The Army experience was not entirely different from that of a college athlete. Thul said he took several lessons learned from Alberici and applied them to his time in service.
“Lacrosse is a team sport, and the thing that keeps me going is being the best I can be for the team,” he said. “The more time I spent in the Army, you get really good at team building. What’s really hard is getting people when they’re scared, when they’re tired, when they’re hungry, when they’re cold, to stand up, walk forward and accomplish a very complicated task.”
Thul’s Army resume is full of accomplishments, and it took him less than five years to rise through the ranks. However, he had to make sacrifices along the way — like giving up his MLL career after playing in just eight games from 2015-17.
For years, Thul had to put lacrosse in the back of his mind to allow him to perform at a high level in his new career. The once bulldozing attackman dropped down to 215 pounds and trained with CrossFit and half marathons. He didn’t want a lacrosse career to take away from his focus for his unit and the United States Military.
“I would think about it all the time,” he said. “When you decide to retire, especially from something that’s been a big part of your life, it’s painful. I used to avoid watching sports because it pained me to watch. Now, I realize I did that because I was running away from something I truly loved.”
While his service in the Army was the priority, Thul was becoming a better leader. He was learning how to be a better teammate. He was gaining a better perspective on what it meant to be physically fit. He was becoming a better lacrosse player without evening knowing it.
After returning from Korea, where he helped mentor some of the members of its national team while in service, Thul started picking up a stick more often than he had in previous years. When he watched Army lacrosse, he started getting that same sense of excitement and pride that he had when he played.
The man they called “The Hulk” was ready for a comeback. He told his wife, Casey, that he wanted to retire from his service and pursue a second shot at professional lacrosse.
Thul spoke with fellow Army Lacrosse alums at Fort Bliss, like Chaos LC defenseman Johnny Surdick. The two plan to meet up and train together as the Premier Lacrosse League season approaches.
“For me, having an attackman of that caliber out here to practice and get reps with is fantastic,” Surdick said. “He is absolutely in good shape. I don’t have any doubts about him or his play for this year. Having him come back, you see the light at the end of the tunnel, that it’s still possible to keep up with your skills. It could encourage more Army guys to want to play professionally and show that it can be done.”
Thul’s tenure with the Army officially ends in July, so he’s not in the clear just yet. However, he has started training with a personal speed and agility coach in El Paso, working on his explosiveness and power. He’s dropped his CrossFit regimen and long-distance running.
The physically imposing attackman is slowly coming back to form. This time, he brings a wealth of experience in leadership and team-building with him. He hopes to hear his name called during the PLL Entry Draft on March 25, but he’s excited for his potential, regardless of where he ends up.
He’s not only trying again for himself, but to give his children — Charlie, 8; Samantha, 3; and a new baby on the way — a chance to see what their father can do on the lacrosse field. That bruising dodger who could run over defensemen? That’s Dad.
“I'm just a completely different me than I was the last time I was on a field,” Thul said. “They’re still getting the same hard-nosed guy they had before. They’re still getting the same hard-working guy, but I’m more disciplined and focused than ever. I’m a better leader and team player than I was before. I’m excited for me 2.0.”