Going into our last weekend of the season, and the last weekend of my career, it is nice to know that the other seniors and myself will be ending our time here at Vassar proud of what we have accomplished as individuals and as a team. This past Wednesday, in an exciting back and forth game under the lights on Weinberg Field, we lost to one of our rivals, Union College, 12-8. While we did not manage to defeat a Liberty League opponent this year, we definitely showed that we are no longer a team others in the Liberty League can assume is an automatic win. I am confident that our program will continue to get stronger and be a factor in our league.
This is a time of the year where not only is our season coming to an end, but tours flood our school daily with soon-to-be Brewers. It is unbelievable to think that a few short years ago I was walking amongst those tour groups as an innocent high school senior who had no idea what Vassar would have in store for him. Playing lacrosse here has really been a blessing, and was one of the main reasons I chose to come here. The unique dynamic our team has I feel is unparalleled by any other teams we have played against, and to others, even some on our own campus, is downright strange.
Our brotherly qualities to one another, and our ridiculous antics from mustaches to the days of team ice (yes, my freshman year nearly every single member of the team pierced their ear with an large fake diamond earring, causing the Piercing Pagoda to run out of that model because of us) really made for an experience that I would not trade for anything.
I look forward to the last weekend of the year as we finish up against SUNY Cobleskill and Cazenovia College. Come out and support as the weather will be sunny and possibly in the 80s as this chapter of the Vassar men's lacrosse team finishes its story.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Season Winding Down, But Still Heating Up
The past few weeks have been filled with challenges, many of which we have been waiting to encounter since before the season started. Liberty League competition has always been the most difficult part of our schedule, frequently playing teams of top 25 quality. While we still seek our first Liberty League win, following losses to RPI, Clarkson, Hamilton, and St. Lawrence, we feel as though we have grown immensely as a team during these games. We haven learned a few things throughout the first few games of league play. First of all, we realize now that we no longer need to be absolutely perfect to compete with league opponents (and perfection is never something we expected to happen). In each of the games we have played against league teams this year, we competed again our opponents in ways we never had in the past creating a competitive atmosphere where both teams were on their heels. Secondly, we learned that as of two seasons ago, a season is never complete without a game where mother nature chooses to throw a fit. Two years ago it was the negative temperatures of the Western Connecticut game.
Last year, it was the Kingston monsoon against Keuka. And just when we all thought we escaped the winter without a bad weather game, Clinton, New York showed us that somtimes Mother Nature is completely indecisive give us an afternoon with a wintery mix consisting of snow, rain, sleet, and hail. We also learned that our offense can finally, when it plays near its potential, support the strong defense we historically have. Against Farmingdale, the only non-league game we have played in the last two weeks, we raced out to a 12-2 halftime lead, including starting off the game with two goals in under 50 seconds. Finally, we learned that March Madness is maybe a more appropriate nickname for the month for a particular Ryan, who we wish the speediest recovery from Staffgastroanteriorcrutiatemeniscusitis. He will miss him on the field for the rest of the reason, but for anyone reading this blog please go to www.myspace.com/underspinninglights and listening to a few of a songs. I figure a few more hits on his bands websites might cheer him up a little. (Yes Ryan, I just plugged your band in the Vassar lacrosse blog).
After the St. Lawrence game I was lucky enough to take the trip with my fellow teammates Ross and Paul to Paul's home in Syracuse, New York to see how Easter is celebrated the Danaher way. There was plenty of great food at the occasion, very friendly family, and a whole lot of giggles. Perhaps the best part of the trip to Syracuse was the tour Paul gave Ross and I of the lacrosse history of the area. Coach Proud, being a West Gennesse alum speaks volumes about the area. Paul showed us the famous Syracuse Carrier Dome, Onondaga Community College (the best JUCO lacrosse program), and West Gennesse High School, the old stomping ground of Coach Proud.
I also discovered that lacrosse is not the only dominant program at West Genny high, and in fact takes a backseat to its marching band program, which has won the state championship 31 times in the past 37 years. The lacrosse team is catching up though with 15 state championships. We also saw the Reservoir, the frightening hill that Coach Proud tells us about running timelessly after poor games, a West Genny tradition of sorts. Let me just say, thank goodness the biggest hill on campus is to the mud hut near Walker. We look forward to these last two weeks of the season, where we finish up with our remaining four games at home. Hope to see you all there!
