2012 NCAA Lacrosse on TV – Watch it! (and learn!)

As we approach the start of our Spring season, I hope all Chiefs Lacrosse players are already getting in shape and getting their equipment ready, etc.  While nothing beats actually working on your lacrosse fundamentals, there is a lot players can learn from watching the best of the best play the game.  Once again the ESPN networks will be broadcasting a ton of top-notch Division I lacrosse this season.  Below is this season’s line-up.  All players should make an effort to watch some of these great games and pay attention to the way the players move on the field – those with the ball AND those without the ball.

ESPN 2012 Telecast Schedule (subject to change; all times Eastern)

Feb 17   5:00 p.m.         Towson at Johns Hopkins              ESPNU
Feb 18   1:00 p.m.         Duke at Notre Dame                   ESPN3
Feb 21   5:00 p.m.         Delaware at Johns Hopkins            ESPNU
Feb 24   7:00 p.m.         Maryland at Georgetown               ESPN3
Feb 25   12:00 p.m.        Stony Brook at Virginia              ESPN3
Feb 25   3:00 p.m.         Siena at Johns Hopkins               ESPNU

Mar 2    5:00 p.m.         Johns Hopkins at Princeton           ESPNU
Mar 3    1:00 p.m.         Duke at Maryland                     ESPN3
Mar 4    4:30 p.m.         Syracuse at Virginia                 ESPN/ESPN3
Mar 6    7:00 p.m.*        Manhattan at Johns Hopkins           ESPNU
Mar 7    5:00 p.m.         Towson at Johns Hopkins (women’s)    ESPNU
Mar 10   11:00 a.m.        Princeton vs. North Carolina         ESPNU
Mar 10   1:30 p.m.         Cornell vs. Virginia                 ESPNU
Mar 10   4:00 p.m.         UMBC vs. Johns Hopkins               ESPN3
Mar 16   5:00 p.m.         North Carolina at Duke               ESPNU
Mar 17   2:00 p.m.         Penn at Princeton                    ESPNU
Mar 17   4:00 p.m.         Syracuse at Johns Hopkins            ESPNU
Mar 18   1:00 p.m.         Denver at Notre Dame                 ESPNU
Mar 24   12:00 p.m.        Maryland at North Carolina           ESPNU
Mar 24   12:00 p.m.        Duke at Georgetown                   ESPN3
Mar 24   2:00 p.m.         Johns Hopkins at Virginia            ESPNU
Mar 31   12:00 p.m.        Virginia at Maryland                 ESPNU

Apr 1    1:00 p.m.         Notre Dame vs. St. John’s            ESPN3
Apr 1    4:00 p.m.         Duke vs. Syracuse                    ESPNU
Apr 1    6:30 p.m.         North Carolina vs. Johns Hopkins     ESPNU
Apr 6    6:00 p.m.*        Albany vs. Johns Hopkins             ESPNU
Apr 7    12:00 p.m.        Virginia at North Carolina           ESPN/ESPN3
Apr 11   5:30 p.m.         Virginia at Johns Hopkins (women’s)  ESPNU
Apr 13   6:00 p.m.         Duke at Virginia                     ESPNU
Apr 14   11:00 a.m.        Rutgers vs. Syracuse                 ESPNU
Apr 14   1:30 p.m.         Hofstra at North Carolina            ESPNU
Apr 14   6:00 p.m.         Maryland at Johns Hopkins            ESPNU
Apr 20   5:00 p.m.         ACC Men’s Semifinal #1               ESPNU
Apr 20   7:30 p.m.         ACC Men’s Semifinal #2               ESPNU
Apr 21   3:00 p.m.         Georgetown at Syracuse               ESPNU
Apr 21   5:30 p.m.         Notre Dame at Villanova              ESPNU
Apr 22   3:00 p.m.         ACC Men’s Championship               ESPNU
Apr 23   7:00 p.m.         ACC Women’s Championship             ESPNU
Apr 27   7:30 p.m.         Virginia vs. Penn                    ESPN3
Apr 27   10:00 p.m.        Duke at Denver                       ESPNU
Apr 28   5:00 p.m.         Syracuse at Notre Dame               ESPNU
Apr 28   7:00 p.m.         Cornell at Princeton                 ESPNU

