Ralph Kunzman '86 is one of three Lake Forest College alumni to be inducted into the Hall of Fame for lacrosse.
Kunzmann entered the College after a successful high school career at the Pingry school in Watchung, New Jersey. That followed him into the Forest where he continued to be a talented athlete and earned 12 varsity letters as a Forester: four in each lacrosse, soccer, and hockey. A goalie in all three sports, he captained the soccer and lacrosse teams, was Most Valuable Player in soccer, and earned All-Conference honors in soccer and lacrosse. Kunzmann was also the recipient of the Nicholas J. Wayslik Athletic Award.
As an impactful member of the Lake Forest College community both on and off the sports fields, we reached out to Kunzmann to ask him about the recent announcement that lacrosse is returning to campus as a varsity program for the 2021-2022 academic year.
What was your reaction when you heard the news about lacrosse being added back to the College's varsity sports offerings?
I was thrilled to hear this news. Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports in the Midwest for both men and women. The Northwestern women's team has been a powerhouse. Lacrosse has been primarily an east coast sport. Within the past 10 years, it has been flourishing in the local high schools and youth programs.
What was your favorite part about being a member of the Forester lacrosse program?
My freshman year was [lacrosse's] first official year as a varsity program. It was exciting to be part of this inaugural season. I was fortunate enough to play with some really talented lacrosse players (Mark Talgo, Eric Jensen and Lyle Shirley) to name a few.
What was your most memorable experience as a student-athlete at the College?
Getting an excellent education, having awesome teammates, and playing three sports. Life was good!
Can you recall a memory from a big game or significant victory?
Scoring victories against Big Ten Schools such as Ohio State and Michigan State. I believe the Michigan State victory was in overtime.
Who was your head coach during the time you played?
Wayne Braxton. Coach Braxton was dedicated to getting the program off the ground in the early 80's. He was a student of the game, spending numerous hours preparing practice plans and game strategies. The program grew by leaps and bounds in the early years and competed with programs with far superior resources due to his recruiting efforts.
What advice you would offer a young athlete considering playing lacrosse at Lake Forest?
[Lake Forest College] provides an outstanding environment for the student athlete to succeed. [The College] has excellent resources to balance both academic and athletic excellence. It may be a small school; however, athletics play a significant role in campus life. Professors and coaches are accessible and have the student-athletes best interest as a priority. The College provides wonderful opportunities to succeed post-college.
Have you stayed involved with the sport since graduation from the College and if so, how?
I coached youth hockey in Winnetka and Barrington. In addition to coaching teams, I was in charge of goaltender development with these youth organizations. I was also fortunate enough to coach the Northbrook Shooting Stars with fellow alum Dave Harris. This was one of the first all-girls Illinois hockey teams in the late 80's, early 90's. For several years, when my sons were in grade school, I taught Lacrosse at their after-school enrichment program.
(Some responses were edited for clarity.)