Last year, it was the Kingston monsoon against Keuka. And just when we all thought we escaped the winter without a bad weather game, Clinton, New York showed us that somtimes Mother Nature is completely indecisive give us an afternoon with a wintery mix consisting of snow, rain, sleet, and hail. We also learned that our offense can finally, when it plays near its potential, support the strong defense we historically have. Against Farmingdale, the only non-league game we have played in the last two weeks, we raced out to a 12-2 halftime lead, including starting off the game with two goals in under 50 seconds. Finally, we learned that March Madness is maybe a more appropriate nickname for the month for a particular Ryan, who we wish the speediest recovery from Staffgastroanteriorcrutiatemeniscusitis. He will miss him on the field for the rest of the reason, but for anyone reading this blog please go to www.myspace.com/underspinninglights and listening to a few of a songs. I figure a few more hits on his bands websites might cheer him up a little. (Yes Ryan, I just plugged your band in the Vassar lacrosse blog).
After the St. Lawrence game I was lucky enough to take the trip with my fellow teammates Ross and Paul to Paul's home in Syracuse, New York to see how Easter is celebrated the Danaher way. There was plenty of great food at the occasion, very friendly family, and a whole lot of giggles. Perhaps the best part of the trip to Syracuse was the tour Paul gave Ross and I of the lacrosse history of the area. Coach Proud, being a West Gennesse alum speaks volumes about the area. Paul showed us the famous Syracuse Carrier Dome, Onondaga Community College (the best JUCO lacrosse program), and West Gennesse High School, the old stomping ground of Coach Proud.
I also discovered that lacrosse is not the only dominant program at West Genny high, and in fact takes a backseat to its marching band program, which has won the state championship 31 times in the past 37 years. The lacrosse team is catching up though with 15 state championships. We also saw the Reservoir, the frightening hill that Coach Proud tells us about running timelessly after poor games, a West Genny tradition of sorts. Let me just say, thank goodness the biggest hill on campus is to the mud hut near Walker. We look forward to these last two weeks of the season, where we finish up with our remaining four games at home. Hope to see you all there!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
My Spring Break Diary
While most college students head toward the warm comfort of home for two weeks of delicious home-cooked meals or the warm rowdiness of some exotic island location for some debauchery, we dedicate our weeks of Spring break to improving as a team and to grow closer to one another to set the stage for the rest of the season.
Following a loss to a quality Kean team, where we faced an opponent that showed us where we were as a lacrosse team and where we can be if we play to our potential, we hopped on the bus driven by Wayne Carey, also known as Coach Wayne. We met Coach Wayne last Spring break when we went down south. This is when each of us learned that he had quite a bit to contribute to the team aside from just being in the driver’s seat. His vast experience being involved with the Navy in his youth and his experience with music throughout the years (he is quite an accomplished bassist) made for some great guidance for the players on the team. I am not even sure if he had seen a lacrosse game before the trip last year, but it didn’t matter because he gives a great outside perspective to our practices and games. He is not looking at dropped passes or running plays, but simply being able to tell us if we look to be flowing or not as a team. We can never thank Coach Wayne enough for what he has contributed the past two years during the trip, and I am sure the team looks forward to seeing him next year around this time again, if not sooner.
Once in Maryland, we had the chance to see the University of Maryland play against Bryant University in College Park, the University of Maryland’s campus. It is always amazing to see teams of this quality and marvel in their skill and ability. Maryland won the game due to their overwhelming intensity and desire from start to finish. Coach Wayne made a note after watching the game of saying that when we watch these players, don’t simply look at them in awe, but realize these players are our contemporaries and while they may be bigger and be playing for a program of Maryland’s proportions, there is no reason to completely separate their lacrosse from our own.
Following the Maryland game we headed further south to Newport News, Virginia, where we would spend the rest of our week practicing and preparing to play Christopher Newport University and Neumann College later in the week. Walking around the campus of CNU and eating at the dining hall amongst their students (their food was delicious), we all began to realize how much we stood out on their campus. Some quotes heard from the students at Christopher Newport are as follows:
“Mustaches, just mustaches”-Two female students passing by us as we walked around the campus.
