Mark Turkowski makes a pass during a 7-6 win over Steinert April 17, 2015. (Staff photo by Samantha Sciarrotta.)
For Mark Turkowski, lacrosse just felt right from the start.
He signed up for baseball in second grade and, after two years, found the game too slow for his tastes. In fourth grade, he discovered a sport that was much more fast-paced: lacrosse.
“I’ve loved it ever since,” the Lawrence High School sophomore said. “It was something different to try, it was pretty cool. I had seen a couple games on TV before I started. As long as I can remember, it’s always been my sport. I’ve always been best at that.”
He has quickly become one of the best Cardinals, as Turkowski led the team in scoring with 13 goals and three assists for 16 points through Lawrence’s 2-3 start. He was on pace to surpass his freshman mark of 24 goals and could become a 100-goal scorer by his junior season.
And he does more than just score—his leadership abilities got him named team captain this season.
“The difference this year versus last year is clearly experience and confidence,” coach Anthony Ammirata said. “With a year of varsity lacrosse and summer tournament lacrosse under his belt, he hit the ground running. Mark is the first sophomore in my ten years of coaching lacrosse to be elected captain by his peers. He assumes his leadership role very confidently, but humbly. This year he is totally confident and loves the leading role that he has assumed.”
And that is an ability that just makes things easier for Ammirata. The coach said Turkowski is a gracious, positive person with an exceptional ability to lead.
“I noticed immediately that Mark was such an imposing player at 6-3, and his physical talents could help him be a great player,” he said. “But what honestly impresses me most about Mark is his great attitude and will to improve and help the team. He will continue to get better and by his senior year he should be among the county’s best threats. “
Turkowski played in the Lawrence recreation program for five years before entering high school. He has always been at attack and has always been successful, but admitted that the jump to high school was eye opening.
“Our very first scrimmage was against Middletown South and it was a learning experience,” Turkowski said. “They were a lot quicker and a lot faster. Kids were a little bit bigger but I got used to it pretty quickly and I adapted. Once we started playing games I got comfortable.”
Not too many kids were bigger than Turkowski, who at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds also plays for the Cardinals basketball team. But no matter how big a player is, there is always an adjustment period as a freshman.
Ammirata said Turkowski was timid at first, and although he overcame that after a while, it was a tough season for the Cardinals, who finished 5-8. While Turkowski was satisfied with his own play in his first year of high school, it wasn’t his greatest experience.
“For the team we could have been a lot better,” he said. “A lot of injuries killed us last year and the attitude some of us brought on the field wasn’t the best. There were times it was a little, well, not as enjoyable as it should have been. But as a whole it was fun. I knew I was coming back this year, there was no question about that.”
On his way back, he took a major step in improving his skills. Turkowski joined the highly acclaimed Team Turnpike, playing for the combined Rising Sophomores/Rising Juniors/Rising Seniors team.
It was the first time he played in the summer, and the results have spoken for themselves.
“Just keeping a stick in my hand for multiple tournaments and regular games really helped out,” Turkowski said. “Doing that instead of just playing in the backyard, playing with a much higher level group of kids gave me that experience to play better and to improve.”
It didn’t take long for Turkowski to show his improvement as he scored four goals in an opening-day win over Steinert this year. He has scored in each of the Cardinals’ first five games, and he has had three multiple-goal efforts.
Turkowski possesses a dangerous shot and is also good at distributing, which helps keep defenses honest. With his size, he can also play a physical game.
“He shoots the ball with great tempo and speed,” Ammirata said. “When Mark is able to get his feet set and has time and space, he can hit corners and is deadly. His ability to attack the cage is a work in progress and will continue to improve as the season progresses and the more he plays this summer.”
And while his scoring is what gets the most acclaim, Turkowski is also adept at getting possession for the Cardinals, leading the team in groundball pick-ups with 21 in five games.
“Clearly desire in anything separates the good from the great players in any sport and life in general,” Ammirata said. “We practice ground balls relentlessly everyday so proper technique is stressed continuously. This year Mark understands how low he has to get in order to secure ground balls, and his tempo in practice is much greater.”
As for his scoring ability, Turkowski credits his teammates for many of his goals.
The coach, however, feels that the offense was a work in progress at mid-season.
“We don’t have that one guy who can make something happen when everything breaks down,” Ammirata said. “Right now we are trying to do it by committee, everybody has to contribute. To that end, our offense runs through Mark but we have some capable complements that will emerge as the season moves on.”
One thing is certain in Turkowski’s mind—the attitude of this year’s team has made it an enjoyable season.
“We have a lot of new kids that are stepping up,” he said. “People are bringing a good attitude on and off the practice field. We bring focus on the bus for road games and in the locker room. We’re always ready to play. The whole atmosphere around the whole team is much better.”
And while Turkowski continues to be a student of the game, he also became a teacher as well over the past year, coaching 7th-graders in the Lawrence rec program.
“I love coaching, it’s fun seeing the younger kids play,” he said. “It definitely helps me see the game from a different perspective, from the outside rather than being in the play. I don’t know if it necessarily helps me as a player, but it’s another opportunity to teach someone from what I learned.”
He is also enthused by the interest being shown in the sport.
“Just the amount of players and kids in Lawrence that want to try it is tremendous,” he said. “Hopefully most of those kids come to Lawrence instead of going to other schools. I see Lawrence lacrosse growing outrageously. It’s really big. Hopefully a couple of years down the line, Lawrence High will get really good.”
If they can get more players like Turkowski, that shouldn’t be much of a problem.
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