Lacrosse Blog FLG Lacrosse

Ways to Get Better This Off Season Without Breaking the Bank:

Posted on September 19, 2018 by Devin Votta

Buying expensive and specialized training equipment does not always make you a better athlete. Being apart of a high-end training facility/ gym is not always needed to see results. The United States Marine Corps have a saying, “I am the gym.” It’s that simple. Whatever sport you play, athletes in general can do so much on their own and see outstanding results with minimal training equipment. It really boils down to are you putting the work in, and is what you are doing making it harder, tougher and slightly more attentive to detail.

Let’s zoom in on the sport of lacrosse. Getting a new stick or equipment is not always the answer to becoming a better lacrosse player. The lacrosse market offers great products that focus on aspects of the game, and don’t get me wrong, some of these products can definitely be utilized, however are they all that necessary? Let’s take you through an optimal training session with as little training equipment as possible. The first thing you are going to need is a back pack or training pack. Your pack is your life preserver. It will have all your essentials needed to become a better lacrosse player. In your pack you’re going to want to include, 20 lacrosse balls, a tennis ball, 5 cones, and a jump rope. Additional items to include are, a shooting rejector, a shooting target, a small hurdle and a speed ladder. If financially you can’t afford some of these items, a shooting target can simply be made by tying a 12 inch string to a soda can, a hurdle can be made out of inexpensive PVC and a speed ladder can substituted with a rope. Now that you have your pack it is time to train.

Put your helmet, gloves and cleats on your stick, put your stick on your shoulder, hop on your bike or your skateboard or your roller blades and ride up to the field. Look at that, you have already started your training and you haven’t even arrived at the field yet. Now find a wall and start your wall ball workout. Talk to your coaches about the right individual wallball/ workout routine for you but for now let’s keep it simple. Make a song playlist on your phone or ipod, 5-7 minutes long and crush 100R, 100L, 50 catches and switches, 25 shovels each hand and 25 BTB’s. If you want to make it a little more tough, add some more specialized passes. Defensive players stand further from the wall and work on overs. Offensive players add some dynamic movement to simulate more game like situations. You can even do the wall ball routine with a tennis ball to develop softer hands or bring a backup stick and fill the shaft with sand to add a little more weight. Once you have completed the wall ball routine, lets get out to the field. Set up your rejector and your target (pick a spot on the cage, tie the can or place the target and work on hitting it over and over again) and put your lacrosse balls dead center 5 yards away from the goal. Work on shooting with lead foot up, back knee down, chest up and chin over your lead shoulder. Torque you body and let it loose, shooting for power dead center of the cage. Start your progression to your feet, crow hopping into the shot and move the balls back until you are top center, bouncing the ball or hitting the target. Move to the right and left wing, adding hitches and rollbacks, resetting your feet, working on time and room shooting. Now lest go back to top center if you are a middie or behind if you are an attackman. Break out the cones and speed ladder or rope. Go through a progression where you are getting the feet going (one foot in and out, ickey shuffle, two feet in etc.) and use the cones to simulate defenders. Work on several doges including but not limited, splits, rolls, S’s, faces and V’s. focus on shooting on the run, angling your body to the goal and staying within the pipes, DON’T FADE. Our goal is to get 100- 150 GREAT shots on cage. Don’t quit until your shots are dialed in. If you are a defenseman it’s a little tougher to train on your own but talk to your coaches. There are several drills one can do using cones, ladders as well as other items that work on your hands, feet, body positioning, agility and throwing checks.

Three quarters down, it’s time for the fourth quarter. Get up to the school yard and find a jungle gym. Our workout is as follows. 200 pushups, 100 pull ups, 100 body squats, 3X 25 of burpees, 30 leg lifts, 3X 25 crunches and 3X 100 on the jump rope. Remember, “YOU ARE THE GYM.” Hard work is not earned, its just something we must do to get better. But remember you don’t have to pull out the wallet to get better. I guarantee you can find most of the stuff outlined here laying around the house. Great job, now its time to finish strong, ride home and enjoy a meal. If you put the work in, you will see results. Be determined and start a regiment. It starts now.

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Thoughts from Coach Wink

Posted on September 5, 2018 by Devin Votta

Had a Conversation with an FLG Alum Parent today:

Here is the story:

Back in 7^th grade this FLG Player decided to leave the program and follow his friends from his town to another travel lacrosse program. After 3 years and not enjoying his experience at the other program he returned in his Junior Year. After helping him with his recruiting process this player committed in Early July to attend and play lacrosse at a very high level academic school. There were still 2 more summer tournaments left in the summer when he committed to college. This player notified our FLG Directors that he would not be attending the last 2 tournaments of the summer due to work conflicts. Our Program Director spoke with him at length on the commitment that he had made to his team and that this was not the way FLG Student Athletes conduct themselves. Our Director made it clear that He had made a commitment to his team and he should be there on the sideline & field to play with his team.

