Jackson Bonitz figured he had two competing plans when the year began. He was a member of the incoming Class of 2024 at the Naval Academy, and he was part of the U.S. U19 men’s national team set to participate in the world championships in Ireland.

“Everyone I talked to and people that had been to the Naval Academy said, ‘There was probably no way they’re going to let you out of plebe summer for anything,’” Bonitz said.

Only he was informed by Midshipmen coach Joe Amplo he would be permitted to slip out of Annapolis for two weeks. At least until the COVID-19 pandemic ruined those plans.

Instead, Bonitz will get both experiences, for better or worse. The pandemic altered the dynamics of the traditionally demanding plebe summer, but it still wasn’t fun. All midshipmen were required to undergo a two-week quarantine upon arriving at school. Bonitz’s initial roommate tested positive for the virus two days after arriving, meaning Bonitz had to spend two weeks in isolation as part of contact tracing.

But at least that world championship trip was simply pushed back a year in hopes it could be played next summer.

“I was pretty bummed about [the initial cancellation],” Bonitz said. “I couldn’t believe it because I had been waiting for a while for it, and I was so excited. Then a couple weeks later, coach [Nick] Myers said they’d moved it to 2021 and it would be the U20 championships, which was pretty relieving.”

Like for so many others, this year has been a series of ups and downs for the defenseman, who has impressed his new coaches and teammates during Navy’s fall workouts. And he’s also finding his footing in dealing with the academy’s rigors.

Bonitz was originally committed to Penn State during the first half of his high school career at McDonogh (Md.), but he was intrigued about the benefits of attending a service academy and fulfilling a military commitment after graduation.

Then came a coaching change, which for many high-profile recruits might mean a time to look for a new school. Not Bonitz, who to the delight of Amplo, remained steadfast in his plans to come to Navy.

“It certainly didn’t hurt that when I took the job, he was committed,” the second-year Navy coach said. “It was kind like a signing bonus. Here, you can have this job, and by the way, here’s one of the best players in the country. He’s a great kid, and he’s got this desire to serve and be at this institution, and that speaks volumes. He’s made an impact already with his personality. He’s so driven. There are stories of him already staying up late and studying and grinding it out in the classroom and working at it.”

Much of what drives Bonitz is long-term thinking. The academy provides some job security for after his college career is over, but it’s also an opportunity to be around people who are equally driven about making a difference with their lives. Sure enough, Bonitz was struck by the number and diversity of impressive people he met during his first month on campus.

But there were other demands to get used to. The military element is difficult to prepare for, and there’s also a healthy course load to adjust to.

“One thing that stressed me out the most is the work, but I’ve at least gotten to a point where I’m in a routine,” Bonitz said. “At the beginning, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m not going to be able to finish all this stuff in a week. This is crazy.’ Especially on top of lacrosse and all the military plebe stuff, because a plebe is completely different than the other years. All eyes are on you.”

Amplo said Bonitz started asserting himself within the first couple weeks of fall practices. There’s a reason he’s such a well-regarded player. He possesses good stick skills and understands team defense, and while not flashy, he mixes a quiet aggression with an ability to easily fit in with the rest of the roster.

Best of all, Navy managed to have several weeks of practices, something not everyone in the country has enjoyed this fall. Credit for that goes in part to the academy’s controlled environment.

“We got stuck here, but the nice thing about that is we all got stuck here,” Bonitz said. “We’re not doing everything we want to do because COVID is still taking away from that a little bit, but I didn’t realize how lucky we were. Especially on [a recent] call with Team USA, a lot of those guys aren’t even allowed to be on campus. I have all my classes in person except for one. It’s almost back to normal.”

A better test of normal will be actually getting in a full season in 2021, a year Bonitz also hopes can include a belated trip to Ireland. In a sense, he could wind up wearing two uniforms representing the country if next year unfolds as hoped.

“Any opportunity you get to put the USA jersey on, from a personal standpoint, it doesn’t compare in terms of experiences,” Amplo said. “It’s such a unique experience that so few people get to do, and I think for him, it’s kind of twofold. He’s going to go and serve our country four years from now and he’s representing Team USA on the lacrosse field. I think for him, there’s more added value.”