By Joseph Staszewski
D.J. Glazer has just accomplished what her father strived to do.
The Bayside senior soccer star said her dad, Larry, had hopes of earning a scholarship to play football at Syracuse growing up before blowing out his knee playing at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy. Over the weekend, Glazer completed her own Division I dream by verbally committing to play at Marist next season, accomplishing what her dad had hoped to years ago.
“I’m just ecstatic about it,” she said. “It’s not just a great thing for me, but it feels so good because I am the first person in my family to get this honor to go on and play sports [in college]. It gives me an even better feeling about it.”
Glazer has had a good vibe about Marist throughout the recruiting process. Marist first saw Glazer playing at the Las Vegas College Showcase in March. She spoke about the beauty of the campus on the Hudson River and the comfort level she felt with second-year head coach Katherine Lyn and her future teammates. It reminded her of her Massapequa Elite club team.
Glazer, who is one of the city’s top goal scorers, was recruiting as a defender, the position she plays for Massapequa Elite. The Red Foxes are coming off the best season in program history. They posted 13 wins, won their first MAAC championship and made their first ever appearance in the NCAA tournament in 2011.
“The players there remind me of the players on my [club] team,” said Glazer, who plans to enter the school’s liberal arts college. “The whole experience that I had there put everything in perspective. This is the school I want to play for.”
She had a breakout season as a junior, following a tumultuous two years that saw her transfer from St. Francis Prep as a freshman and miss the second half of her sophomore campaign with a foot injury. Last season she lead the city with 59 goals and helped the Commodores win the PSAL Queens A-IV division title and earn a trip to the league’s Class A semifinals.
“She is a strong player all around,” Bayside coach Maggie Kassimis said. “She can play forward, midfield, and defense. Sometimes I wish I had six different D.J.’s on the team.”
Glazer has already scored 11 goals this season and has Bayside off to a 5-0-1 start. Her success has helped bring her and her team a bit of a cult following during her time at the school. Kassimis, who lauded Glazer’s toughness and competiveness, said she will often see younger club soccer players in the stands or in the sideline there to see Glazer play.
“These little 8-year-old girls are asking me, ‘Where’s number 10?’”, Kassimis said.
Next season the answer will be Marist.
