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Tommy Geron‘s interest in the armed forces didn’t pop up overnight on July 1.
The Team 91 2028 Venom defenseman by way of Manhasset always had an eye on the service academies, dating back to when his great-uncle regaled him with tales of his time in the Army.
“My grandpa’s brother was a tank commander in the Army, and he’d tell me stories about what the military is like and the cool things he did with his buddies,” Geron said. “I was amazed by those stories and it pushed me to want to serve. Ever since I was young, I’ve been a big military guy. I’ve always had a patriotic bone to me, and it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do. It’s awesome that there are real heroes out there protecting our country and actively helping us.”
So when Navy reached out to him, Geron took notice. The Midshipmen told him that they wanted to track his progress with the Venom as the summer finished up. Navy head coach Joe Amplo then followed up and set up a visit for Geron to check out campus during the National All-Star Games in Maryland. From there, it was hard to pass up an opportunity to become a Midshipman.
“I went down to campus and it was beautiful. I felt connected there. One of my old Manhasset teammates took me around and once I got to the office, I got offered. It’s a huge commitment because it’s 11 years of your life, but I talked to my parents and ultimately decided that this would be the right fit for me,” Geron explained. “I felt so strongly that I didn’t think there was a place the way that I would fit like an academy.”
More Team 91 At the Naval Academy
Geron committed to the Midshipmen, becoming the first of what will be many Venom players to commit. He will join ’27 Machine defenseman James Griffin (St. Anthony’s) and ’27 Machine midfielder Sam Coluzzi (Georgetown Prep, Md.) in Annapolis.
Geron helped Manhasset to a state championship this spring starting at both close defense and LSM. He called it, “a huge confidence booster,” and it served as a great springboard for him to have an elite summer. Despite not being the biggest defenseman, he proved to be almost impossible to beat throughout the summer. Geron shined for the Venom and helped the team take home the NLF National Championship. He was a major reason why the team gave up more than five goals only three times all summer.
“Tommy had an outstanding summer and was instrumental in the Venom’s run to the NLF National Championship,” Venom coach Jimmy Mulé said. “He is an eraser in coverage. His game is so quietly effective. You won’t often notice him because he’s consistent and reliable, and then you realize that his guy didn’t score or even get anywhere near the cage. Tommy has excellent footwork and he’s very patient, and that helps him dictate the matchup. It’s no surprise that Coach Amplo prioritized him so early and Navy now has one of the best lefty defensemen in the class joining them. We’re proud of Tommy for his commitment to both play lacrosse and serve our country at Navy.”
Geron The Rise
It was a fitting high point for Geron, who joined 91 in sixth grade. Since then, he played a big role in helping the Venom go from a good team to the best in the country.
“Coach (Jason) Lavey gave me an opportunity to try out and I automatically felt that it was a great place to continue to elevate my game,” Geron said. “I have great teammates and we’ve won big tournaments together. The Venom developed me so much as a player because you’re playing with so many great kids, so you have the urge to step up so that you’re not the odd man out. All the coached helped me so much. I got here because of them.”