Fourteen years ago, Henry and Jackie Weller never thought they would be starting alongside each other for the Michigan men’s lacrosse team.
Not just because the program wasn’t even in existence when they were young — but because at one point they were unsure if they would continue playing to get to the point they are at today. From family battles to on-field perseverance, the Weller brothers bring a unique perspective to the Wolverines on and off the turf.
Despite growing up in Potomac, Md. — a noted lacrosse hotbed — the Weller brothers’ first love was not with the grass, but rather, with the ice. The boys enjoyed ice hockey more than anything early on thanks to their father, Marc Weller, a hockey fanatic. Their mother, Eileen Weller, loved how her sons integrated themselves in sports so early, from hockey to lacrosse to wrestling.
“They started learning how to skate when they were 3 years old,” Eileen told The Michigan Daily. “By first grade they were playing ice hockey and lacrosse.”
Eileen and her sons felt the skillsets from ice hockey and wrestling translated well into lacrosse. Henry attributed his ability to handle a lacrosse stick from his days wielding a hockey stick, while Jackie believed wrestling helped him with hand-eye coordination and building a strong core. When eighth grade rolled around, Henry and Jackie decided to put down the hockey sticks, feeling lacrosse was the sport they wanted to focus on.
“I played hockey my whole life,” Jackie told The Daily. “I stopped playing when I came to the realization that it was more realistic for me to pursue lacrosse.”
Three out of the four Weller brothers were involved in ice hockey, with the lone exception being Danny, who is currently also committed to Michigan for lacrosse. He is the second-youngest of five in a household of controlled chaos. When asked who was most responsible for causing mischief and headache for their parents, Danny’s name was immediately brought up by Jackie and Henry.
The brothers’ journey to lacrosse began at a small, cramped lacrosse facility in Bethesda, Md. Henry remembered getting out of his car to what vaguely resembled a parking lot and fiddling with a small plastic beginner stick, struggling to pick up ground balls — something which has now become his bread and butter. It came to a point for Jackie in fourth grade when he quit for a while, feeling his skills were not good enough.
It is safe to assume Jackie has fallen back in love with lacrosse despite some initial setbacks he and Henry faced early on.
A major reason both of the Wellers did not stand out early on was the fact they were not playing the positions they play today. Jackie, now a junior and currently the Wolverines’ faceoff man, was a defender, while Henry, now a sophomore, started off playing with a short stick like most kids. Jackie credits his club team coach, Matt Rienzo for MadLax DC Dogs, for seeing what he could do at the faceoff dot and engineering the switch from long stick midfield. Jackie flipped positions with teammate and friend Mac Christmas, who is now one of the best long stick midfielders in the country for Duke.
“I was a long stick midfielder until eighth grade when I switched,” Jackie said. “Mac was a faceoff guy and I was LSM. Then coach Rienzo switched us, and I guess it worked out for both of us.”
Henry first decided he would make the permanent change to long stick midfielder after going to a clinic under Boh Mitchell who coached him up until college in the club circuit. Mitchell runs Next Level Lacrosse based in Bethesda, one of the premier club lacrosse organizations in the country.
“When he came to our first workout with Next Level, I knew he was special because he wasn’t one of those guys who was super flashy,” Mitchell told the Daily. “He was what you want in a college defender, being extremely disruptive.”
After hearing those words coming from someone who has seen some of the best talent in the country, it’s easy to assume that Henry was always ahead of the pack and never had to really struggle or work hard. But Henry and Jackie have always played with a chip on their shoulders.
When COVID-19 hit the country in March of 2020, everything — including sports — shut down. No one knew when anything would pick back up, including the Wellers, who were just about ready to kick off their high school careers.
After withstanding the hybrid learning method for two months in October 2020, the Wellers decided to change their scenery.
“We had an opportunity to go to IMG Academy that second semester,” Jackie said. “We took that opportunity, transferred mid-semester to IMG for the last three months of that year and loved our time there.”
When he and Henry had an opportunity to continue to attend IMG Academy, they sat down and decided to return to the Washington, D.C. area to play for St. John’s College High School, citing family, friends and faith as the main motivators.
“It really did feel like home,” Henry told The Daily. “We’ve always gone to a Catholic school from preschool to eighth grade, and then finished up at St. John’s. That was a big dealbreaker for us.”
When the Wellers returned to Maryland, they entered a program that was in a golden age of high school lacrosse. St. John’s was a school nationally recognized for producing top Division I talent every year in a multitude of sports, with lacrosse being one of the best.
The Weller brothers wanted to keep that going and proceeded to do so, winning back-to-back conference championships, including an undefeated 19-0 season and completing one of the greatest seasons in school history. Although Henry lost in the championship game his senior year against rival Gonzaga College High School, he and Jackie were content because they knew of what they had accomplished at one of the best conferences in the country.
“(The conference) is top-tier,” Jackie said. “Every game that I played in high school, I see those guys on the college field now making big plays.”
