Devery, Rathauser part of first Israeli team in tournament
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Local products Dan Devery and Jon Rathauser are looking forward to sharing in history Friday.
Devery, a 2007 West Windsor-Plainsboro High North graduate, and Rathauser, a 2009 Lawrenceville School graduate from Montgomery, are defensemen for the first men’s national team from Israel to play in the Federation of International Lacrosse World Championships hosted by Denver.
”It’s a huge deal,” Devery said. “Very few people get to represent their county. And very few get to represent their religion and their country. It’s a very big honor.”
Both Devery and Rathauser have been living in Israel while they were finishing graduate studies. They have similar backgrounds in that respect, but they arrived at the national team in different ways.
”It’s really amazing,” Rathauser said. “I’ve been involved with Israel lacrosse for a while. I graduated from McGill University last year. I thought my best days were behind me. It’s an amazing opportunity. I’m excited for the challenges ahead of us.”
Devery and Rathauser both got early starts with lacrosse. Rathauser has taken annual trips to Israel with his family since he was young and his desire to represent the national team follows a strong family bond with the country. His younger brother is in the Israel Defense Forces.
”My involvement isn’t so surprising to those that know me and my family,” Rathauser said. “Playing at this level — like I said before, I thought my career was done after college — I still get excited and don’t take it for granted.”
He brings a wealth of experience though he is still one of the younger players in the world field. He has steadily climbed through the levels of the sport.
”I first started with Princeton Lacrosse Club in fourth grade,” Rathauser said. “I’m still in touch with many of those guys. I moved into the Montgomery Lacrosse Club and played them both for a little while. Through middle school, I worked out with Montgomery and then I went to Lawrenceville for high school. M.V. (Whitlow, the current Hun School head coach) was an assistant coach for me and my summer coach with Tri-State Lacrosse.”
Rathauser took his game north to McGill, where he helped another team make history after changing its image.
”When I went to McGill, McGill (lacrosse) started as a beer drinking club,” Rathauser said. “When I got there, the year before they made it to the national championship and lost. You could tell it was a program on the rise. It was changing with what you should do and doing things right.”
Rathauser played four years at McGill. He captained the Canadian school his last two seasons, including his senior year when McGill won its first Canadian national championship.
”It was an honor to lead the guys,” Rathauser said. “I had a strong team of leaders. And they were great guys. We had a good group on and off the field. This is its own thing.”
Rathauser has been working out with the Israeli team over this past year while completing studies at Technion toward his MBA with a focus on start-up companies.
”It’s a one-year MBA program,” Rathauser said. “I’m done with classes. I’m finishing two consulting classes. I’m interning for Deloitte. I have an opportunity to start my own company. We’re doing a business incubation in Tel Aviv developing world innovations. We get to implement our project in Kenya sometime in October.”
Rathauser first heard of the Israeli team two years ago from a friend who played for them. Rathauser was able to try out and make the team in time to play in the European Championships in 2012 when Israel placed eighth.
”At that time, I was planning to play in that event, but I didn’t know about the Worlds,” Rathauser said. “We’ve taken the core group of guys and bolstered it. Everyone’s been working hard to get where we are today.”
Devery got a later start, but played in the Lightning Lacrosse program before playing at WW-P North. Among his high school teammates was current Knights head coach Chris Petrone. Devery moved to Nazareth College, a Division III college, after graduation.
”I played freshman year there,” Devery said. “I rode the pine pretty hard. After freshman year, I didn’t pick up a stick until I was back in Israel.”
Devery put lacrosse behind him as he finished his final three years of college at South Carolina. After graduation, he moved to Israel to study underwater archeology at the University of Haifa. While in Israel, he picked up lacrosse again after seeing others playing.
”I asked to borrow a stick,” Devery recalled. “I tried out for the team a month later.”
Devery had been away from the game for years, but he shook off the rust quickly and found his passion for lacrosse.
”It’s like riding a bike, but the bike hits back,” he said, adding of his ability to contribute. “I have to play smarter. Not being 18 anymore, you have to play angles. You have to play smarter, not harder.”
Devery played in the European Championships. He graduated from the Haifa in January and began working for the Israel Lacrosse Association.
”I do camps and clinics,” Devery said. “I try to give back to the community. I go to at-risk kids to work with them. I was U-13 girls coach and worked with our high school boys.”
Devery is looking forward to the chance to represent Israel at the world championships. He intends to return to Israel after the world championships to perform his civic duty.
”When I go back, I’ll start preparing to join the IDF,” Devery said. “Hopefully I’ll be in a combat role by next November, 2015.”
The immediate challenge for Devery, Rathauser and their teammates is preparing to take on the world’s best teams with only one week together.
”I think we’re looking pretty good,” Devery said. “It’s the first time we’ve been able to practice as a full squad, so there are going to be some wrinkles we have to iron out.
”We’re playing better each day in practice. Hopefully by the time the Opening Ceremonies start, we’ll be ready to go.”
It took special dedication from each of their players to be ready. They had to be internally motivated to be in position to play the toughest teams in the world.
”This past year, it’s easy after a college lacrosse season to be in good shape because you’re playing and practicing so much,” Rathauser said. “This past year required me to do a lot of that on my own. We practiced a lot, but it’s still a big commitment.”
Israel is one of nine countries making its world championships debut. They open play in the Orange Division with Sweden. Korea and Slovakia are also in their group.
”One of our challenges as a program is some of our players are scattered across continents,” Rathauser said. “Parts of the team have been competing. This is the first time we’re putting all the parts together and becoming the team we can be.”
Rathauser and Devery play defense, an area that needs particularly good teamwork and communication to be successful.
”Defense is looking very strong,” Devery said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to contribute and win some games. We’re still trying to figure out the final slots. A strong defense is crucial to winning teams.”
Devery is hopeful that the Israeli team can match its women’s team world championship debut. They were eighth.
”I think we’re going to do pretty well,” Devery said. “The team is confident in our abilities. We think we’ll be able to turn some heads in this tournament.”
Said Rathauser: “We have a lot of talent. Part of it is up to the coaches how to use and combine the talent. Beyond that, and we’re already seeing this happen, we have to continue to grow and bond as a family. We’ll grow a lot over the next three weeks. We need that. With growing comfortable, you’ll see that translate on the field.”
They are looking forward to competing. It’s the opportunity to live out the dream of a lifetime. Devery could not have imagined after graduating from WW-P North seven years ago.
”This wasn’t even on my radar,” he said. “I’m very fortunate to have come as far as I have.”
The area products are thrilled with their chance to play at the highest level and take on the world while representing such an integral part of their lives.
”We’re unique as far as countries go,” Rathauser said. “We represent different countries, and we’re representing a religion and a people. That’s what Israel is. Even though we’ve had different experiences, we’re all united by common beliefs.”