What was the conversation with the Parent about?

Coach I am disappointed why you did not return my son’s phone call when he contacted you to tell you he committed to his College Choice.

Commitment & Selflessness

What does this mean?

I am committed to my team.

I am committed to attending practices & games.

I am committed to being there for my teammates.

Why can’t parents understand what this means?

Why are parents only thinking about their children?

When does selfish behavior become okay?

It is NOT Okay to be Selfish!

Giving more than you receive!

Why is our society okay with people thinking about themselves before others?

When I see an act of kindness it warms my heart!

I will always remember when Carly Driscoll walked over to a new player on her FLG Team and welcomed her to her team when that player was feeling alone. This is an act of kindness that should never go unnoticed.

If we want our world to be a better place for our children STOP thinking about you and think about helping others.

Selflessness-thinking of others before yourself-Welles Crowther. What more can one do than try and help others before worrying about themselves!

I hope we can all reach out and be there for a stranger-lets make this world a better place!

Ask FLG Lacrosse what I can do to help?

Community Service-Lets Help Others!

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An Off-season Reflection – How Champions Train

Posted on August 21, 2018 by Devin Votta

With the summer lacrosse season ending, it is time to reflect on the past year. All the hard work, blood sweat and tears, the time and effort put into the game we all love. Did you get better? There’s an old saying that “champions are made when no one is watching,” however with the way competitive club lacrosse is going, training is the focus. So, we arrive at the question, are you training the right way? Is what you are doing when no one is watching the right way to do it? Are you fundamentally sound?

FLG as well as other competitive lacrosse clubs offer a variety of training packages, all of which aim to bring out the best player you can possibly be. But not only being a skilled lacrosse player, but rather specializing in your specific position and game like situations pertinent to your position. Repetition, building skills, developing IQ, it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at something. Clearly you cannot invest 10,000 hours in your club. So, therefore you must train on your own. But training the right way is key.

Image result for kobe bryant quote

Reflecting on and evaluating your skill is a great way to become a better player. Talk to your trainers and coaches. Ask them questions and find out, what areas of your game you are already good at and what areas you can be better at. Then don’t forget to follow up with the question “How do I accomplish or make that skill better.” The focus here is that you are developing a plan. Yes, shooting 100 lacrosse balls is great but are you shooting them the right way? Will shooting 100 lacrosse balls make you a better player? The quality of your reps is key. Before you go up to the field to train, develop your plan. Start off with a quick wall ball warm up. If shooting is the focus for the day, start off with some body mechanic drills that focus on proper hand and foot placement. Then go into shooting half speed where you are really dialing into what your body is doing and where the ball is going. Speed up that process to mimic game speed and begin to add dynamic footwork to work on dodging. A speed ladder is also a great tool to supplement footwork. Adding exercises like push-ups and pull-ups to make you a little more tired is a great way to develop the mentality of playing to your best when you are tired. Pick a spot on the field. Maybe we focus solely on the wing today and move to up top if we are a middie or down low behind the goal if we are an attackman.

The key here is that you are building skill while working hard and having fun. Take a few days and enjoy some time off. But remember while your hanging out, someone your competing against is getting better. If you have a vision or goal to take your game to the next level, you must train hard to reach that goal. Take advantage of the off season and work hard. Let’s change that old saying to “champions train when no one is watching.”

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Honoring Welles Crowther “The Man in the Red Bandana” at the NYSRC

Posted on August 14, 2018 by Devin Votta

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).” The Red Bandana, a symbol of the purist form of love and compassion. Welles Crowther was a true example of this. Native of Nyack NY, Welles grew up playing sports and hanging out with his friends. Whether it was on the street, in the classroom, or on the field, Welles was always willing to lend a helping hand. When he was 16 years old, he joined the local fire department as a junior firefighter. Given to him by his father, the Red Bandana became a part of him. He carried it everywhere. In college, Welles was a star athlete, ripping it up on the lacrosse field. He possessed all the intangibles a coach wants in his players, and his teammates respected him for that. The people he met and experiences he had all shaped him into the man he was, preparing him for the toughest day of his life.

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FLG Men’s League Mid-Season Recap

Posted on July 6, 2018 by Will Haring

Week 4 is in the books for the inaugural FLG Men’s League. With a plethora of talent scattered throughout all four teams, two squads have risen to the top, Team Legit and Team Wink, both sitting at 3-1. None the less, there is still time on the clock for Team Jesters and Team Indians to finish out the regular season on a high note. A four team round robin style league, FLG has rolled out a competitive men’s league, housing talent from schools all over the country including Adelphi, Binghamton, Boston University, Catholic University, Cornell, Delaware, Drexel, Fairfield, Georgetown, Hofstra, Jacksonville, Johns Hopkins, Lehigh, Manhattan, Marist, Maryland, Mercy College, Notre Dame, Penn State, Quinnipiac, Richmond, Siena, Skidmore, St. Johns, Stevens Tech, Syracuse, Tampa, Trinity College, UMass, UMBC, Union, Villanova, Washington and Lee, York College and others. Whether still in college, fresh out or washed up, this league has been extremely competitive thus far, and gives free agent players and teams the opportunity to play, compete and most importantly have fun! FLG is looking forward to the next few weeks over at Northport Veterans Park, watching quality players ball out at a high level for a Championship. Follow us on Instagram @flglax for more updates on the FLG Men’s League.

