“Cut corners now, and you’ll cut corners the rest of your life” — the famous words of Holderness School faculty member, Duane Ford ’74, still ring true for Dartmouth College Men’s Lacrosse Captain Griffin O’Neil ’21. Griffin has carried this motto from his time at Holderness through his four years at Dartmouth, and its influence is evident in his work both on and off the field. 

A two-time All-Ivy League Academic honoree in both his junior and senior years, he was also named a United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse League Association (USILA) Scholar All-American, a New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse League Association (NEILA) All-Academic honoree, and a College Sports Communicators (CSC) At-Large All-District member this Spring. This commitment to excellence in everything that he does allowed Griffin to establish himself as a key member of the Big Green’s defense early on in his Dartmouth career. 

From Humble Beginnings to Starting Lineup

Entering his Freshman year, Griffin had high expectations for himself: “When I first got to Dartmouth, I had this dream in my head that I was going to show up, and I was going to get on the field right away and play. Then, two weeks into Fall ball, I was the lowest number on the depth chart for defense.” Recognizing that nothing was going to be given to him unearned, he embraced the challenge: “It makes you rethink, am I doing the right things?

In that moment, I could have easily complained and shut down. But I  chose to keep working and put in the necessary time on the field, and just keep chipping away at it. After a few injuries, I was lucky enough to get an opportunity to get a lot of minutes during freshman year. From there, I never really looked back.” Griffin started the last six games of his freshman season and proceeded to start 34 of the next 38 games throughout his Dartmouth career, including every game during his junior and senior years.

Griffin (right) plays long-stick defense for Dartmouth College.

As Griffin established his role on the field, he also grew into a leadership role within the team. Named captain for his senior year, Griffin wanted to continue building upon the culture that had been established during his time at Dartmouth: “I think the past 2, 3, 4 years the guys in my class bought into understanding that every guy has a role on the team, whether that's when the balls roll out on Saturday or getting the team ready with scout reps on a Thursday or Friday.”

With his class’s leadership, the Big Green developed into a cohesive unit this Spring: “ Every guy found their role and took pride in doing whatever they could to help the team. It manifested in guys doing different things, but it cumulatively added up to make a roster of 45 guys who each contributed something special and something different.” This team-first mentality translated into the most successful season the Dartmouth Men's Lacrosse team has had in nearly 20 years. 

Hard Work, Team Culture, and A Season to Remember

The team posted their best record since 2006 and made their first appearance in the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse top-20 rankings since 2007. After 4 years, Griffin was proud of what their hard work accomplished: “ I’m super proud to look back at all the little steps of progress we made. Finishing this year with the best season that we've had in 15 or 20 years was something special.” 

Reflecting on his college career, Griffin recognizes the special bond he shares with his teammates: “We have this vested interest together and a culture of showing up to work every day, giving everything you have, and caring about each other as teammates. I realize how much the whole team puts into it, and understand how special a bond that is. We’re brothers and best friends. You don't get that opportunity with a group that big and that special, where everyone is working for a common goal. I don’t take it for granted at all.” Looking back at his lacrosse career, Griffin highlights the impact two of his former captains had on him. 

Stew Hutchinson '18 was the Holderness Boys Varsity Lacrosse captain during Griffin’s freshman year at Holderness: “He was a guy who I looked up to. He did all the right things, took the little things as seriously as the big things, and took me under his wing. He not only taught me a lot about lacrosse, but also about life at Holderness. He was a great influence on me.” Similarly, when Griffin arrived at Dartmouth, senior captain Peter Rizzotti welcomed him into the program: “He cared to his core about the program, that was his number one priority. There was no difference between how he treated the junior and senior guys on the team versus how he treated the freshmen and sophomores on the team.” 

Fordos Lasting Influence

Griffin’s emphasis on the importance of the little things and fostering team culture were reinforced by his four years playing for Duane Ford: “ Having spent time with him both on the football field and the lacrosse field, the first thing that I think about is how passionate he is about not cutting corners, whether on the path or in life. He cares so fervently about all the little details. That is something I keep with me today.”

As Griffin reflects on his time at Holderness and Dartmouth before he begins the next phase of his life as an analyst in the infrastructure group at KRR, he attributes his success to persistence: “Sometimes the tunnel doesn't seem like it has light at the end, but if you put in the time, it usually works out.”