The term itself might carry a negative connotation to some, but for head coach Jeff Tambroni and a number of Penn State's student-athletes, the ability to have a redshirt season provides considerable value for both developing roster depth, and helping to grow the Nittany Lions as men off the field.
"I think it can be such a valuable use of time for anyone," Tambroni said. "I've spoken about this with other coaches, and I think it would be right for anyone to take a year and figure things out a bit because of the amount of stuff that gets thrown at you. On top of that, being a student-athlete can be a lot to plate in that first year."
While redshirting can be planned for some players, like in Dylan Foulds' (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) case, the year off provided an important adjustment to the day-to-day life of being a student-athlete.
"My plan originally was to go to a prep school and do a postgrad year," Foulds said. "After talking to different schools, Coach Tambroni mentioned the possibility of coming here and doing a redshirt year, which would be the same idea. After discussions with my family and talking it over, we decided ultimately that it would be the best decision for my development."
While Foulds had a variety of options in front of him, it was the ability to settle in to being a Penn State student while also not facing as much on-field pressure as he would have at a prep school that sold Foulds on Happy Valley.
"It was invaluable," Foulds said. "I remember coming in and adjusting to the responsibility of being a Division I athlete, and it can't really be mimicked anywhere else, and it can be a ton if you're not ready for it. Coming into my second year and feeling much more comfortable was huge, and it helped me get phased into the offense much easier."
Foulds noted that the ability to mature and come back after his initial campaign. With an added ability to manage his time and work ethic allowed him to ultimately enjoy further success on the field.
"In terms of work ethic, that year of developing the standard of how you're supposed to go about your day is invaluable," Foulds said. "The way we play offense is based off chemistry with each other, and getting a year to play with my teammates before starting my freshman year helped me know their tendencies on the field."
Tambroni agreed with that notion and mentioned how difficult he thinks the adjustment can be. He emphasized how he tries to maintain a realistic timeline in terms of expectations for his student-athletes getting adjusted to being at Penn State.
"I'm amazed by any freshman who can come in and have success initially," Tambroni said. "I believe that after the fall of their sophomore year, that's when we see the most growth from our guys. They come back with more confidence and they have experience to look back on. The confidence and growth is significant and then it continues to build over the next four years."
While Foulds knew ahead of time that he would take a year off, players like redshirt senior Mike Aronow (Holbrook, N.Y.) and redshirt junior Grant Ament (Doylestown, Pa.) had to take a year off due to injury in the midst of their Penn State careers.
"It certainly had a large impact on my career," Aronow said. "I learned a lot about myself and how to act off the field, and I know what it's like not to play so now when guys get injured, I feel their pain."
"Physically for me, going through two surgeries definitely makes your body feel different after the fact, but from a mental standpoint when you're out for so long, you never take it for granted."
While the adversity provides an important step in growth for players like Aronow and Ament, the difficulty in returning to playing form both mentally and physically can make injuries last even longer than expected.
"It depends on the injury, but mine was pretty severe," Aronow said. "When I first came back, I was definitely hesitant. The speed of the game and being able to play lacrosse again were huge, but I just wanted to get back into game shape because when you sit out for a while, you kind of forget."
"If it happens half-way through their careers, I think the injury provides perspective," Tambroni said. "When lacrosse is taken away from you, the little things mean that much more. More often than not, it makes players realize the value of the big picture, representing our team and Penn State."
Ultimately, all three players were able to benefit from the time off. Aronow was able to become a two-time captain, while Ament and Foulds improved their vision on the field. Tambroni also noted in Ament's case in particular as one where the attacker was able to return as both an even better player on the field, and leader in the locker room.
"In Grant's case, his growth as a leader has been so significant," Tambroni said. "Some people let the year go right by them, but Grant was very present. He learned a lot and he was always very hard-working, but the maturity based on having a year off was significant for him and his leadership. His gratitude about being a part of the program has definitely grown."