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Top Division I Coaches Coming to FLG’s 2018 Legit Showcase

Posted on June 13, 2018 by Will Haring

Albany (16-3) – The Great Danes ranked No. 2 in NCAA Men’s Lacrosse RPI, finished the season as America East champions, made their first NCAA Final Four appearance, and had a Tewaaraton finalist, Connor Fields. Coach Derrick Eccles is the volunteer assistant and former two-time Albany team captain who will be in attendance looking for potential Great Danes. Are you one of them? Albany has 10 recruits coming this fall who reign mostly from the NY area.

Boston U (8-9) – The Terriers ranked No. 32 in NCAA Men’s Lacrosse RPI, finished the season as Patriot League semi finalists, and had the Patriot League Rookie of the Year, Chris Gray. Coach Mike Silipo is the offensive coordinator who helped the Terriers offense rank second in the Patriot League and among top 30 nationally will be in attendance looking for potential Terriers. Are you one of them? Boston U has 19 recruits coming this fall who reign mostly from the tri-state and Atlantic coast.

Photo Credit: sportswtbu.com

Bucknell (11-4) – The Bison ranked No. 16 in NCAA Men’s Lacrosse RPI, finished the season with big wins over Loyola and Yale, but unfortunately fell short in the Patriot League quarter finals. Coach Dave Fabroni is the volunteer assistant who will be in attendance looking for potential Bison. Are you one of them? Bucknell has 13 recruits coming this fall who reign mostly from the tri-state and MD area.

Jacksonville (8-7) – The Dolphins ranked No. 37 in NCAA Men’s Lacrosse RPI, finished the season with big wins over Navy and High Point, but unfortunately fell short in the SoCon finals. Coach Tyler Granelli is the assistant coach who will be in attendance looking for potential Dolphins. Are you one of them? Jacksonville has 21 recruits coming this fall who reign mostly from the Atlantic coast.

Photo Credit: judolphins.com

Lehigh (10-7) – The Mountain Hawks ranked No. 28 in NCAA Men’s Lacrosse RPI, finished the season with big wins over Boston and Navy, but unfortunately fell short in the Patriot League finals. Coach Casey Eidenshink is the assistant coach who will be in attendance looking for potential Mountain Hawks. Are you one of them? Lehigh has 16 recruits coming this fall who reign mostly from the tri-state area.

Penn State (8-6) – The Nittany Lions ranked No. 22 in NCAA Men’s Lacrosse RPI, finished the season with big wins over Ohio State and Johns Hopkins, but unfortunately fell short of the Big Ten tournament. Coach Taylor Mendoza is the director of operations who will be in attendance looking for potential Nittany Lions. Are you one of them? Penn State has 10 recruits coming this fall who reign mostly from the PA area. We are…

Photo Credit: gopsusports.com

Princeton (8-5) – The Tigers ranked No. 27 in NCAA Men’s Lacrosse RPI, finished the season with big wins over Rutgers and Cornell, but unfortunately fell short of the Ivy League tournament. Coach Steve Soriano is the assistant coach who works with the face-off men will be in attendance looking for potential Tigers. Are you one of them? Princeton has 10 recruits coming this fall who reign mostly from the NY and Midwest.

Rutgers (9-6) – The Scarlet Knights ranked No. 15 in NCAA Men’s Lacrosse RPI, finished the season with big wins over Syracuse and Penn State, but unfortunately fell short in the Big Ten semifinals. Coach Jimmy Ryan is the director of operations who will be in attendance looking for potential Scarlet Knights. Are you one of them? Rutgers has 14 recruits coming this fall who reign mostly from the Atlantic coast and Midwest.

Photo Credit: profootballspot.com

Stony Brook (7-8) – The Seawolves ranked No. 34 in NCAA Men’s Lacrosse RPI, finished the season with big wins over Vermont and Binghamton, but unfortunately fell short in the America East semifinals. Coach Jay Mauro is the volunteer assistant who will be in attendance looking for potential Seawolves. Are you one of them? Stony Brook has 16 recruits coming this fall who reign mostly from the NY area.

