats of Michelle Branch while the statistics, numbers and rankings melt away with each spoonful of Italian ice. "For now we're just taking it one game at a time," he said, "and trying to get better every game."
And that's the side of Mike Gvozden that makes him more than just a lacrosse player - half Brazilian, mostly laid-back, and completely one-of-a-kind.
In only his first year as a starter, Gvozden's became familiar with both titles in the Jays' challenging season. During the team's recent five-game losing streak, Gvozden had to really work in order to tune out some discouraging voices. During the small rough patch, he claimed he "really realized who [his] true friends and fans were."
At the end of the day, though, Gvozden really just wants to spend time with three of his favorite things: friends, family, and Brazilian heritage. Next summer, he's eager to mix all of these as some of his teammates and his family will travel to Brazil. He plans on bringing his lacrosse gear along for the vacation, too, of course. "If I could give anything to Brazil, it'd be the sport of lacrosse," he said.
This might be a hefty task for one person, but Gvozden's in no rush. He's just taking life easy for now, rocking along to the beats of Michelle Branch while the statistics, numbers and rankings melt away with each spoonful of Italian ice. "For now we're just taking it one game at a time," he said, "and trying to get better every game."
And that's the side of Mike Gvozden that makes him more than just a lacrosse player - half Brazilian, mostly laid-back, and completely one-of-a-kind.
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