Ponting picks Princeton
Adam Ponting is Princeton bound.
The 17-year-old Welland native recently agreed to attend the prestigious Ivy League school, accepting their offer to study and play lacrosse beginning in the fall of 2026.
“I’m very excited,” Ponting said. “This is an amazing opportunity. I never thought I’d be in this situation two years ago.”
Ponting began high school at Notre Dame before switching in Grade 10 to The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey, a private boarding school which he says has made a significant difference preparing him for his post-secondary studies.
“They have a great team and a great coach. That’s where I got the exposure to Princeton and I also went into a few showcases over the summer,” he said. “I feel like it’s preparing me for university very well. The schedule we have here is more like a university schedule than at your average high school in Canada and just the competitive nature of practices and how difficult school is, it’s really preparing me how to become more responsible and resilient.”
Ponting was exposed to Lawrenceville two years ago when he received a message from the coaching staff asking him to come for a visit.
“At that point, I didn’t really know anything about Lawrenceville,” Ponting said. “I talked to my parents and said they said yes and then as soon as we got down to the campus and we saw how beautiful it was and how great the school was, I just couldn’t say no.”
Princeton is located only about 10 minutes from Lawrenceville. Ponting went for a visit recently and was blown away by the school and their facilities.
“It was amazing, it was great. The campus was beautiful,” he said. “I love the coaches — all the coaches were great — and the team was especially was the reason I wanted to go there. I could really see myself fitting in with those guys. They had a great, great team culture.”
He couldn’t say yes fast enough when presented wth the offer.
“I kind of knew right away,” he said. “That’s where I wanted to go. It’s always been like that since I came to Lawrenceville. I always wanted to go there, so as soon as I got that offer, I was extremely excited.”
Ponting, who just began Grade 11, has worked hard to get to this point.
“It was a lot to get used to . . . it’s very hard. Lots of lots of homework every night, but the lacrosse side of it really it makes it worthwhile. We’re practising every day at such a high level it’s incredible. It’s really something that I’ve always wanted to do.”
Ponting, who played a handful of games for the St. Catharines WMKL Athletics this season, is presently concentrating on his studies and working out before games begin in the spring.
“We still have lifts in the morning three times a week at 6:30 a.m. and then we have when the season starts practice every day after school or games. Then we have study hall from eight to 10, so pretty much it’s school, lacrosse, study hall and go then to bed,” he said.
Ponting still has plenty of time to decide on a major. He is relieved to have his future already mapped out.
“It is a relief, it’s more of an honour to be able to go to Princeton, but to have this set up at like such a young age, it’s a crazy feeling. It’s a great feeling.”
Ponting plans to return home in November for American Thanksgiving and then again at Christmas and March Break.
“Yeah, it is pretty hectic, but I do really miss them (family and friends) for sure,” he said.
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