Yale (13-3) – The Bulldogs ranked No. 6 in NCAA Men’s Lacrosse RPI, finished the season as national champions, Ivy League regular season champions, and had their first Tewaaraton Award winner, Ben Reeves. Coach Andrew Stimmel is the offensive coordinator who helped the Bulldogs offense rank ninth nationally will be in attendance looking for potential Elis. Are you one of them? Yale has 13 recruits coming this fall who reign mostly from the tri-state area. The Ivy League is no joke and should be comparable to the ACC.

Photo Credit: uslaxmagazine.com

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Top Division II and III Programs Attending 2018 FLG Legit Showcase

Posted on June 13, 2018 by Bryan Safer

The Cortland Red Dragons (12-7) were ranked 33 by the NCAA RPI had a very good season rolling through the SUNYAC conference making their 18th straight DIII playoff appearance and 34th overall. The Red Dragons lost in the first round of the playoffs to the later crowned champions, Wesleyan University. Cortland has also made an NCAA DIII finals appearances in 5 of the last 12 years. Cortland had 3 players named to the USILA All-American Honorable Mentions List (Midfielder- Joey Panariello and Attackman- Devin Phelps and Terrence Haggerty) and 2 players were nominated to play in the USILA Senior All-Star Game (Attackman- Thomas McNaney and Defenseman- Justin Siracusa). In addition, Head Coach Steve Beville was named 2018 SUNYAC Coach of the Year proving that Cortland is an all-around team taking control over the SUNYAC. To support the Red Dragon’s case more, Cortland led the SUNYAC in goals by almost 100, assists by 70, and goals per game by 3. However, they were towards the bottom of the ranks in the SUNYAC in defense but their powerful offense was more than capable of making up for their lax defense. Individually, Cortland has the leading goal scorer in the conference and 3 of the top 7 (Haggerty-54, Panariello-34, and Phelps-28). They also have the top 2 assist leaders in the conference and 3 of the top 4 (McNaney-37, Phelps-33, and Riley-22). In addition, they have the top 3 point scorers and 4 of the top 5 in the conference (Phelps-61, Haggerty & McNaney- 58, Panariello- 47). To continue Cortland’s success, they have 5 recruits coming in the fall all from New York but predominantly Long Island. SUNY Cortland is the 48th Regionally ranked Northern University with roughly 7,000 undergraduates enrolled, mostly from New York at about $21,000 in-state and $30,000 out-of-state a year. The primary majors at Cortland for Education, Sports and Fitness Management, and Kinesiology and exercise science. Representing the Red Dragons at the Legit Showcase is Nick Acquaviva, a 2nd year assistant coach for Cortland who has previously been the assistant coach for Lycoming College (2012-2013) and Pfeiffer University (2014-2016).Nick is 5th all-time in DIII men’s lacrosse in minutes played (3,865), and 24th All-time in saves (789). The Dragons are the SUNY team to watch in the near future.

2 Dragon defenders sandwiching the attack.
Photo credit: thelamron.com

The Haverford Fords (7-8) had a solid season, finishing 4th in a very competitive Centennial Conference and finishing the year as the 38th ranked team according to the NCAA DIII RPI rankings. The Fords made the Centennial Conference semifinals, losing to #3 ranked Gettysburg who ended up coming in 2nd place in the conference. Haverford was led by the Centennial Conference athlete of the year Ben Frost and Goalie Dylan Slack how was 4th in the conference in saves (173) and 2nd in save percentage (59%). The Fords have 3 recruits coming in the fall, all from New Jersey to boost the Fords to be on top of the CC. Besides athletics, Haverford College is a private liberal arts school in Haverford, PA ranking 18th amongst national liberal arts colleges with about 1,270 undergraduates enrolled costing approximately $70,000 a year. The most popular majors at Haverford are biology, economics, and psychology. Representing Haverford at the Legit Showcase is assistant coach Brian Santoleri who just finished up his 2nd season there. Brian was previously the assistant coach at Moravian College and is currently employed by the Victory Event Series on top of coaching at Haverford. Haverford is looking to remain competitive in a tough conference and hopefully break through to become a team to be feared in the Centennial Conference.

The Skidmore Thoroughbreds (8-8) finished 60th in the NCAA RPI rankings and .500 on the year in a very tough and competitive Liberty League consisting of the #1 ranked RIT. A few bright spots of their season was senior midfielder Jack Curry being awarded a Nike Scholar All-American athlete. In addition, the Thoroughbreds won their last 3 games and won 4 of their last 6 so they have momentum entering the 2019 season. Along with their win streak ending the year, they have 4 recruits coming in the fall, 2 from Long Island and 2 from New England. Skidmore is a private liberal arts college in Saratoga Springs, New York that costs about $52,500 a year and consists of about 2,700 undergraduates enrolled. The most popular majors out of the 43 offered are business management and a variety of art programs. Representing Skidmore at our Legit Showcase is Marcel Godino, the assistant coach for Skidmore and just finished up his 1st year as assistant coach. Godino was a 4 year player at Manhattan College and then began his coaching career as the assistant coach for Bard College’s men’s lacrosse team. He was at Bard for 2 years and is eager to continue his journey as the Skidmore assistant coach.

