This is the 17th installment in a series of interviews with Hamilton College student-athletes. Rob Dickson '10 is a captain and three-year letter winner on the men's lacrosse team. Rob became a full-time starter on defense as a junior, and earned Liberty League all-league honorable mention recognition after the season. Rob leads the Continentals into the season-opener at home against Utica College on Saturday, March 13. The game will be played on Steuben Field, where the football team has called home since the late 1800s.
Q. Tell us a little bit about where you grew up.
A: I grew up outside Chicago, Illinois, and then moved to Darien, Connecticut, when I was 10 years old. In high school I went to the Brunswick School, a prep school in Greenwich, Conn.
Q. Did you participate in any other sports before you came to Hamilton?
A: In high school I played varsity soccer, basketball and lacrosse. I actually played soccer here my freshman year.
Q. How did you get interested in lacrosse?
A: In ninth grade at Brunswick (my first year), students are required to participate in a sport every season. I had always played soccer in the spring, but to fulfill the requirement I picked up lacrosse and never looked back.
Q. What factored into your decision to attend Hamilton?
A: First and foremost, I wanted to pick a school that I would want to attend if I could not play lacrosse. Hamilton was very similar in academics and lacrosse to the other schools I was looking at, but the campus and (former head coach) Gene McCabe made me feel very welcome on my visit.
Q. A number of Hamilton men's lacrosse players have come from the Darien area in recent years. Did you know any of them before you came here?
A: I wouldn’t say that I knew any of them before I came here, but I knew of them since Darien High School is obviously a lacrosse powerhouse. I enjoyed getting to know all of them while we played together at Hamilton.
Q. What are the goals -- both personal and for the team -- this year?
A: Personally, I just want to provide the team with the best leadership I can and get us into the Liberty League tournament.
Q. You are one of the three team captains. What has that experience been like this year so far?
A: It has been a change. It is very different being a captain, compared to being another player on the team. The coaches expect more of you on and off the field, which I obviously welcome.
Q. You are an all-league defenseman. What are some things you need to excel at to be a good defenseman in lacrosse?
A: I think the most important things are being coachable and having a good work ethic. Athleticism and skills are important but they are useless without the first two traits.
Q. You get very few scoring opportunities playing defense in lacrosse. Any regrets about playing the position when you see the guys with the goals and assists getting most of the spotlight?
A: It would be fun to score a few more goals, but I knew what I was signing up for when I decided to be a defenseman. It fits my personality more anyway.
Q. What are your thoughts about moving your home games from the turf field on Campus Road to the new artificial grass surface at Steuben Field?
A: I am thrilled! I love FieldTurf. We had the same surface when I was at Brunswick. It will only draw potential recruits to the lacrosse program.
Q. What is your favorite class and/or instructor at Hamilton, and why?
A: The two professors I have enjoyed most are James Bradfield (economics) and Ted Lehmann (government).
Q. What will Rob Dickson be doing five years from now?
A: Hopefully, I will either be working or going back to school.
Q. Tell us a little bit about where you grew up.
A: I grew up outside Chicago, Illinois, and then moved to Darien, Connecticut, when I was 10 years old. In high school I went to the Brunswick School, a prep school in Greenwich, Conn.
Q. Did you participate in any other sports before you came to Hamilton?
A: In high school I played varsity soccer, basketball and lacrosse. I actually played soccer here my freshman year.
Q. How did you get interested in lacrosse?
A: In ninth grade at Brunswick (my first year), students are required to participate in a sport every season. I had always played soccer in the spring, but to fulfill the requirement I picked up lacrosse and never looked back.
Q. What factored into your decision to attend Hamilton?
A: First and foremost, I wanted to pick a school that I would want to attend if I could not play lacrosse. Hamilton was very similar in academics and lacrosse to the other schools I was looking at, but the campus and (former head coach) Gene McCabe made me feel very welcome on my visit.
Q. A number of Hamilton men's lacrosse players have come from the Darien area in recent years. Did you know any of them before you came here?
A: I wouldn’t say that I knew any of them before I came here, but I knew of them since Darien High School is obviously a lacrosse powerhouse. I enjoyed getting to know all of them while we played together at Hamilton.
Q. What are the goals -- both personal and for the team -- this year?
A: Personally, I just want to provide the team with the best leadership I can and get us into the Liberty League tournament.
Q. You are one of the three team captains. What has that experience been like this year so far?
A: It has been a change. It is very different being a captain, compared to being another player on the team. The coaches expect more of you on and off the field, which I obviously welcome.
Q. You are an all-league defenseman. What are some things you need to excel at to be a good defenseman in lacrosse?
A: I think the most important things are being coachable and having a good work ethic. Athleticism and skills are important but they are useless without the first two traits.
Q. You get very few scoring opportunities playing defense in lacrosse. Any regrets about playing the position when you see the guys with the goals and assists getting most of the spotlight?
A: It would be fun to score a few more goals, but I knew what I was signing up for when I decided to be a defenseman. It fits my personality more anyway.
Q. What are your thoughts about moving your home games from the turf field on Campus Road to the new artificial grass surface at Steuben Field?
A: I am thrilled! I love FieldTurf. We had the same surface when I was at Brunswick. It will only draw potential recruits to the lacrosse program.
Q. What is your favorite class and/or instructor at Hamilton, and why?
A: The two professors I have enjoyed most are James Bradfield (economics) and Ted Lehmann (government).
Q. What will Rob Dickson be doing five years from now?
A: Hopefully, I will either be working or going back to school.
