My Last Lacrosse Game (But Mostly Just Me Rambling)

     Inevitably, all athletes must play their last game. And as my lacrosse career slowly comes to a close (and I say slowly because after a big win this past weekend, the Lebanon Valley Men's lacrosse team keeps on moving right into the playoffs) I can't help but reflect upon what lacrosse really has meant to me.
     I can remember playing tee-ball for one year. One year only, because I couldn't stand being still. If they put me in the outfield I would run in circles and play with random things I found or flowers. If they put me in the in field I ignored basic organized baseball strategy and ran to make every play instead of throwing. Also, I remember distinctly crying when I didn't get on base every time I was at bat. But overall, baseball didn't fit me.  So like my older brother, I moved to lacrosse. 
     My first coach was named Fred Schlick. He coached me through most of my adolescent lacrosse career along with a slew of other fathers, most notably Mr. Farenchek,  whose son played goalie with me for most of my life as well. Lacrosse was never a huge sport in Pennsylvania, and I guess part of me loved that about it. I made friends with kids at year round leagues and tournaments. I thought it was the coolest thing to know kids from all the different teams. It was a tight knit community. Really it still is.  I can, specifically, remember playing for a team called "The Green Meanies" numerous times in my life. We used to go to this summer tournament every year for Fathers' Day weekend. Most of the time we got our butts kicked by the teams from New York, Virginia, Maryland. Places that have much more advanced lacrosse programs than us. I also remember we beat a Virginia team once, and that was just about the highlight of my career at about thirteen. The most notable difference between the kind of lacrosse us PA kids played versus the kind of lacrosse those kids from other states played was stick skills. Most of the people coaching us, with the exception of Coach Schlick, were not lacrosse players, usually just Dad's who graciously volunteered their time. Our strategy usually consisted of just trying to be better athletes, which worked against poorly coached teams, and failed miserably against well coached teams.
     Fast forward a bit to High School lacrosse. My freshman year, my father was the coach. And despite the preconceived notions about what that would entail, I didn't start a single game that year. I didn't start a single game until the next season, when he was no longer coaching. My father, was no a lacrosse player. He was a coach of just about every other sport. So his plan, which worked through his 8 year career coaching at Boyertown, was to surround himself with coaches who were lacrosse players. Hilariously, his first year coaching was his least experienced and most successful. He took that team to a championship. But anyway, this story is about me.
     My sophomore year I finally got to start. Mostly because the team was desperate for defensemen, but either way I played. We were mildly successful, but plagued with upper-classmen injuries and lacked a real leader.
     Junior year was probably the most fun I had ever had playing lacrosse, I must say.  That team I mentioned before, "The Green Meanies," essentially reunited that year. Matt Farenchak, Tyler Poley, Zach Richter, Matt Richter, Zach Teator and Jake Ridenour made up most of our teams starting line up.  We were a pretty successful team and ended up making it to the Semi-Finals and losing 5-4 in overtime. Unfortunate, but still to this day, I have to say nothing was more fun than a full season with those guys.
     College lacrosse, however was a whole different animal. Notice I left out my senior year. The supposed highlight year of any athletes high school career. That's because I didn't have one. Unfortunately, I tore my ACL in a winter indoor tournament and was unable to even play in a practice. I didn't take it well, to be honest. I am embarassed to say I abandoned my team after that. I couldn't handle it. I was content at the time calling it quits. I had recieved offers from a few division three schools and division two schools to play lacrosse. But I didn't think there would be any chance of me playing following an ACL tear. And that's when Lebanon Valley College entered into the equation.
     It wasn't easy to return to the game I loved after suffering one of the worst injuries an athlete can endure. And I distinctly remember a conversation I had with my mom the day before the first day of practice when I told her I was afraid that I couldn't do it. And she told me to play the first week and see what happens. And I was fat (haha still am, just I was fatter then), slow and about 60% compared to my athletic abilities in high school. But the love for the game was there, and I have a feeling my mom knew that one minute back on the field was all it took.
      Fast forward again, to last year, my junior year. That was the first year I started every game. I came back lighter, faster and stronger. I took what Coach Haus had told me and I used it to fuel my fire. I didn't let the fact I was too slow deter me. I got faster. Because I wanted to play.  I refused to be kept off the field. It's not like I spent my life thin before this moment. I had been told by many coaches eventually I would need to be faster, or I wouldn't be successful. But I knew that my junior year was my biggest year. If I didn't play my junior year, how could a coach put a senior on the field with limited game experience, over a freshman with more potential and time to develop. He couldn't, so I made sure I was needed.  This mentality helped me through to my senior year as well.
     Which brings us to now. And to the title to the title of this post which is "My Last Lacrosse Game." I haven't had it yet. I know it's coming, and obviously every player's dream is to have their last game be a win in the biggest game of the year. And I will do my best to make sure that happens. But I also know that most people don't even get the opportunity I have. My team has currently clinched playoffs in our conference. There are seniors out there who have already taken their last faceoff, picked up their last groundball and scored their last goal. I bet there are seniors who regret the things they didn't do. I'm determined to make sure I'm not one of those seniors. I have embraced every single day of practice, every event, every game. And I think the guys on my team can attest to that. Lacrosse is the most important thing in my life most of the time, and much of the time to a fault. But My last lacrosse game, I can promise you, I won't regret anything. I don't know how to not play hard, because I know what its like to be told "you can't physically play." I have played every moment of the last four years with every part of me. My body, my heart, every part of me has been put into every moment. So when people say something like "leave it all out on the field" I think that's silly. It's a great sentiment for those guys who leave the field with regret because they look at that game and think, what could I have done before that day to be better. I should have lifted, I should have run or they blame others and say it's not fair. I won't be one of those guys because I know that every player on my team knows that I have left it all out on every day in the weight room, every run we've ever been on, every practice we've ever had and every scrimmage we've ever played. And I'm not the only one. But I can only speak for myself. I love this game, I love this team and I have loved every opportunity I have been given to play. I believe I am the best lacrosse player I will ever be, and it's because of every moment I didn't leave up to chance. And I will never regret that.