The Union College Dutchmen (9-6) came off a decent season, placing 5th in a very competitive Liberty League and ending the season ranking 45th according to the NCAA RPI ranks. Union made it to the Liberty League quarterfinals where they lost to the 19th ranked team, St. Lawrence, in a highly anticipated rematch from the season prior. The Dutchman was led by goalie Sam Bebout who was a scholar All-American, a USILA DIII All-Star, finished 2nd place in the conference in goals against and 5th in the conference in saves. The Dutchman also had the leading assist man in the conference in Jordan Cooper who was also a Scholar All-American. Besides athletics, Union College is a private liberal arts college in Schenectady, New York and ranked the 36th national liberal arts college with about 2,200 undergraduates enrolled. In 2017, Union’s cost was about $70,000 a year and the most popular majors are engineering, biology, psychology, and economics. Representing Union at the Legit Showcase is assistant coach and defensive coordinator Derek Witheford. Derek just finished up his 4th season on the team and played college lacrosse at Union so he is familiar with the campus, community, and team.

Star A.J Witherell streaking down the field for Washington & Lee.
Phot Credit: generalssports.com

The Washington and Lee Generals (15-5) destroyed Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) going undefeated in conference play and was the 18th ranked team according to the NCAA RPI rankings. The Generals are led by A.J Witherell who was named the ODAC player of the year and a 1st Team All-ODAC player. In addition, he led the conference in points and was 2nd in goals scored and is eager to get back for his senior year. The Generals also had 2 honorable mentions in Kyle Gifford and Jack Hodgson. Senior defenseman Gifford, was also awarded a 2018 scholar All-American this past season which led to Washington and Lee finishing 13th in the Learfield Directors Cup which is the ranks for the best overall college athletic program. 13th is the highest rank ever for Washington and Lee, the future is looking bright for the Generals, especially with their big recruiting class coming in the fall of 11 young studs. Representing the Generals at the showcase is assistant coach and defensive coordinator Eric Koch. He just finished up his 4th season and led their defense and goaltending to the 2nd highest save percentage in the conference. Besides lacrosse, Washington and Lee ranks 10th amongst National Liberal Arts Colleges with approximately 2,000 undergraduates enrolled and costs about $63,500 to attend. The primary majors are business administration, Economics, and Political Science. The Generals are the team to watch in the ODAC Conference and all of division 3 lacrosse.

The Wesleyan Cardinals (19-3), now on top of the DIII lacrosse world after winning the NESCAC division title and more importantly, the national championship this past year. The Cardinals are entering the 2019 season as the 4th ranked team, according to the NCAA RPI rank with 11 recruits (predominantly from the tristate area) coming next fall. The Cardinals were absolute weapons this past season rankings 3rd in total goals scored and 1st in all of DIII in goals against average. The numbers were spearheaded by 2 of the top 3 goal scorers in the NESCAC conference, Ronan Jacoby (66 goals; 1st), Harry Stanton (60 goals;3rd), and the conference assist leader, Carter Hawthorne (66 assists; 1st and 92 points; 4th). As we always hear, “Defense wins championships.” and the Cardinals had a lights out goalie this season, Otto Bohan ranking 2nd in saves with 191 and 3rd in save percentage with 54.3%. Wesleyan also has a great fan base to play for, ranking 1st in home game attendance out of all of DIII. Wesleyan University is a private University in Middletown Connecticut costing $70,000 per year with 45 majors + about 20 minors, the most popular majors being psychology and biological sciences. Wesleyan ranked 21st nationally in Liberal Arts Colleges with about 3,000 undergraduates enrolled. Representing the Cardinals at the Legit Showcase are Tommy Martone and Bill Els. Tommy started coaching at Wesleyan in 2018 as the defensive assistant. Prior to this position, he coached at Albertus Magnus as the defensive coordinator and was a 3 year starter at the University of Hartford. Bill Els started coaching at Wesleyan in 2018 as the goalie coach. He previously coached at Connecticut College and while he was there, he went to the NCAA tournament and secured a top 15 NCAA ranking in 2012. After this, the was the defensive coordinator and goalie coach at RPI where they were ranked in the top 15 and reached the DIII championship in 2016.

