According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the most prestigious dictionary of the English language, greatness is “eminence of rank or station; great or exalted rank, place or power; distinction, importance.” And on the Colby lacrosse field, the definition of greatness is far simpler, possibly because it only consists of eleven letters, and three syllables—Craig Bunker. Not only is Craig a two-year captain of the Colby men’s lacrosse team, leading the Mules both last year as a junior and this year as a senior, but he also is the first player in Colby’s history to be named as an All-American player…twice. And he still has his senior season ahead of him. Last season, Craig led the NESCAC in ground balls per game (7.56), which placed him 16th nationally for division 3. He was also first in the NESCAC in face-off winning percentage (.724), which placed him third nationally. For those of you who can’t wrap your head around terms like “ground balls” and “face-offs,” here’s something to put it all into perspective—Craig Bunker is a lacrosse God—a certified baller.
So how did Craig become such a good lacrosse player? He works hard at it, just like any great athlete does. He has learned the ins and outs of the game from all of his experience: he’s been “laxing” since 4th grade. With all of those lacrosse games under his belt, he truly knows how to prepare for his up-coming season. “I’ve got to work on the physical side. Between taking individual reps with weights, wall-ball, working hard in practice, and working on my stick skills, I typically feel ready to go at the beginning of the season.” To get ready for individual games, Craig has a solid routine. “Mentally, [I make sure I] clear my head, and take one play at a time. It’s easy for the emotions in the game to take over, so the night before, I try to calm myself down before I play in my game the next day.”
On the field, Craig is a fierce competitor. He’s a face-off specialist, which means that after each goal, when the ball is put in the middle of the field and two guys go head-to-head trying to get the ball into their stick, he’s there fighting for possession. It’s a tough job, but Craig has it down perfectly. “I just focus as hard as I can to hear the whistle. Then my muscle memory and all the practice and technique I’ve worked on kicks in. I just try to get all of my senses firing so I can react as quickly as possible.” However, Craig’s position will change slightly, as the NESCAC as changed some of the rules of the face-off. “One of the rules that will affect me is that once I’ve secured my ball in my stick, there’s now a limit on how long I can hold it. I don’t have all the time I want anymore, so I’ve got to be much more efficient about getting the ball out of my stick, and finding a teammate.”
But Craig will become accustomed to the new rules soon enough, especially with all of the practice he will put in. And with that hard work ethic, Craig sets a high standard for the rest of the team. That is why he’s a two-year captain. And he’s conscious of what he must do in his role as the team leader. “Everything I do is magnified. As a captain, guys constantly look up to me, so I need to make good decisions. What I say and how I act better lead the team and set a good example for everybody.” In terms of the team changing from his first year of captainship to his second, Craig acknowledges the potential hardships, but also has high hopes for the coming season. “We graduated some pretty big, great players. But we have a strong group of young guys, and a great group of seniors [that will] definitely pick up the slack for the guys we lost.”
As a captain, Craig knows his role on the team. “I bring another different personality to the team. We play about twenty guys a game, and there are thirty-seven guys total, so there are many different personalities. I just try to be myself, I guess, and hope that I provide leadership and hard work ethic that everyone else will follow.”
Even as a two-year leader, with two All-American honors and a selection to the National 3rd Team for his achievements on the field, Craig never gets overly confident. “I’ve been pretty fortunate to be recognized. I’ve put a lot of hard work and time into trying to be the best, and I’ve had some great coaching and teams. My teammates have been so supportive, and have really encouraged me. For me, lacrosse isn’t about one person—it’s about the team as a whole.”
Off the lacrosse field, Craig is a part of Colby’s CCAK program. He mentors a 5th grader at the Vassalboro Community School, and he thinks his kid is a little troublemaker. They always have fun together playing computer games and risk, and Craig especially enjoys running around at recess with his mentee.
At Colby, Craig is an economics major, and since he’s a senior, he’s starting to think about life after college. “I’m trying to work in Boston, somewhere in financial services. I’m currently unemployed, but I’m not really hard pressed to find a job. I wouldn’t mind taking the summer to de-stress and relax. Don’t get me wrong, though, I’m definitely applying places.” For the future, Craig has a good idea of what he wants to do: “Ultimately, I want to get back into athletics. Coaching at some level, mainly lacrosse, but also football it was a big part of my life growing up. And I definitely want to be in financial services. If I could get the best of both worlds, that would be great—being able to work in Boston at a financial company and being able to coach at the high school level on the side would be ideal.”
Since Craig has been at Colby after four years, he’s got lots of experience to share. He says, “Branch out, and meet new people. Take advantage of what Colby has to offer. Volunteer, or join the Outing Club. In four years, if you don’t experience Maine, then you’ve missed out. Go on fun little weekend trips. And really get involved.” And if he had to do it all over, he would change some things. “I would have gotten more involved with different clubs at Colby, and I would have been more involved in Waterville. I also would have applied myself a little harder in school, especially early on.”
Nonetheless, Craig has some great memories from his Colby career. “Waking up early with the team and being rowdy at men’s soccer games in the fall is always fun. And the paint dance was great. But mostly, I liked staying up late on random weekday nights talking to my friends about life or politics or religion, not for any real purpose, but just for fun.” When Craig leaves Colby in May, there is no doubt that he will be missed.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Colby chapter.