David Daras experienced a difficult sophomore year consisting of a bad breakup and family problems. David ached to find an escape from reality, so he turned to lacrosse.
“It got me through a dark period,” David said. “I decided to commit my life to it.”
Wanting to try something new second semester of his junior year, David moved in with his father in Zionsville, Indiana, and enrolled at Zionsville High School.
“I was pretty bummed, but I understood his reasons for going,” Paul Hazan, friend and teammate, said. “I didn’t try to stop him from being happy with his dad.”
In Zionsville, David was with his dad, to whom he dedicates much of his success as both a man and a lacrosse player. David would also get to play lacrosse for the two-time State Champions Zionsville High School team.
While at Kirkwood, David was a starter on defense for the Pioneers. As a newcomer to Zionsville, he experienced games from a new perspective: the bench. David became a backup long-stick midfielder on the Zionsville team behind a senior with multiple D1 athletic scholarships.
“I was upset, but I knew he was a captain and a great guy as well,” David said. “So I let him do his thing and when I could help out, I would.”
In addition to being left out of the action most games, David also felt removed from the social spectrum at Zionsville.
After the school year ended, David’s father got a new job in Connecticut. David knew he could not make another transition, so he made the decision to move back to Kirkwood. David accepted giving up the chance for a State Championship ring the next year to return home.
“I saw Kirkwood [lacrosse] faltering, so I knew I had to come back,” Daras said. “I’m not going to let my hometown diminish its program.”
After a long summer, Paul was relieved to find out his best friend was coming home. However, he noticed a difference in his once crazy and energetic friend. David was self-aware of this change.
“I matured a lot [in Zionsville],” David said. “I’m known for being immature and hyper but in Zionsville I had to tone it down because no one wants to hang out with the weird psycho kid making animal noises in class.”
David, changed and unsure of how he would be welcomed back, returned to KHS before the start of his senior year. Upon his return, David learned some KHS students did not know he had ever left. He said some thought he had dropped out.
“I loved how my friends accepted me right back even though I ditched them,” David said. “It was weird seeing all these people looking at me like, ‘Why are you here?’”
After graduating, David will attend college to play lacrosse and pursue a career as a coach. Right now he is planning on attending to play D2 lacrosse at Post University in Connecticut, close to where his father lives.
Reunited with his best friend, Paul said he would not want to spend his senior season with anyone other than David, who is now a captain on the team.
“It means a lot for the both of us,” Paul said. “[Last year] we lost a good player as well as a leader. I think the team’s a lot stronger this year and we’d be missing a key player if he wasn’t here.”