The Playoff Picture

      If you aren't fortunate enough to be tuned into what's currently happening in MAC Commonwealth Conference for Men's lacrosse, let me just say it's become quite interesting as far as the playoff picture. The LVC Flying Dutchmen are currently sitting fourth in the conference with a (4-3) conference record and a (9-5) overall record. Widener is third with a (5-2) conference record and a (9-5) overall, Albright is second with a (6-2) conference and an (11-3) overall and Stevenson sits atop the conference undefeated and (14-2) overall. Events have transpired, however, putting some pressure on LVC as well as the teams below.
      Lycoming, Messiah and Elizabethtown are all tied for 5th place with a 3-4 conference. All three of LVC's losses have come from the three teams above them and their wins from the teams below them except Elizabethtown, who they will be closing the season with this coming Saturday. What has happened, however, is that Messiah took it to Albright this evening and came out victorious in an important 13-8 game which keeps Messiah's playoff hopes alive. This complicates things because LVC beat Messiah and Albright beat LVC. In the event LVC loses their final game and Messiah wins (which seems likely considering it's against Alvernia, currently 8th out of 9 teams in the conference), a four way tie occurs between Elizabethtown, Messiah and LVC. Prior to Messiah beating Albright, the Dutchmen essentially clinched a spot in the playoffs with their close with against Lycoming this afternoon 5-4.
       It's a very exciting time to be playing lacrosse in the MAC Commonwealth. These teams have been incredibly hard to predict (with the exception of Stevenson, who has been running away with most of their conference games) with some games being closer than expected, (LVC 4 - LYCO 5) and certain upsets (Messiah 13 - Albright 8).

This Saturday is a big game for the Dutchmen as they faceoff against Elizabethtown. A win clinches guaranteed playoff berth, a loss puts some things up in the air. See you at Arnold Field this Saturday for the Dutchmen's Senior Game!

