Class Four, An Inside Look: Brendan Shima
1/7/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Jan. 7, 2016
The University of Michigan men's lacrosse team inked 12 student-athletes as members of the team's 2015 recruiting class last spring. The recruiting class is the fourth full class in the team's varsity history. MGoBlue.com will sit down with each incoming freshman on an individual basis leading up to the start of the season.
Next up is midfielder Brandon Shima, who hails from Haverford, Pennsylvania, and attended the powerhouse Haverford School.
Having so many former teammates at Haverford playing high-level lacrosse ... "I don't know an exact number but I think it was in the 20s, which is a lot. It's helped a lot playing with those guys but more so, it's helped with handling the workload. We put in a lot of work for long periods of time during all seasons."
On how playing soccer and lacrosse in high school has helped him over time ... "It was kind of decided whether or not I'd play soccer or lacrosse in the recruiting process. I was in the club soccer circuit. That's the main form of recruiting there. I was also in club lacrosse. Lacrosse, by nature, is so early now in terms of recruiting. That made it a lot easier when a school like Michigan presents itself; schools in lacrosse were more appealing to me than soccer. It all kind of worked itself out. As for soccer, the one thing that has helped out lacrosse-wise is endurance because you're on the field for 80 minutes continuously and you have to learn how to handle that."
On how much he has grown physically ... "Both my parents are 5-foot-5, so I wasn't really blessed with the physically attributes that are ideal. Sophomore year in high school when I committed here, I was pretty weak and slow and I just had to make a decision that I was going to work really hard and get myself up to where I thought I could play at this level."
On strengths playing midfield ... "I pride myself on not making too many mistakes. I'd like to consider myself a smart player. I was a converted attackman so I used to play behind the cage a lot and there I was mainly a feeder. I also think my vision is one of my strengths."
On what would make the season successful ... "Academically, a 3.0, which is easier said than done. Athletically, getting set and just getting to practice before anyone else, getting the treatment I want because the first half of the season I was a little banged up. And it just really makes things a lot less fun than they have to be, so just getting more prepared than I have been in the past and hopefully that leads up to being more successful."
On being from the Main Line in Pennsylvania and how lacrosse has affected life growing up there ... "Lacrosse is ingrained in everything we do, at least at my school over at Haverford. From the very start it's kind of known that everyone wanted to play for varsity after watching all the games growing up. It really created a competitive culture that ultimately lead to us being successful."
• Previous Inside Look: Ben Paris
