This past year I have been volunteering my time with the University of Virginia women’s lacrosse team. At the outset, I was very excited to be rejoining the team that meant so much to me during my collegiate years. I had no idea how the year would pan out (or how old I would feel) but was I was grateful to be welcomed back by the players and coaches. This past year has meant the world to me and has just added to my well of fond memories.

If you’ve been following women’s lacrosse this year, you’re aware of the ups and downs we’ve had this season but despite it all, I have had an amazing journey with this squad. It’s a great group of girls not unlike the teams I remember being a part of way back when (ok only 3 years ago).

I quickly learned a lot of new names and faces of younger kids. Their youthful exuberance always harkens me back to my first year and how clueless we were and how hard it was to adjust but also how much fun we had along the way. When I see our fourth year class nostalgia takes me back to when they were seemingly just tiny first years not so long ago. I see how much they’ve grown since their first year and it’s neat to see them taking on different (bigger) roles on the team nowadays.

When I’m on the practice field I can’t help but smile because I know how much fun these girls are having. Before they know it however, their lives will not be dictated by coaches, game schedules and academic advisors. Soon “the real world” will dictate their day to day lives.

The real world isn’t fun.  Sure no more papers and you are no longer beholden to a whistle and your coach’s whim but there are so many little things that we grads undoubtedly miss. Obviously, I miss waking up after 9:30 every day but I also miss the hysterical sideline conversations at practice. I miss piling into someone’s SUV after practice to carpool home. I miss the fast food chow-downs after a long, grueling practice. I miss the movie nights and the all day barbecues. I even miss the runs when all you wanted to do was quit but that teammate beside you dragged you through the finish line.

If there’s one thing I could give these girls it would be the perspective to enjoy every single second of the ride. I would say enjoy every last drill, every last film session, every last lift, every last practice scrimmage, every last team meal, every last bus ride, every last run, and obviously every last game. Take a minute at practice and look around and soak it all in. Because as fun as it is, it’s going to end sooner than later. Four years is just too short, so stock up on memories while you can so one day you’ll be able look back and smile too.

Southern Alliance Tournament to be Sponsored by deBeer Lacrosse

May 5, 2009 For Immediate Release www.SATLACROSSE.com

Peachtree City, Georgia – The most prolific girl’s elite lacrosse event in the southern United States has joined forces with the official equipment provider for the US Lacrosse Women’s Elite Team. deBeer Lacrosse, a leader in lacrosse manufacturing world wide, will sponsor the event and bring their equipment and exciting contests to the Southern Alliance Tournament (SAT) held May 30^th and 31^st at the baseball-soccer complex in Peachtree City, Georgia.

“At deBeer Lacrosse we are always excited to embrace change and evolve with the times. Lacrosse is seeing tremendous growth in the south and western U.S. right now and groups like LaxManiax and MCC Sports are responsible for a huge part of it. This event will bring the southern lacrosse communities together and we want to celebrate this atmosphere and help the game to continue to prosper throughout the south,” added deBeer Lacrosse director of Women’s Lacrosse Jacqueline McDevitt.

deBeer Lacrosse and the SAT’s partnership will include games and contests, such as deBeer’s famous Urban Bingo game and other fun contests for the participants of the tournament to enjoy. With 600 participants and several thousand fans descending on majestic Peachtree City for the weekend event, these games will compliment what is sure to be a tremendous start to the national travel season for the south’s finest comprehensive elite club programs. More than 36 teams will attend this year’s sold-out event.

“We are thrilled that deBeer has stepped up and taken a leadership role in girl’s lacrosse in the south. No other manufacturer has committed the resources that deBeer Lacrosse has contributed over the past two years in the southern United States. The south is full of opportunities to help new players come into the game and also has a burgeoning base of talent from programs like Carolina Fever, Hotlanta Lacrosse, Cardinal Lax, and LaxManiax Elite. These programs are locally operated and have player improvement as their top priority and deBeer Lacrosse supports this mission by sponsoring this event and contributing equipment grants for grass roots development,” commented MCC Sports President Paul McCord and co-sponsor of the SAT.

