Coach Flip Naumburg's Journal

Sunday, December 5, 2004

PLAY BALL!

As a team I like where we are and where we are going. I feel like the (oversized) "Little Team that Might" again. It's been a while. It’s invigorating. Well, everything except having 6 goalies. That part is very frustrating to an old "No cutter" like me. I’m fairly sure there is no way to keep 3 top goalies happy, so six would definitely be a long shot.

WHAT’S ON THE OTHER CHANNEL?

As a program we have some house cleaning to do. We are in fact a "Club", and that inherently brings with it the possibility for many loose ends. For example, in the fall I REALLY let everyone play. I use fall as tryout. Since I do not cut the squad at all the numbers can get huge. I do not (even in the spring) take attendance every day, although I do get copies of their class schedules when possible. Some of these kids I might see twice or whatever, but once they say they play lacrosse or wear a CSU lax t-shirt they become automatically linked to CSU Lacrosse. This is not always a good thing. I accept the responsibility of perception, however. We represent the university at all times as far as I am concerned, not just on the road or on the field. I need to look at a better way to do things, especially in the fall.

MICROCROSSE

I understand why people inside and outside the university view everything we do through a microscope. We are high profile, and we are that by choice. We have not been keeping this in our minds enough lately, or possibly ever. We must police ourselves because that is much more pleasant than the pain that comes with any kind of university investigation. We need to have program pride not just when we wear the pads, but all times, every moment, 24-7.

POWER COMES FROM WITHIN

Over time I suppose the team I coach on the field becomes mine in many ways. Those that don’t like me or the way I do things can and do leave. The program, on the other hand, remains theirs. It must always be pointed in a direction the players want and or are willing to go. I cannot totally control how they all act or how hard they party, especially when we are in Fort Collins. I don’t see that as my place either, at least as long as certain rules are followed. I have never wanted to be a baby-sitter, and nothing has changed. I want to lean heavily on leadership within the team. The right choices and the right stuff must come from inside the players, individually and collectively. Pure and simple we must do better than we have been doing lately or we could end up committing team suicide, and I mean sooner rather than later.

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