Mitchell was of the same sentiment when asked about the level of talent that exists in the D.C. area.
“There are just some people that are naturally good, but have a work ethic off the field that allows them to rise above the competition,” Mitchell said. “It starts at home, recognizing that nothing is given to you and being held accountable.”
Reflecting on their high school experience, the Wellers knew that even though they had a unique go-around, they wouldn’t have had it any other way. While going to three high schools was tough, Jackie viewed it as a blessing in disguise due to the opportunities that arose from it.
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An experience that the Wellers had to go through regardless of high school choice was their family’s battles with cancer. Eileen won a battle against lymphoma before Jackie, the oldest, was even born, but the Wellers have still had to face some tough tests of will.
“My family has the lynch syndrome, which is connected to breast cancer,” Eileen said. “Half my family has it, the others do not.”
Eileen and her sons have lost loved ones to cancer including cousins Henry and Jackie were close to growing up. Going through a tough health situation can break anyone’s spirits. But for Eileen, she’s never let hardships hold her back.
“I was raised in a very strong Catholic upbringing,” Eileen said. “When I was diagnosed, I never asked, ‘Why me?’ Because of my faith and belief in God and how things will work out, I didn’t question it, and it carried me through my own illness.”
Henry and Jackie took it upon themselves to help spread awareness for cancer research in high school by joining and participating in a club called HEADstrong. HEADstrong is an organization and team founded by a local father, Nicholas Colleluori, who lost his son to cancer and wanted to make a way for young players to express their support while enjoying the game he loved.
“He wanted to create something for families that were going through cancer,” Eileen said. “Until you’re touched by it, you don’t realize the impact it can have on your lives. Those guys have done an amazing job.”
The Weller brothers were joined by other standout players showing their support for cancer awareness such as star North Carolina attacker Dominic Pietramala. While playing for HEADstrong, the brothers showcased their on-field talent while promoting a positive message all in the same motion, something Mitchell noted as another trait that makes them stand out.
“Give a lot of credit to Mr. and Mrs. Weller,” Mitchell said. “They are always very selfless. They don’t play for themselves but are always looking for ways to coach and raise money for organizations.”
Mitchell knew he had a special relationship with Henry, but may have not realized its extent as he was coaching him. When Henry’s high school career ended, he took time to write a personal note of thanks to Mitchell. Mitchell, who had coached thousands of kids to that point, had never received a letter from a player like that.
“It’s moments like that that tell you who Henry really is as a person,” Mitchell said.
Henry valued the importance of coaching that Mitchell instilled in him, and still participates as a camp counselor with Next Level camps along with Jackie to teach tips to the youth. Giving back in various ways shows the Weller brothers’ dedication to better themselves on and off the field.
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Heading into his first year away from home, Jackie admitted he initially felt well-prepared for the college scene. But it still hit him hard — literally.
“First day of practice, these guys are huge,” Jackie said. “Played good defense against a senior and said ‘I kinda got this.’ And then when he re-squared me up, put his shoulder into me and laid me out, I said, ‘Ok maybe this is going to take a minute.’ Nothing can simulate the jump from high school to college lacrosse.”
For Jackie and Henry, having to work their way up meant doing what they had always done: outwork everyone, from the field to the weight room and film sessions.
“Henry was a lab rat,” Mitchell said. “He wanted to do lessons with me and (Next Level coach) Richie Bartozzi, work out, watch film, build IQ…to be able to play at the Big Ten level, you have to have that obsession with the game.”
The hard work has paid off thus far, with Jackie and Henry both playing meaningful minutes for the Wolverines despite some injury struggles. Jackie missed his entire sophomore season with an ACL tear, while Henry recently suffered a pulled jaw. But even at their lowest points, Eileen knew her sons would do whatever it took to get back to where they were, and credited their foundation in faith as a major component.
“They had faith in God to give everything up to train and fight to get back,” Eileen said. “As a parent, there is only so much you can do, so when I see them taking what I say and still doing things like going to church every Sunday, it’s just this stuff that warms your heart.”
The Wellers’ journey at Michigan is far from over. Danny and the youngest brother, Billy, are already planning on attending, with their younger sister, Bridie, coming up the ranks. When asked about this dream scenario, however, Eileen and Jackie said they would love it if everyone went to Ann Arbor, but they want to make sure each kid goes to the school that is best for them. Nevertheless, the Wolverines will still be at the top of Eileen’s list.
“It has so much to offer,” Eileen said. “The education is hands down top in the country and the boys know that’s what they are there for.”
When asked about his love for Michigan, Jackie had a simple response:
“I’ll die for this school.”
From ice hockey to COVID-19 to cancer, the Wellers have not always had the most straightforward path despite their talent level. The fact remains that in the words of Mitchell, talent must be combined with hard work and effort in order to rise above the crowd. And the Weller brothers are the latest example of what can be accomplished when a dream is pushed to reality through rounds of struggles and success.