Leadership

        All sports teams have a leader or more than likely, a few leaders.  Sometimes they can be blatantly obvious, for instance, Ray Lewis, the recently retired Baltimore Ravens middle linebacker for the last 17 years.  Unless completely sheltered from the sports world, which seems unlikely in our current time of mass media over-saturation, the average citizen has come across the famous pre-game dance performed by Lewis for the past decade and a half.  He would stomp, flex, scream and yell to help inspire his team and ignite the fans. This often would be followed by a heartfelt and spiritually driven speech to prepare for the game. Every Ravens player has expected that to happen. That's what their leader did for them. Conversely, there have been leaders known for their relatively reserved demeanor. Kevin Durant, of the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA team has been heavily criticized for his calm and collected persona. But rarely do any players or coaches attach negative connotation or imply ineffectiveness when dealing with this kind of leadership.  What it takes to be a leader isn't necessarily exact.  Being a leader depends much more on those being lead.  Because of the broad range of qualities and personal traits that a successful leader might encompass, it's not surprising the LVC Men's lacrosse team has their own ideas of what it is to be a leader.
     Six Dutchmen lacrosse players told me what they feel is the most important quality of a leader.  Zane Brown, a freshman defenseman, said "[a leader has] the ability to talk, but also listen and use that feedback to become a better leader." He's describing a kind of leader that values much of the opinions of those he is leading. A very democratic answer really, and probably a trait not commonly addressed. Andrew Kruter, a junior defenseman and one of the four captains of the Dutchmen lacrosse team, describes a similar "leader for the people" when he says dedication is the most important quality, "a leader is dedicated to whatever the team needs you to do. Whether you have to step up in certain game situations, or simply  bring a teammate up when they are down on themselves." Andrew believes a leader can sense their role and apply their skills accordingly.  Mike Hull, a senior defenseman, says a captain has composure and knows how to handle himself on the field. Alex Beard, a junior attackmen, interestingly, feels that humility is the most important trait.
     The previous four answers all share a similar trait. They all come from this idea that a captain remains more deeply engrained within those rather than sitting above them. The last two answers, however, do not follow that same assumption.  Bryan Cooney, a junior Midfielder, feels that the most important quality a leader can have his confidence, "if a he [the leader] isn't confident in himself, how can his team be confident in him?" Which is a good question. A leader that lacks confidence in himself, more than likely projects that lack of confidence to his group. This quality doesn't retain that "aligned alongside" feeling of a leader. The leader Brian describes sits above and his confidence in himself fuels the confidence for those following.  Jordan Mayr, another junior midfielder, feels a leader has that "killer instinct" and leads by that example. Jordan's leader demands of his followers the same hard work and determination that he exemplifies and isn't afraid to "get after" a teammate and demand the same.
     It's always interesting to hear the different opinions of the most important qualities of leaders. It just seems to be natural that in so many situations humans fall into categories, leaving some to be leaders and others to be followers.  It's a bit more complicated than just those two, but overall people have roles.
     My ideal leader knows his followers, and knows what they expect from him.   He's someone who's expectations of his followers are no less than those of himself. He understands the delicate balance between what they want and need. Sometimes, tough love is necessary. Other times, maybe it could be ineffective. Either way a quality leader believes in his motives and stands by his convictions and responsibilities as a leader.  The most important quality my leader expresses, is certainty.

Lax Promo

Lax Promo

I decided to use some footage a few of the guys and I put together over spring break to make a little promo for my motion graphics class. Check it out!

Nerves

Looking Nervous

Everything becomes a fixation,

a place for eyes to rest while all else seems unable.

Staring at a farm house, a rooftop, even eyelids become

a quiet fixation.

And I know on a bus, on the field

anywhere.

I would carry any of them,

and hold the weight

of the look on the faces of each of these

men around me.

With the same look I have.

I know it's not a war

And I know we're not soldiers.

But if you have to ask,

if you can't understand

why we look this way.

I'm more concerned about what you aren't

and what you don't know

about men like us.

                                          Ian Repko 

From Here On Out

The know yourself series has officially concluded with the start of the season. The format of the videos from here on out will differ from the videos before. It's hard to say what they will look like every week, mostly because I haven't thought them all up yet. I can say they will be different from the previous videos.

Know Yourself Episode 4: Goalie

Know Yourself Episode 4: Goalie

LVC, albeit a young lacrosse program, has established a consistent output of impressive goalies. This video stars two goalies, Kevin Krasley (J) and Mike Moll (J), both of which are contending daily for their place on the field. Goalie's are  a strange breed. With the obvious example being they have to stand in front of a shot and not flinch.  But also, there's a certain amount of toughness involved with it. Every team has about 8 midfielders to choose from and most teams would like 5-7 defensemen or attackmen. Only 1 goalie can plan, where as in the other positions there is at least 3 on the field at one time. These men are incredible talents and deserve great respect for the effort, toughness and poise they much show day in and day out.