MJ Donovan 25

 

Michael J. Donovan # 25

 

“An extraordinarily talented athlete with Grace”

 

Mike Donovan was a gifted athlete who made lacrosse his focus, his passion, his game.  He started playing lacrosse when Billerica first started its youth program, and ultimately rose up to one of the most valuable players on the 2001 Division 1 state championship team. His sportsmanship both on and off the field was something to be envied by all.  Mike was elected a captain for the 2002 season, which promised to be his best season ever. Mike was truly admired and respected by his coaches, friends, teammates, as well as his opponents. We were blessed to have had him in our lives.  He is missed greatly.

 

 Click Here for Inside Lacrosse Article on MJD

 

 Honoring a True Pioneer of the Game

                              One of Massachusetts’ best prep players will be missed on the field and off

                  By Justin Walker in 2002

                  Inside Lacrosse Correspondent

 

Massachuestts is on the northern fringe of the lacrosse world.  The goings-on up here can be considered by some in the inner-circle as less poignant than news from the epicenter of the lacrosse world. In Long Island or Baltimore, and much of the area in between, the lacrosse community is as close knit a sporting world as any I’ve ever been a part of.

            News of a star player’s injury, a top-flight program’s disciplinary issues or- God forbid – an untimely death shakes the pillars of the entire community. Within the framework of this “fraternity,” news spreads faster than the media could carry it.

            Yet up here, Massachusetts lacrosse players remain pioneers of sorts. The lacrosse world’s news gets to us, but considerably later. And it affects us, but because we remain a fringe element, far less than those in other parts of the country.

            But times are changing. And each year more and more players here in Massachusetts are beginning to feel what its like to be part of this “lacrosse fraternity.” In 1993, the Massachusetts Bay Youth Lacrosse League (our state’s governing body of youth lacrosse) consisted of 13 towns fielding 20 teams. Last year, 286 teams participated, and the number will jump again this year. Still, high school lacrosse is the front line in this quest for recognition.

            And every year there are those few pioneers who make great strides than any others to put our area on the map. These are the few players that this area’s youngsters look up to, wide-eyed and awed. There are the few who play harder than everyone else. But when the game is done, they smile and shake hands with the opponents, regardless of the games outcome.

            There are also the players destined to succeed at the next level, and perhaps even the level after that. Most importantly, there are the few who are succeeding in making Massachusetts a recognized extension- a true part- of the lacrosse community.

            Our area lost one of these pioneers on Thursday night, Jan. 31. And the entire lacrosse community should know one of theirs has passed away. Mike Donovan, a three-year contributor on Billerica High School’s varsity team, was shot and killed. Mike was 18 years old.

            Because I only knew Mike by the bond we formed through lacrosse, that is the only thing I can speak intelligently about.  I know he had two wonderful, loving parents, Paul and Christine. I know he leaves a beautiful and loving girlfriend, May, who came to watch him play box lacrosse almost every Sunday.

            I’m told Mike was an honor student, and that he was a leader among his peers at Billerica, and elsewhere. I know Mike was loved by all his teammates in both sports he played, lacrosse and hockey.

            But when Mike played lacrosse, he was exceptional- in many ways a man among boys. He played an extremely tough brand of the game, almost always getting more ground balls than anyone else on the field.

            Mike embodied the style of lacrosse our area is known for. There was very little flash in Mike’s game. But there was plenty of effectiveness. In Mike’s junior year as an attackman on Billerica’s state championship team, he scored 87 points despite being hampered for much of the season with a shoulder injury. Who knows what he could have done with a clean bill of health.

            That’s what makes this loss even more tragic. The weekend after his death, Mike was scheduled to head up to Merrimack College for one of his recruiting trips. He had already been to several other schools and was set to receive a lacrosse scholarship. Mike had played on all-star teams since middle school; he had excelled every step of the way. He was widely regarded of one of the areas best players. And with him as a captain, Billerica would have had a great shot at a repeat as the state champions.

            At the wake on Monday, Feb.4, there were thousands of people in attendance. It was more than just family, friends, classmates and teammates. It was opposing teams. Players from no less than 10 different teams- both hockey and lacrosse- showed up to pay their respects. Included among those in line were the varsity hockey and lacrosse teams from arch-rival Chelmsford, which was especially touching because just a couple weeks before, the Chelmsford hockey team had a bench-clearing fight with Billerica. With Mike, respect transcended all else.

            Players came from every town adjacent to Billerica and from town more that an hour away. At the funeral the following day, there were more people than the church could hold-again well over a thousand. IN several of the front rows sat Mike’s teammates, all wearing their Billerica game jerseys.

            Yet, for me, there was one thing that really made the tragedy hit home.  In some way, it was harder to take than the wake or the funeral. It was, in a way, even harder than those first couple nights after I heard the news. Last night, I had to remove Mikes name from our league’s scoring leaders list. His 20-team high school box lacrosse league went on without him. And without his usual five or six points, he missed being on the list by just two points. It was the first time his name had been off the list since our league began back in September.

            I hope with the passing of such a great man, and wonderful lacrosse player, we can continue to make strides in doing what Mike did while he lived- making the lacrosse community that much closer.

            Though lacrosse is growing so fast throughout this country, and even the world, it remains a close and tight-knit fraternity. It’s unique among sports in that regard. And when something like this happens in the community, is affects everyone, from Massachusetts to Baltimore and well beyond.

            With Mikes passing, the lacrosse world lost one of its brightest stars. He will be missed, not just for what he had done, but for what he had yet to do.