Tuesday, December 17, 2002

I must admit that the whole brew-ha-ha thing with the CSU administration last week kind of took the wind briefly out of my writing sails. For a moment I was thinking that maybe it (writing) on line wasn’t that much fun after all. I’ll get over it.

We had a very fine practice Tuesday night. I use the word practice because that’s really what it was. Despite the fact that we are very much out-of-season, and with the limitations of 32 people in such a small area (small for sticks and balls) we really got in some good work. The fact that 32 players were there at all was good in and of itself. I was pleased with situation recognition or ‘reading’ in our 4 on 4’s and 4 on 3’s, and the responses to them by both defense and offense. Things change when it is tight, or inside, or even under the lights, but the game concepts do not. This team gets that. Robi used his college education (or brute strength) to get the huge curtain covering most of the vulnerable windows in the field house (0 broken for the night – 1 total for the season).

The spirit and energy in there was better than good. It was excellent. When I see that team passion it just makes me excited about the season to come.

APRIL 12, 2003 ON MY MIND

We had a lunch meeting (7 people) at one of our sponsor restaurants (CB&Potts) today. The subject was the April 12, 2003 game scheduled at Rocky Mountain High School against Michigan. We are going to have youth games in the morning and more games all day long with progressively advanced age groups right up to our clash with Michigan under the lights. We talked about all kinds of the things, from security to concessions. We are also looking into a possibility of some kind of alumni gathering with perhaps UM and CSU past and present along with local VIP’s at a BBQ the night before. I know Big Blue has strong alumni support almost everywhere..

I want the whole event promotion to sort of carry a headline or banner that states the mission of the day. It should be something like, "Local Community, Poudre School District, and CSU Work Hand in Hand to Stage Biggest Lacrosse Day Ever in Fort Collins". Perhaps I need to streamline and highlight for slogan purposes. I’ll be working on a catchy name for April 12 over the holidays. Isn't April 12 some significant day? Like maybe Francis Scott Keyes wrote the Star Spangled Banner that night? How about Face-off at the Fort?

CLUB SPORTS PHILOSOPHY – PAGE 1

There are great human resources available inside the student community itself at pretty much any university. A crucial element to "club" success is getting people in and around the program to put their talents in a variety of areas that help the team prosper. This is key. I am as convinced of this as I am of the fact that there will always be some players that will never lift a finger to raise money or whatever, because they think that what they give as a player is enough. My message to them has always been and remains to this day that it is not enough to just play. It is not enough to get the things that we all really want.

So, that is the stick part to my carrot and stick theory. The carrot must come from incentive for students to put forth this extra effort. They need something a little more tangible than,"It will look good on your resume" to be the club president or whatever. Does anyone have a clue how hard it is to be a club president, and how much work is involved? I do not know how much is possible, but I see great potential in my utopian vision of club sports in general, and specifically this lacrosse program.

Class credit is the first thing that comes to my mind. Internships are a great way for students to gain experience, too. Our (club) organization offers many avenues for experience, because we are very much like a real company. Our budget is well over 6 figures. In a time when money is tight, it is all the more logical to me that universities look more creatively to sustain growth in all areas of the education process that can help young people to become more decent grown-ups. I believe that club sports done right can be the highest form of student-athlete. Student-athlete should conjure up visions of soundly balanced minds and bodies (hangovers not withstanding).

PAGE 2

Speaking financially, I have given thousands and thousands of dollars to the Colorado State University at Fort Collins through the university foundation. I have donated thousands and thousands more through sponsorship from my company that doesn’t show up on anybody’s books except Rock-it Pocket. Still, I think the gifts that I have given to the university that have no actual dollar value are by far the greater of my gifts.

Flip Naumburg……Goooooooooooooood day.

Napi made the Mammoth practice squad. Way to go, boy.

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