Monday, February 24, 2003

THIS TEAM COMES IN COLORS (COLLARS)

I went on to the USLIA web site yesterday to check out the scores from other games. The season of lacrosse is gaining steam, and everyone’s schedule seems to include earlier big games than ever before. I couldn’t help but notice that #1 Sonoma had beaten #8 Stanford 15-1 at Stanford. Wow! My first thought was the same one from last week after they spanked somebody, which was that it looks like they (SSU) are coming together quickly and nicely once again. We played Stanford to OT before winning in St. Louis just last May.

I had to read the article and the quotes from the game. They seem quite good with the media as well. They are a mature program, balanced and well coached. They had great scoring balance in their romp. I want that really badly, too (scoring balance and a romp). They were the Cossacks and fundamentally sound and difficult to beat in the late 80’s when I was at UCSB. We especially hated to go play them in Rhonert Park at their mud hole. Now as the Sea Wolves they exhibit tradition and many of the same characteristics of excellence. Nothing seemingly has changed but the Name and the names. That, and the fact that they are now the national champs.

One of the quotes in the article was from one of the SSU players talking about how they are a blue collar team, and it got me thinking about us, and I guess the fact that even though my players sometimes use the term blue collar, I do not. At least not lately. We can't be a blue-collar team. Too many things change too fast here. How can you be blue collar when you don’t even know if or where you will practice on a daily basis? We never know if we need one lunch pail or a bunch of them, tennis shoes or cleats. Our team must be the product of perspiration and inspiration. Players as individuals must be motivated to work on their own to bring their own personal best to the team.

MIXED BAG

Any moment that we can play lacrosse, we must play lacrosse. All the "breaking down" of the parts of the game must be done in committees or whatever; the EMO study group must work on the side. We don’t have time for me to be controlling either. I don’t give them work out programs. I probably should, but I want it to come from inside them, not me.

We have all different types here. The trick is to make this batch of mixed nuts blend together. We have guys who think they are rock stars. We have some players who see themselves as and live that blue collar life, and we have twinkies who go shirtless to the home football game in a late November snow storm with their bodies painted green and gold so they can get on TV. They are all here. There are some kids who play, go to school full time, and work 20 or more hours a week. There are one or two who probably never worked a day in their life. We have Dead Heads, 4Hers, and Eagle Scouts. In the end they all have one thing in common, and that is love for the team and for one another.

And me? Am I blue collar? No, I am not for the most part. I never wanted a "job" to go to every day. I wanted to do different stuff all the time. I am emotional and subliminal as well. I wanted to run my own life ever since I was way too young to run it. I guess I also expect others to run their own lives too, and not wait for me the coach (boss) to always tell them what to do. I always felt that to get more you have to try to do more, and if you do more, then you can possibly get more. It may not be that way all the time, but that is what I really believe is true for me. Our teams not only change from class to class, but sometimes day to day, like today, with snow on the ground and a brand new18 year-old starting defenseman.

Players need space and freedom to reach their potential. They also need direction and an idea of how it all works. For me it takes many hats to deal with the many different personalities we have. As long as it all starts and stays within a family that feels unity in direction and purpose I'm good. You can call it macaroni if you want.

ROLE ME OVER AND DO IT AGAIN

Different people find their roles in different ways. Sometimes I can help, and sometimes they are mad at me and I can barely talk to them. That’s just the way it is. There is nothing basic and every day about the make up of this CSU lacrosse team or the roads that we travel.

We have a system, a way we like to do things as a team, but when someone goes down to injury or whatever I don’t simply plug in the new one. He or they must be nurtured into the flow of things. We have two players who will most likely replace Joe on defense. I am always searching for the best possible chemistry that I can get. When we lost Timmy we created an instant need for some new middies to step up. That started to happen on Saturday. I told one freshman to stop being a freshman, that we need him to become a sophomore. He laughed. Maybe he thought I was kidding.

Next Entry | Previous Entry


Flip Started Blogging Before it was Cool, Read Over 400 of His Entries Since January 2001
Jump to a Period:
2006: Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov
2005: Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
2004: Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
2003: Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
2002: Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
2001: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Sept Oct Nov Dec