“Every single player on that team had mustaches…that’s awesome!”-A player on the Christopher Newport lacrosse team following our game against them.
Clearly we knew that we were no ordinary lacrosse team, but very unique in our style and personality, and the mustaches certainly helped show that as I did not see a single other mustache on the campus.
We played against Christopher Newport on Tuesday and lost a close game 8-6. It was a hard fought game where we were victims to our own mistakes. We took it as a lesson and allowed it to motivate us for the rest of the week. After the game the Gottliebs treated us to some classic southern barbeque. They made the trip down south to watch us and see some family that lived in the area.
The following morning we had an early practice that exhausted all of us but left us wanting more. In the afternoon we had the chance to go to Virginia Beach. Lets just say vacation spots out of season are a bit deserted. While it was sunny and in the mid-60s, it wasn’t exactly beach weather. Some of the guys on the team didn’t seem to understand this and still took the opportunity to take a dip in the ocean and toss around lacrosse balls on the beach. A Speedo even made an appearance, but I’ll leave it at that. Virginia Beach turned out to be a really great time to unwind where we just were able to have a few laughs with fellow teammates and get some souvenirs..
After Virginia Beach we headed back to Newport News, where we would get ready for our final game of our road trip against Neumann College. After another hard early practice we took the rest of the day to get ready to leave the following morning watch some of the NCAA basketball tournament. That evening the players and coaches cooked a dinner for the team consisting of chicken, beef brisket, mashed potatoes, rice, pudding, and an assortment of other things. Turns out Coach Nic is quite the grill master as both the brisket and chicken were cooked to perfection and disappeared instantly.
The next morning we headed for the five-hour trip to face Neumann College outside Philadelphia. We knew we would face a team that we beat in a close three-goal game last year, which would provide extra motivation to take it to us. However, in a game where every single player contributed, we finished with a big 11-4 win, showing that our Spring break was again a success and that E9 is the highest scoring house on the Vassar campus (we’re talking about points in a lacrosse game here). Thanks to everyone that made the trip happen, including the parents, coaches, and the hotels that let us run amuck around them for the week.
Following a loss to a quality Kean team, where we faced an opponent that showed us where we were as a lacrosse team and where we can be if we play to our potential, we hopped on the bus driven by Wayne Carey, also known as Coach Wayne. We met Coach Wayne last Spring break when we went down south. This is when each of us learned that he had quite a bit to contribute to the team aside from just being in the driver’s seat. His vast experience being involved with the Navy in his youth and his experience with music throughout the years (he is quite an accomplished bassist) made for some great guidance for the players on the team. I am not even sure if he had seen a lacrosse game before the trip last year, but it didn’t matter because he gives a great outside perspective to our practices and games. He is not looking at dropped passes or running plays, but simply being able to tell us if we look to be flowing or not as a team. We can never thank Coach Wayne enough for what he has contributed the past two years during the trip, and I am sure the team looks forward to seeing him next year around this time again, if not sooner.
Once in Maryland, we had the chance to see the University of Maryland play against Bryant University in College Park, the University of Maryland’s campus. It is always amazing to see teams of this quality and marvel in their skill and ability. Maryland won the game due to their overwhelming intensity and desire from start to finish. Coach Wayne made a note after watching the game of saying that when we watch these players, don’t simply look at them in awe, but realize these players are our contemporaries and while they may be bigger and be playing for a program of Maryland’s proportions, there is no reason to completely separate their lacrosse from our own.
Following the Maryland game we headed further south to Newport News, Virginia, where we would spend the rest of our week practicing and preparing to play Christopher Newport University and Neumann College later in the week. Walking around the campus of CNU and eating at the dining hall amongst their students (their food was delicious), we all began to realize how much we stood out on their campus. Some quotes heard from the students at Christopher Newport are as follows:
“Mustaches, just mustaches”-Two female students passing by us as we walked around the campus.
“Every single player on that team had mustaches…that’s awesome!”-A player on the Christopher Newport lacrosse team following our game against them.
