John Zsamboky and his little brother Ryan were seven and five, respectively, when they were first introduced to lacrosse.
Eleven years later, John and Ryan are playing together for Hungary in the country’s first appearance at the World Lacrosse Box Championships.
“Being teammates means absolutely everything,” John said. “I grew up training with him and playing with him in the yard every day.”
The brothers are from Westbury, New York. Their Hungarian heritage comes from their dad’s side, with their grandparents and some aunts and uncles hailing from the European country.
Their cousin got them into the sport. When John started playing, Ryan felt compelled to follow suit.
“I had to follow in big brother’s footsteps,” Ryan said. “He was always playing travel [lacrosse] and going out and competing.”
There wasn’t much of a sibling rivalry growing up. However, they both said that they constantly gave each other flak.
“Two years is a big difference, so I always liked to give him as much hardship whenever possible,” John said. “But he always gave me as much hardship as possible in response. We’d always compete in everything.”
But they knew the competition was because they loved and wanted to push each other.
Ryan said that he wasn’t often compared to John, as the two normally play different positions. But when he was, he considered it an honor.
“Why wouldn’t I want to be compared to him?” Ryan said. “I love him and he’s a great player.”
This tournament is not the first time they’ve played alongside each other. They’ve played on the same team in various leagues and tournaments ever since they were little.
John and Ryan have also played against each other in showcases. Neither could remember who won, just that it was a “battle.”
Both said it was a privilege to be wearing the uniform of their heritage.
“It’s an awesome thing to be a part of,” John said. “I know our grandparents are proud of us.”
John is gearing up for his first season at the University of Florida in 2025, so the two brothers won’t be playing with each other in the spring. Even so, they still plan to play together in the future.