Here’s a picture of Wesleyan defeating Salisbury to secure their 1sr DIII National Championship.
Photo Credit: NCAA.com

The Belmont Abbey College Crusaders (14-4) finished the season 13th according to the NCAA RPI rankings and defeated the 1 seed Limestone to the Conference Carolinas championship this past season. The Crusaders were led by defenseman Anthony Cesario (2nd team), attacker Adam Wiedemann (3rd team), attacker Liam Osborne and midfielder Kyle McGinley (honorable mentions). Wiedemann finished 3rd in the conference in points with 67, tied for 1st in assists with 29, and 5th in goals with 38 and Osborne finished 3rd in goals in the conference with 41. The Crusaders also had 2 DII All-American scholar athletes in seniors Kyle McGinley and Adam Wiedemann To further help Belmont Abbey, the Crusaders have 8 recruits coming in the fall mostly from New York but have a mix from all across the east coast. Besides lacrosse, Belmont Abbey is a private catholic liberal arts college in Belmont, North Carolina ranking 8th amongst southern regional colleges. There are about 1,500 undergraduates enrolled and Belmont Abbey is about $33,000 a year with the most popular majors being business administration, education, and sports management. Representing Belmont Abbey is assistant coach and defensive coordinator Joe Perruzzi who just finished up his 2nd season with the team. He was previously the assistant coach at Ohio Wesleyan College, defensive coordinator at Kenyon College, and assistant coach at Community College of Baltimore County-Essex. Perruzzi also played college lacrosse at Belmont Abbey where he was a 3 year starter. The Crusaders are a team to watch in DII in the upcoming season.

Belmont Abbey getting in the zone to take home another W
Photo credit: abbeyathletics.com

The Florida Southern College Moscie’s (8-7) ended middle of the pack in a competitive Sunshine State Conference ranking 25th according to the NCAA RPI rankings. The Moscie’s were led by 4 second teamers, Lucas Claude, Daltion Simpson, Kevin Dyer and Kevin Horowitz and 2 honorable mentions in Austen Lison and Alex Dagen. Lucas Claude was the backbone to the team this year finishing 3rd in the conference in goals with 42 and 6th in points with 53. To push the team to the next level in the near future, there are 4 published recruits coming in the fall, 3 of them from New York. Besides lacrosse, Florida Southern is a private college in Lakeland, Florida ranking 19th amongst southern regional colleges, with about 2,500 undergraduates enrolled. The average cost per year is about $47,000 and the most popular majors are business administration and nursing. Representing Florida Southern College is 2nd year assistant coach Matt Maccario. Prior to this, he was a graduate assistant coach at DeSales University and the defensive coordinator at Wheeling Jesuit and is very eager to get back out there and hopefully have a breakout year in a tight conference.

The Lynn University Fighting Knights (9-6) came off a solid season in the Sunrise State Conference finishing 5-2 at home proving they own their home turf. Lynn finished as the 31st ranked team in the NCAA RPI rankings led by Sophomore FOGO Dryden Brous who was awarded to the All-American 3rd team and Mikey Urso who was 3rd in the conference in assists. As a team, the Fighting Knights finished 2nd in goals in the conference, 1 behind the conference leader. To continue Lynn’s success, the Knights have 6 recruits coming in the fall predominantly from the east coast. Besides athletics, Lynn University is a private liberal arts school in Boca Raton, Florida ranking 95th amongst southern region universities. There are about 2,100 undergraduates enrolled, approximately $50,000 a year, and the most popular majors are business management and administration, law enforcement, and firefighting and related protective services. Representing Lynn at the Legit Showcase is volunteer assistant coach, Brendan Schroeder who just completed his 2nd season at Lynn. Prior to this, he was an assistant coach at VMI for a year and he played college lacrosse at UMass. Hopefully, the Fighting Knights can take their strong efforts at home to this upcoming season.

The Lynn Fighting Knights getting hyped after a big goal.
Photo credit: floridalacrossenews.com

The Newberry College Nighthawks (4-11) just finished their inaugural season as the 20th DII sport their school has to offer. Since this was their first season as a team, they are starting completely fresh and could be a great opportunity for possible recruits to start on a clean slate with an organization that is in the same, fresh start as the players. The Nighthawks finished 57th in the NCAA RPI rankings and have 1 recruit from Maryland coming in the fall. Besides lacrosse, Newberry College is a private liberal arts college in Newberry, South Carolina ranking 17th amongst regional college south with about 1,110 undergraduates enrolled. Newberry is about $37,000 a year and the most popular majors are Business Management and Nursing. Representing Newberry at the Legit Showcase is head coach, Nick Cotter. Cotter spent the past 3 seasons at Saint Leo University in Florida as the assistant coach and played his collegiate lacrosse at Dowling College.

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New York State Regional Championships – The Preliminary Tryout Round

Posted on June 12, 2018 by Devin Votta

The New York State Regional Championships is a new event that is and will be a great opportunity for New York State High School lacrosse players to represent their region, Nassau, Suffolk, Parochial, NYC, Hudson Valley, Adirondack, Central or Western, and compete for a State Championship to see what region has the best lacrosse players in New York State. Eligibility for the event requires players to be a resident in NYS from the graduating classes of 2022 through 2019.

