Samson's Hair and a Flair For Soccer

He was Sam Malone in a Harvard soccer uniform. All along, a main source of inspiration was his hair.

"At the end of Freshman year, I cut my hair for a formal," he says. "After that, however, I went about two and a half years without cutting my hair. In the end, I auctioned it off at the Winthrop auction and the highest bidder got to shave my head. We raised $500 for charity."

This story could only be about Harvard's graduating soccer captain Jason Luzalc intense on the field, laid back and sociable off the field.

"He's friends with everybody," comments one of his four roommates. "He's just a great guy. He'll do anything for you."

In his four years here, he has done a lot for Harvard soccer, bringing enjoyment to the fans and success to the program. And he did it with his explosive style of play.

"I'm aggressive and straightforward on the field," Luzak says with a hint of modesty. "I'm not fancy, I just want it more than the next guy."

Apparently, he wanted it a lot more than the next guy. Consider the stats:

Luzak was a two-time All-Ivy first-team selection. In his junior and senior years, he led Harvard in scoring with a combined 10 goals and 15 assists. And as a senior, he played in the New England All-Star game and won Most Valuable Player honors.

Perhaps just as important as his stats, however, was the leadership that Luzak brought to the team. His personable nature off the field coupled with his intensity on the field made Luzak an ideal leader.

With a new coach behind the bench this year for the Crimson, his position was all the more important.

"He's a great guy," senior Kenji Hall says. "He's very social, yet responsible. He did a great job leading, on and off the field."

He did. And now he leaves the Harvard soccer community with large shoes to fill. But Luzak does not plan on walking away from the sport he has grown to love.

"In mid-July, a team from Germany is flying me over for a tryout," said Luzak. "If things go well, I could stay in Germany for three, maybe even four or five years."

Luzak has already made one trip to Germany that went rather successfully. Although he did not get an offer to join the team, he came away from that trip feeling confident that soccer was still a possibility in the future.

"I was there for a week right at the end of this school year," Luzak said. "I had only three days of tryouts, so they didn't get the best look at my play. But they seemed impressed with what they saw."

It was not always apparent, though, that Luzak would find a future on the soccer field. Like many athletes, he played other sports in high school.

Growing up in Media, Pennslyvania, Luzak began playing soccer at the age of seven. But he was also interested in baseball and track.

Fortunately for Harvard, Luzak opted for kicking rather than hitting.

"Freshman year in high school, soccer began to be a large part of my life," Luzak said. "That year, I made a regional team, and by my senior year I was trying out for the under-18 national team. At that point, I knew I would play in the future."

And so he came to Harvard set on improving his game. At times, he wasn't so sure that Harvard was the best choice for his soccer career. But now he has a shot at a pro career, and everything seems to have fallen in place.

"In terms of everything, I would not trade in my stay at Harvard for anything," Luzak said. "The people I've met, and the places I've been have left me with memories that will last a lifetime."

And in return, Luzak has provided many fond memories for those who had the pleasure to watch him play on the soccer fields.