“The reputation of deBeer Lacrosse is bringing innovative and intelligent products to the market for boys and for girls. There are other manufacturers out there on the girls side, but what it comes down to is that their sticks are still compared to deBeer’s. They have great sticks and designs and every year they innovate.”

The tournament will play host to three school-girl aged divisions: Class of 2010, 2011, and Open. Accompanying these brackets will be two middle school divisions based on ability. Three of the major clubs doing battle at the SAT have experience playing in the nation’s top recruiting tournaments, the IWLCA Champions and Capital Cup. All three have competed competitively against the best club programs from across the nation.

“As lacrosse has grown in the south, the talent base continues to improve and challenge the top comprehensive club programs from traditional hotbeds,” said Pam McNabb, director and co-host of the tournament. “Hotlanta lacrosse grew as a result of the demand for locally directed travel lacrosse programs in the Atlanta metro area. Hotlanta Lax has already competed in the Rivalry Challenge (top recruiting event in the Fall) and this year we are excited to bring a great recruiting and competitive opportunity to the kids in our region.”

Please contact Heather Albro for more information about the Southern Alliance Tournament at:

Heather.Albro@MCCSportsinc.com

The 2009 season is starting to get interesting; teams are playing to prepare for the NCAA playoffs, playing to get into the playoffs, or they are simply playing for pride. Last week, as a part of the University of Denver coaching staff, I was reminded of why I love lacrosse and how far the sport has come. We travelled to Fresno, California to play Fresno State in their inaugural season. Like any young program, they have found their first year to be one of tremendous challenge and also tremendous growth. Roughly six players from their program had played lacrosse before, while the rest of the team is comprised mostly of young athletes who had barely even heard of the sport before.

Watching this team play made me appreciate the fact that even though their skills may still need some fine tuning, they were out on the field for the love of the game and pushing themselves to grow. Too often, lacrosse can seem like part of a routine; workout, wall ball, drills, drills, drills. However, in watching a first year program like Fresno State, it is easy to appreciate the reasons why they play and to remember the reasons why we all play individually.

Being born and raised in Colorado, I know first hand what it is like to live in an area where lacrosse is still “new” in popularity. Yet, each year, the sport continues to expand and grow, across geographic boarders and among sociological boundaries.

I feel like the upcoming World Cup is vital in exposing lacrosse to all those budding lacrosse communities around the world. I feel lucky to be a part of it and am so excited to have it finally arrive in June.

When I came out of college I was not positive what I wanted to do with my life. I had just come off my Senior season at JMU still wishing we could have ended it a little differently then we did but knowing I had the time of my life and it was something I would never regret or forget! I was so competitive (and still am) in everything that I did I was still searching for that drive to WIN in anything and everything I did.  So I realized, there was no better way to full fill this  feeling other then coaching and learning even more about the game then I already had… and that’s were I am today.

I have had so many coaches that have influenced me from the past, and now looking back I know that’s why I love coaching. I had coaches that not only taught me how to be a great lacrosse player and get better each time I stepped out on the field, weather it was practice or a game, but taught me how to be a better person! Taught me how to grow up and be a respectable person and carry myself in a way were people would know that I not only believed in myself but made them believe in me as well.

My dad was one of my first coaches and although he may not be my coach that is standing on the sideline today but is still my coach in a different way everyday. He taught me how to play with confidence without being cocky…. to work hard for what you want and never stop… and to love what you do, because once you stop loving it its time to move on. After teaching me how to do these things in life he has showed me how they can transition into lessons in life as well, and that’s what I truly believe every good coach does. At the end of the day the balls are put away and the sticks are put down…. but that doesn’t mean the attitude you learned to have and the confidence you have in yourself needs to be put away as well. Carrying this through life will teach you more then you could ever imagine, and I will always cherish what those great coaches from my past have taught me and let allow that to influence me everyday because I hope they realize what a great impact they have had on me.