Kyle Guadagnolo has always thrived on physical activity. So, after high school, when Guadagnolo enrolled at West Point Prep School in Fort Monmouth, N.J., the new challenges never bothered him.

Whether waking up at 5 a.m. to clean bathrooms, sweating through hundreds of pushups or hitting the weights, the physical nature of military prep school never bothered Guadagnolo.

Now a freshman for the Syracuse men’s lacrosse team, Guadagnolo has become a physical force on the defensive end, starting every game with the exception of Saturday’s 12-6 win at Loyola. He’ll certainly factor defensively when the No. 7 Orange faces No. 9 Cornell tonight at 7 at the Carrier Dome.

‘It’s always been in his nature,’ Guadagnolo’s mother Gayle said of his love of physical activity.

Unlike most kids who attend prep school, Guadagnolo didn’t need to improve his grades or hone his athletic skills. He attended West Point Prep with the intention of entering the United States Military Academy the following year. West Point Prep is a feeder school for the military school at West Point.

Guadagnolo said he was deeply influenced by Sept. 11 and wanted to serve his country. Following graduation, he headed to New Jersey for boot camp. He spent the year at West Point, maturing and improving his lacrosse skills.

He loved the environment. He loved the physical and mental challenges. He thrived off it all. His high school coach at Jordan-Elbridge High School, Rick Young, said he heard Guadagnolo would purposely talk back to superiors at times, hoping for increased physical activity.

At the end of the year, Guadagnolo returned home, still intending on heading to West Point. At some point, though, Guadagnolo realized he didn’t want to enter the Army. It entailed nearly a 10-year commitment and Guadagnolo wasn’t prepared to give away that much of his life.

Young said coming home and being around his friends may have influenced Guadagnolo’s decision. Gayle Guadagnolo said while at West Point Prep, her son gained confidence and realized he could succeed without the Army.

Guadagnolo, quiet and soft-spoken by nature, never talked much about his decision.

‘I kind of realized I made the wrong choice,’ Guadagnolo said. ‘It wasn’t something I wanted to do.’

Still committed to Army both militarily and athletically, Guadagnolo had two problems. First, Army had to release him from his commitment and then he had to find another school.

Gayle said the process with Army took time. Coaches tried convincing him to stay, but Guadagnolo had made up his mind. He turned his attention toward Syracuse (5-3), which recruited him during his senior year of high school.

As a local high school coach, Young had known both SU men’s lacrosse head coach John Desko and assistant Kevin Donahue for nearly 30 years. Young called them and relayed Guadagnolo’s renewed interest. But Syracuse couldn’t talk to Guadagnolo until Army released him.

‘As a coach, I don’t want to pump kids up just because I coach them,’ Young said. ‘I told them that I’m not going to tell you he can play there if he can’t.’

This past August, Guadagnolo called Desko while the Orange had an available spot. Gayle said the family feared Guadagnolo wouldn’t be able to enroll until January because of his pending release from Army. Guadagnolo had no guarantee from Syracuse when he left Army and knew he could end up spending the year in community college. Fortunately for Guadagnolo, it all worked out, allowing him to participate in Syracuse’s fall practices.

While Guadagnolo didn’t emerge as a potential starter in the fall, coaches realized his potential during spring practices. After a year of prep school, he was more mature than some of SU’s other freshman. His weight-lifting routine also benefited him.

He’s played a significant role defensively ever since. At times, he’s taken on the opposing team’s top scorer. John Wright, a junior defenseman, said while attack Mike Leveille is SU’s freshman demanding the most attention, Guadagnolo has similarly strong composure.

‘I’m a year older,’ Guadagnolo said. ‘I’ve been on my own. Last year I probably acted like (other freshman act now).’

Published on April 10, 2005 at 12:00 pm