Profile: Jellison hopeful about final lacrosse season

Steven Jellison is wearing a helmet and pads this spring, but they’re probably not the ones people are used to seeing on the senior from Souhegan High School.

Instead of a football in his hands, Jellison has a lacrosse stick.

In fact, lacrosse is a sport that Jellison has played longer than football, which he will be going on to play at Amherst College next fall.

“This is my 11th year playing lacrosse,” the senior said. “I tried football when I was in second grade. I used to be a little fat kid. I tried playing football and three practices in, I was like ‘this isn’t for me.’ I went and swam for like six years.”

Jellison, who started playing when he was 8-years-old, views lacrosse as a pretty close comparison to football.

The big differences?

“It’s a lot faster,” Jellison said. “Football, you stop, play, stop, play. This is constant; you’ve got to be on your feet. It’s like a continuous football game.”

Like many athletes with older siblings, Jellison was introduced to lacrosse by his older brothers, Kyle and Sean. Later, when he reached seventh grade, Jellison took inspiration from Sean again, this time with a return to football.

“Sean had been in high school for two years and having all this success,” Jellison said, admitting the draw back to the sport. “I’m better at football. I love (lacrosse), but I don’t have all the skills.”

Jellison expects this season to have a bittersweet feel to it. While it will likely be the last time he gets to set foot on a lacrosse field, he’s excited for the prospects of the spring, especially with a new coach, Jonathan Salch, leading the way.

“He’s a great guy, came in from Bedford,” Jellison said. “I’m really excited about this year. It’s a different feel.”

Souhegan is off to a 2-1 start in Division I. The Sabers are scheduled to play at Manchester Central on Wednesday.