Tom Schreiber's link to lacrosse started soon after his birth.

"I know I got a little lacrosse stick the day I was born," said the East Meadow resident.

His father, Doug, began teaching Tom when he was in the first grade, playing in the backyard. In the third grade, Tom joined a local youth league.

That little kid grew into one of the nation's premier high school players at Saint Anthony's. Now he is an emerging college standout.

Schreiber earned the Ivy League rookie of the week award after he scored four goals last Saturday to spark the Princeton Tigers to an 8-3 victory at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore.

"I felt comfortable out there (on the field)," said the 18-year-old Schreiber, the lone freshman in Princeton's starting lineup. "The guys around me have had a lot to do with the success I've had so far...I like to think of myself as a pretty smart player. I am athletic. I am a guy who doesn't make a lot of mistakes: throwing the ball away or taking stupid shots."

After Princeton's first two games, Schreiber leads the team in scoring with six goals and an assist. In his college debut at fourth-ranked and undefeated Hofstra, the midfielder scored twice, getting his first college goal about five seconds after he first handled the ball.

"He’s a prime-time player. . . He's given us a burst of energy," said Princeton coach Chris Bates. "Works hard. Makes other guys better. Good vision. Shares the ball well. He’s humble. Given all the hype, he’s backed it up with a great work ethic. His teammates appreciate the way he goes about his business. He prepares every day. He wants to play, and he wants to win.”

Schreiber, one of the most-publicized prep athletes on Long Island his last two years at St. Anthony's, arrived on the Princeton campus in New Jersey with a big-time reputation, and facing big expectations.

He was rated the nation's No. 2 college recruit after being a two-time prep All-American (45 goals and 45 assists as a senior). He was also MVP of the 2009 Friars' varsity football team as a top-notch, savvy quarterback.

After selecting Princeton from among several college offers, Schreiber earned a starting job last fall. The 6-0, 190-pounder credits "a lot of hard work."

"Something my dad always preached to me: practice after practice. To stay after and do more," said Schreiber.

Often that included extra shooting drills, extra running and more time lifting in the weight room.

"I am pretty hard on myself, academically and athletically," said Tom Schreiber. "That is something my parents instilled in me. I like to achieve goals and I set them pretty high."

Always he has his father to guide and encourage him. Doug Schreiber, a two-time All-American and a national player of the year at the University of Maryland in the early 1970s, is a member of the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame. The elder Schreiber is a long-time assistant coach at Saint Anthony's  His mother, Liz, and his father, are "very devoted," said Tom, whose younger sister, Chrissy, is a junior athlete at Saint Anthony's.

For the 2011 season, Tom said the "ultimate goal" is to help Princeton pursue the NCAA championship.

"My dad says; 'Hate losing more than you love winning; keep that in the back of your mind while moving on to the next.'"

Schreiber's next game will be televised live on ESPNU. Princeton (1-1) will host 10th-ranked North Carolina Friday at 7 p.m. Schreiber said about a dozen relatives will attend, including aunts, uncles and cousins. In addition to his sports career, Schreiber is taking classes this spring in Spanish, history, politics and English.

He said he received "a really nice package" of financial aid to attend Princeton, where the annual cost is more than $52,000 a year.

His current coach thinks Schreiber will get better and better.

"He’s learning how to be a leader and bring other guys with him," said Bates. "His potential is whatever he wants it to be."