By Alton Hall
Being a team captain is one of the greatest honors an athlete can receive. The captain position is usually given to an athlete whom the rest of the team respects and trusts to lead the way. This spring, Josh Salem was selected by his teammates and coaches to be the one captain of the men’s lacrosse team at Western New England University.
A great responsibility comes with being the team captain, but luckily, Salem already has some experience with this type of leadership role. This past fall, Salem was also selected by his teammates and coaches to be the one captain of the football team here at Western New England University. Salem says, “It’s truly an honor to be selected as the sole leader of both my college athletic teams. It is what I regard as my greatest life accomplishment to date, and it means the world to me”.
Salem is a senior mechanical engineering major from Dracut, Massachusetts. Not only does Salem perform on the field, but he has also maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.775 inside the classroom. Salem has been a two-sport athlete for his entire 4-year career, and he has performed at the highest level for our Golden Bears on both the football and lacrosse field.
Salem tallied 260 tackles, 48 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions during three seasons as the team’s starting linebacker. Salem recorded a team-high 94 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and one forced fumble this past fall. He was also named to the All-CCC 1st Team.
When asked about his favorite memory of this past football season, Salem says, “Beating Springfield College on The Bear this fall was a great moment. Not being able to play since 2019, created such a massive buildup of focus and energy amongst the team and we played a fantastic game against our rival. It was awesome.”
Salem explained how being the one captain of the football team taught him so much about himself, like being an effective leader and a better teammate. He also reflected on his time as a Golden Bear football player, saying, “The moments off the field and the endless laughs with teammates in the locker room is what I’ll remember most. The memories on the field are great, but those moments with my teammates are ones I’ll never forget.”
Salem continues to wreak havoc as a defender on the lacrosse field when spring comes around. Salem started 19 out of the 20 games he played in his freshman year, picking up 22 groundballs along the way. He was also named to the All-CCC 3rd Team as a freshman.
In his sophomore year, the season was shortened due to Covid-19, but he still started all five games, picking up 11 groundballs and tallying one assist. He started all 12 games in his junior year, picking up 24 groundballs and another assist. He was also named to the All-CCC 2nd Team.
Salem and the Golden Bears are off to a 3-0 start this season. They have outscored their opponents by a total score of 44-20. Through 3 games, Salem has recorded five groundballs and scored his first career goal. As his Golden Bear athletic career winds down, Salem says, “This season, I’m most excited to finish out my athletic career with a great group of guys around me and end it on a high note. We’re off to a hot start, and we are very excited for what’s to come down the road”.
Salem has had a “life-changing” experience throughout his four years as a student-athlete here at Western New England University, but there is one thing that stands out to him the most: “The relationships I’ve built with my teammates that will extend past graduation and going forward for the rest of my life.” Following graduation this May, Salem plans to pursue a career in the engineering field.