May 3    4:30 p.m.         Big East Men’s Semifinal #1          ESPNU
May 3    7:00/10:30 p.m.   Big East Men’s Semifinal #2          ESPN3/ESPNU*
TBD      TBD               ECAC Men’s Championship              ESPN3
May 4    5:00 p.m.         Ivy League Men’s Semifinal #1        ESPN3
May 4    8:00 p.m.         Ivy League Men’s Semifinal #2        ESPN3
May 5    12:00 p.m.        Big East Men’s Championship          ESPNU
May 5    2:00 p.m.         Army at Johns Hopkins                ESPNU
May 6    10:00 a.m.        America East Men’s Championship      ESPNU
May 6    12:00 p.m.        Ivy League Men’s Championship        ESPNU

Additionally, for the sixth straight year, ESPN networks will provide exclusive coverage of all 15 games from the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship. Coverage will be in high definition across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU beginning Saturday, May 12 and concluding with the national title game on Monday, May 28. ESPN3 and ESPN Mobile will also feature select games.

Back from LaxCon 2012 – A Sum-Up of the Weekend

Awesome time at the US Lacrosse National Convention in Philly this past weekend.  The US Lacrosse LaxCon is such a great annual event when men’s and women’s coaches from all levels of the sport (youth through pro), from all over the country, come together and meet and learn from each other.

This year’s convention weekend started out with the required trip to Pat’s for a cheese steak. My traveling companion was skeptical and didn’t think it would be that great.  How wrong he was!!  I’ve been to Pat’s dozens of times on my many trips to Philly and it is without a doubt the best there is.  It never changes and it’s just SO GOOD.

The Convention holds a HUGE expo hall in which 100s of lacrosse-related companies set up booths to display and sell their products.  It’s a lax fan’s dream.  All the new equipment is on display along with all sorts of other great stuff.  There are booths from Maverik, STX, Easton, Champion, Dick’s, Cascade, Stylin Strings, the Art of Lax, and many others.  One of the really cool products out these days are HeadWrapz custom decals for lacrosse helmets.  HeadWrapz (HeadWrapz) had a table display of some very very wicked stuff including this awesome Iron Maiden helmet!!  I also had a chance to try on the sweet new Rome gloves from Maverik (Maverik Lacrosse).  I think I may need a new pair of gloves very soon!!

Because the convention is all about learning and networking, big time college coaches like John Danowski (Duke) and Bill Tierney (Denver) walk freely amongst the rest of us “mortals”.  They are very approachable and welcome the opportunity to meet and speak with the coaches that are developing their future superstars.  Got to see my favorite lacrosse artist, Vinnie Ricasio of theartoflax.com (The Art of Lax), Connor Wilson from lacrosseallstars.com (Lacrosse Allstars) and Kyle Devitte of Inside Lacrosse (and a Clark alum like me!)  Many of the top H.S. and college coaches are in attendance as well as many professional lacrosse players.  I spent some time chatting with the very popular CON BRO CHILL (Connor Martin – Con Bro Chill).  If you don’t know who CON BRO CHILL is – ask your son!!  I also spoke with Brodie Merrill, Ned Crotty, Kyle Sweeney, Kyle Harrison and Sean Morris.  

In addition to all the great stuff in the expo hall and the networking with lacrosse greats, there is an entire weekend of live and classroom presentations for coaches of all levels (and for both men’s and women’s lax) as well as for lacrosse referees and officials.  I attended some awesome presentations where I picked up some great new drills and plays that I hope to incorporate into my team’s practices and use in games this coming season.  The Convention keynote address on Friday night was given by Herm Edwards, the former NY Jets and Kansas City Chiefs football coach.  After the keynote address it was off to the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) draft that was held in the ballroom of the very hotel I was staying in.  It was great to stand about 10 feet from the podium and watch as the Commissioner of the MLL announced the draft picks by the MLL teams.

After a ton of walking, listening, watching and talking all weekend it was time to leave Philly and head back home – albeit with a backpack filled with notes and printouts from many of the presentations.  I’ll be studying these over the next few weeks as I begin preparing for my team’s first practice.  Thanks US Lacrosse and Philadelphia for another great LaxCon. See you next year for sure!

LaxCon 2012

Happy New Year Everyone.  Its almost “officially” lacrosse season.  I’m heading to Philadelphia now for the Annual U.S. Lacrosse Coaches Convention.  I’m looking forward to hearing from some of the best players and coaches in the U.S. and bringing it all back for the Chiefs.

I’ll report more when I return.

– Coach B