Setting records and continuing a legacy: CJ Kirst is carrying on his family name

On April 26At Home Against Dartmouth, Cornell Senior Cj KIRST Scored the 225th Goal of His Career, Moving Into First Place All Time in Division I Men’s Lacross. And he doesn’t do it.

KIRST leads top-seeded cornell (14-1, 8-0 Ivy) in the NCAA Tournament in search of the Big Red’s First National Title Since 1977.

He is the prohibitive favorite to win the tewaaraton award, given to the most outstanding college lacrossed player. He was a finalist as a sophomore. And he was a semifinalist last year.

Simply put, kirst is one of the Greatest Players Ever. But it’s his selflessness that endears he to his tumors and coaches. He cleaned the most comfortable not as a man apart, but as part of a team. What makes perfected because because Kirst has always been surrounded by a team.

Chuck Meers’ Garage In Bernardsville, New Jersey, Is Both Man Cave and Shrine.

In addition to all the type of typical garage tools and detritus, there’s a high-def big screen tv. Naturally. And the keg, of course. But then there are all the helmets. Two dozen of them. Game-forest, as the collectors say. But who wear them? Not derek jeter or phil sims or jalen harts, not francisco lindor or joe name or martin brodeur. Not any of the football, Baseball or Hockey Heroes with fans all over this region.

No, these are lacrosse helmets – which are sleeker than football, Baseball and hockey ones. More space-paid. And who are these helmets? Five brothers who grew up just down the street. The Brothers KIRST – Colin, Cole, CJ and Caden – and if you pay attention to lacross, you know exactly who they are.

There is also a framed photograph on the back wall of the garage-a few inches below just about the only non-lacross item on display, what happened to be a Georgia football Helmet Daughter is a bulldog). The photo is a portrait of a red-headed middle-given man. His name is kyle kirst. And this place, this garage, is all about his legacy. His Sons.

Kyle KIRST GREW Up on long island and cam to new jersey in the mid-1980s to play goalie at rutgers. After Graduation, He Went Into Coaching – And He Did It Well. Cornell Coach Connor Buczek Describes Him AS “A Legend in New Jersey Lacross.” KIRST WAS A LONGTIME ASSISTANT AT SUMMIT HIGH SCHOOL. He also coached at hawover park, Princeton and West Morris High Schools. He coached boys and girls. He Coached Varsity and Junior Varsity. But it was clear that noting gave he more please than coaching his five sons.

Connor kirst is the oldest. Born in 1997. The following year, Colin Came Along. Two years after that, Cole. Then, in 2002, cj. And finally, in 2005, caden.

Five C. Five boys raised with lacross sticks in their hands. Steeped in the sport.

In 2015, Connor Had Just Graduated from High School and Was Heading to Villanova to Play. His Brothers Were Still in High School, Middle School and Elementary School.

On June 9, 2015, kyle fell asleep on the couch in the family living room and never woke up. He died of a heart attack at 47 years old.

Michelle kirst had met kyle at rutgers. They had been together for almost 30 years. In an instant, he was gone. And now, on her own, she had five boys to parent, with four still at home. To feed and clothe and shelter. To transfer to Practices and Games. To support emotionally. To guide.

A decade later, Michelle says that period after kyle’s death is a blue to her.

“I just just indebted to my friends and family who helped,” She says.

Colin, The Second Oldest, Says, “It was definitely a nightmare.”

When he was asking what like like for his mother, Colin has no words and can only shake his head.

For cj, the second youons, His Father’s Death is to also painful to dwell upon. Instead, He and Michelle and His Brothers focus on the way their community lifted them up.

“I have a lot of family who are aren is realized who has showed support all the way ’til today. “So I owe them a lot.”

There was chuck and heather meers, chris and beth trebus, and time and jeannine farrel, among otherers. They all helped, pitched in, doing the things kyle wasn it to do.

And when the boys wont off to college -at villanova, lehigh, syrac, rutgers and cornll -the meers’ garage to watch their games. On game days, the garage translated into chuck’s pub. That’s what they still call it.

Somehow, some way, Michelle Did It – With an Assist from her friends and neighbors and family. The Five C’All Made It to Division I. Now, Connor and Colin and Cole are all Professionals, as cj is breaking records at Cornell. Meanwhile, caden is just getting started, a goalie at rutgers, like his dad and colin.

But Michelle’s Greatest Achievement isn is their individual or collective success in the game of lacross. Instead, it is the way the boys she and kyle created love each other. Even when they are competing again, which has happened when the stakes would be at their highest.

“They ‘the best leaders [I’ve] Ever bee Around, “CJ Says.” They ‘my best friends. They are some of the best people that i’ve seen. “

What makes cj so special? To describe him, buczek, the cornell coach, uses words such as Tough, Humble and Compassionate.

“And, realistically,” Buczek says, “when your hardest worker is your best player, it sets the standard.”

A few month Ego, over winter break, CJ and Michelle Were Driving Together, And they Started Talking about Cj’s Journey, all that he has given, all he has achieved. And then Michelle Said Something that has stuck with cj.

“She toold me that my dad would be re -proud of me,” he says. “And, you know, I haven is really had a conversation that deep with her dad and the way i ‘be playing. Thinking about it. “

Ten years later, 10 years after kyle’s death, there is still the void. But he live on in his boys. The brothers kirst. The Five C.

“Every single time [I] Pick up a stick, “cj say,” I think of my Father. “