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FLG ’18 Girls Premier Showcase – Top 10 Premier Players

Posted on June 8, 2018 by Diana Schmitt

The FLG Girls Premier Showcase featured 160 uncommitted female athletes at LIU Post on Long Island. This event proved to be the perfect way to kick off the summer recruiting season. 40+ college coaches came to LI to coach all athletes in attendance. An epic all-star game featured 50 of the top ladies from the event. This game was tied with seconds remaining and our first premier player, Amanda Kozak, scored on a fabulous inside roll for a Goal and the game winner. Learn more about Amanda and nine other studs by reading below.

37- Amanda Kozak

This 2020 Attacker from Floral Park NY has such a high lacrosse IQ, you can’t watch without noticing her creativity around the crease. She can create not only offense for herself but for her teammates as well. She can do it all, feed, work the crease dodges, and release shots like a sniper. If her hands are free, be ready goalies, she has a variety of shots to the corners and five-hole. Check out some of her highlights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh4BmN4-NxM

80- Danielle Livornese

This 2020 midfielder is versatile from one end of the field to the other. A great on ball defender and tough around the cage playing lock down defense on any opponent. It does not stop there, she is amazing at not only placing the draw where she wants it, but she can snag fifty- fifty balls from the second the whistle blows. She has downhill dodging ability from the top of the eight-meter, allowing her to blow past even the toughest defenders.

11- Sarah Bucher

An attacker that any coach could work with, in developing offense in any situation when the pressure is on or off, she is a hard off ball cutter but can still dodge from the wings or up top if her team needs a goal. Sarah has great hands and the mentality to use her lacrosse IQ to keep her hands free in any position, including a behind the back shot that can sneak up on any goalie. Her crafty moves and cuts cause trouble for any defender.

135- Julia Steneck

This lock down defender gives trouble for any dodger from any position on the field. As a 2020, no girl on the field is a match up she cannot take on, she can cause turnovers against the best of the best. She has the speed to carry the ball coast to coast. She can run the field with anybody, making defensive transition a strength for her. She is a loaded player with a “shut it down” attitude. No cutter or dodger is any match.

58- Abby Carroll

This speed demon of a midfielder can do anything and everything. She can place the ball where it needs to be on draws to set up her teammates. Her quickness and natural athletic ability gives her an edge in every aspect of the game. This athlete can run the field with anyone, of any age, and she makes it look easy. Good luck trying to slow her down – she goes 110% all game. She has the stick skills to go with her off the charts athletic ability – lefty, righty, you name it, she can do it.

83- Olivia Rongo

This 2022, competes with anyone. She plays at a high speed which propels her past defenders, allowing her to release beautiful, well-placed shots. She displays great versatility from end to end. She can mark cutters as well, and is a strong off ball player herself. A smooth athlete, she appears to breeze by defenders in the open field when she is carrying the ball making her a major boost for any team looking to push the fast break. If she continues to grow as a player in every aspect; we predict big things happening for her in the future.

54- Madison Murphy

A smooth disciplined athlete, who excels in all parts of the game. Her talents go far and wide across the field as a two way midfielder, there seems to be nothing she cannot do. Her relentless hustle makes her a ground ball machine. She is talented on the Draw and is a crafty playmaker, all over the field. She excels in the transition game – causing turnovers all over the field, while helping to a push for the fast break opportunity offensively. She has natural leadership qualities and is an extremely coachable athlete, making her a great prospect, who will make some lucky college coach very happy.

102- Rachel Schlesinger

This 2020 goalie is great between the pipes. She can handle any eight-meter shot that is thrown at her. She throws strikes to her breakout players when clearing the ball, hitting them in full stride, igniting her team’s transition. She looks to play out on a high arc in her crease, as shooters creep in, cutting off angles. Her quick hands allow her to make those tough, off stick hip saves. She is a clutch performer who rises to the occasion, making big saves when needed, creating momentum for her team. Check out her highlight film here.

130- Kyra O’Driscoll

This 2020 defender is the definition of a ground ball machine. She attacks every play with her heart and soul going into it. Her relentless mind set allows her to challenge every opponent she encounters on the field. Her on ball defense can discourage even some of the best dodgers. Her mental toughness and determination fuel her aggressive defensive style, causing turnovers all over the field and shutting down major threats for other teams. She is a workhorse athlete that can make any coach happy. Check out some of her highlights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSowz-ntglk

72- Mary Teresky

This 2020 midfielder can lock onto any player carrying the ball on the field. She can shut down dodgers from anywhere place, open field or in settled defense. Her competitive, defensive mindset prevents transition for her opponent. Her speed and tenacity help ignite transition for her team. A quick first step, makes her an excellent downhill dodger who get her own shot as well as, create space and find openings for teammates. With excellent vision, she looks to make that smart, extra pass, to move the goalie when she is near the cage.

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FLG ’18 Boys Premier Showcase – Top 10 Premier Players

Posted on June 8, 2018 by Corey Winkoff

The FLG Boys Premier Showcase was loaded with the tri-state areas most competitive uncommitted High School lacrosse players. The day included a college coach training session, 3 competitive games, and an all-star game for the top 40 2022/21 & top 40 2020/19 athletes. There were over 85 college coaches in attendance and 55 college coaches on staff. The coaches on staff ran a training session, coached the teams, and evaluated this events talent. Based on the college coaches feedback and the observations of FLG’s Event staff, we are excited to highlight 10 premier players from our June 2nd Showcase at LIU Post.

Tommy Corcoran – 2021, Lefty Attackman, West Islip. This Suffolk County, West Islip product is your typical coaches kid. Always in the right place, slick, great skills, and has tremendous game sense. Corcoran is son of West Islip Associate Head Coach, Tom Corcoran. Tommy has lots of intangibles, with a great lacrosse game to match. A very enjoyable player to watch. Tommy’s upside is tremendous and will enter the Varsity High School lacrosse scene in Spring of 2019, stay tuned!
PJ McGoldrick – 2021, Lefty Defenseman, West Islip, Express. Another Suffolk County WI product, McGoldrick is a blue chipper. The only freshman to contribute for the Lions this past Spring, PJ has tremendous poise for just a freshman. PJ is a tall, rangy, athletic defenseman who can play close or poll. PJ is super athletic and is a recruit to follow this summer. You can find him playing for his HS team and for the LI Express on the summer circuit.
Forrest Demetri – 2021, Right Attackman, North Shore, LI Outlaws. Demetri is a gamer. Playing varsity lacrosse since 8th grade, Forrest has logged some serious minutes for his Varsity lacrosse. Demetri is a righty wing attackman who has very good change of direction, creativity around GLE, and can dissect defenses when drawing slides. If Demetri can operate as effectively on the left side as he does on the right side, he can be a nightmare to cover from X or around the clock on the offensive end. Check out his highlights from his Freshmen year right here.
Benny Morfit – 2021, Right Midfield, Iona Prep, Igloo. Morfit is a righty slinger. Coming down the righty alley, Benny the Jet Morfit can sting shots from multiple release points. High to low, high to high, low to high, kid can do it all. Morfit’s IQ allows him to be lethal in transition. He makes great decisions with the ball as he crosses the mid-line. Morfit can also operation from the high right wing, uses the face-dodge and S-dodge to get underneath his defender for a shot on the run. Watch Benny this summer continue to slice and dice defenses.
Max Albanese – 2019, Righty Midfield, West Islip, Team 91. Albanese is a slick, crafty righty midfielder. Max has a nose for the goal and can put the ball past the goalie from all over the field. Albanese is a great off-ball player, always finding himself in a good position to catch, shoot, score.
Christian Quadrino – 2020, Lefty Attackman, Sachem North, FLG. After watching Quadrino play, hard not to love his game. Quadrino is a very versatile player on the offensive end. He can dodge poles, penetrate defenses, dissect, assist, and score. He can dodge from X, lefty wing, right wing, you name it, he can attack from that spot. Quadrino was the String King Offensive MVP of the 2019/20 All-star game after scoring 2 and 1 assist in a game winning effort.
Matthew Knote – 2019, Righty Goalie, Eastport-South Manor, Fighting Ducks. Knote makes making saves look easy. His wide stance and high arc really throws off shooters. Very poise in net, Knote does a great job tracking the ball. He is a great stopper and will only get better as he gets bigger, stronger, and better adjusted to the college game. Knote was our String King Defensive MVP of the 2019/20 All-star game after holding it down in net and starting transition on multiple ocassions.
Freddy Amato – 2020, Right Midfield, Huntington, Legacy. Amato is a total dude. This 6’+ sophomore can ball between the lines and especially on the offensive end. Amato can split you, step down on you, and make you pay from 12+ yards if you don’t get a pole on him or make contact defensively. Amato can sling the rock, especially after freezing defending with his left to right split dodge.
Dylan Pape – 2019, Right FOGO, West Islip. If you are college program in need of a face-off guy, Dylan Pape is someone you should definitely consider. Pape has gotten better and better each year throughout High School. Going into his Senior season, Pape is looking to become one of the Premier FOGO’s on the island. Pape is quick, low to the ground, tough and gritty. He impressed at the Premier Showcase with his ability to win the battle at the X, but most importantly, play on between the lines. Pape is very skilled and is more than comfortable handling pressure when the ball is in his stick.
Dom DelPonte – 2020, Right Attack, St. Joseph Regional, DelPonte was electric at the Premier Showcase. Dom has a great first step and can create separation against poles at will. I like how DelPonte plays each game with the same effort and enthusiasm. DelPonte stood out in the 2019/20 all-star game. We expect him to do the same throughout the summer circuit.

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