Clearly we knew that we were no ordinary lacrosse team, but very unique in our style and personality, and the mustaches certainly helped show that as I did not see a single other mustache on the campus.
We played against Christopher Newport on Tuesday and lost a close game 8-6. It was a hard fought game where we were victims to our own mistakes. We took it as a lesson and allowed it to motivate us for the rest of the week. After the game the Gottliebs treated us to some classic southern barbeque. They made the trip down south to watch us and see some family that lived in the area.
The following morning we had an early practice that exhausted all of us but left us wanting more. In the afternoon we had the chance to go to Virginia Beach. Lets just say vacation spots out of season are a bit deserted. While it was sunny and in the mid-60s, it wasn’t exactly beach weather. Some of the guys on the team didn’t seem to understand this and still took the opportunity to take a dip in the ocean and toss around lacrosse balls on the beach. A Speedo even made an appearance, but I’ll leave it at that. Virginia Beach turned out to be a really great time to unwind where we just were able to have a few laughs with fellow teammates and get some souvenirs..
After Virginia Beach we headed back to Newport News, where we would get ready for our final game of our road trip against Neumann College. After another hard early practice we took the rest of the day to get ready to leave the following morning watch some of the NCAA basketball tournament. That evening the players and coaches cooked a dinner for the team consisting of chicken, beef brisket, mashed potatoes, rice, pudding, and an assortment of other things. Turns out Coach Nic is quite the grill master as both the brisket and chicken were cooked to perfection and disappeared instantly.
The next morning we headed for the five-hour trip to face Neumann College outside Philadelphia. We knew we would face a team that we beat in a close three-goal game last year, which would provide extra motivation to take it to us. However, in a game where every single player contributed, we finished with a big 11-4 win, showing that our Spring break was again a success and that E9 is the highest scoring house on the Vassar campus (we’re talking about points in a lacrosse game here). Thanks to everyone that made the trip happen, including the parents, coaches, and the hotels that let us run amuck around them for the week.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Finding Redemption In Victory
The games we played this past week were very much about one thing: redemption. Our games against Keuka College and Castleton State College are two of the teams we have been yearning to defeat since my first season as a Brewer. The last time times we played Keuka was in a monsoon where five fourth quarter Keuka goals put a game out of reach for us. With Castleton, an incredibly physical game ended in an overtime loss. These were games we really needed to win, not just for ourselves, but for the former Brewers who just missed the chance to put these opponents away when they wore the Vassar lacrosse uniforms.
Following the Manhattanville game, one thing was very apparent. Our offense needed to pick up our level of aggression in a major way, because scoring three goals in lacrosse simply does not win games. Instead of being tentative and overly-patient on the offensive side of the field we needed to get fearless and not be afraid to take chances.
Lacrosse is a sport that originated as a way for Native American tribes to resolve religious conflicts through battling on a playing field that could be miles long in some cases. Those who played were not merely athletes carrying sticks, but were warriors fighting for the respect and honor of their tribe.
This past week of practice we worked on going from a group of athletes to a group of warriors who wanted to represent our college with energy and passion that no other team could equal. Throughout the entire week the competitive nature between the offense and the defense during practice was equal to two male rams charging at one another at full speed to display its dominance. Even outside of practice there was a friendly trash-talking atmosphere that even resulted in a brotherly brawl between the two sides before practice one day. This intensity between the two sides was exactly what set the tone for the offensive explosion that took place against both Keuka and Castleton, netting us the first two wins of the season. This give Vassar lacrosse a winning record for the first time since I have been here.
One of the greatest parts of Spring break, aside from the incredible amount of bonding time we have with one another, is that the culmination of weeks of work for a completely different purpose comes to fruition. This work is finally seeing each player returning the first day of spring break with the most ridiculous mustache they could physically grow. Sure, trying to see some individuals’ mustaches is like trying to see peach fuzz with a magnifying glass (cough cough Nick), but others really knock this out of the park (sorry for the baseball reference laxers).
Adam Ben-Avi’s zig-zagging mustache really takes the cake as the best facial hair on the team, while Ross certainly wins for having the mustache that makes nearby individuals the most uncomfortable. Still, no one quite has a mustache like Mr. Gottlieb, but then again, his has been years and years in the making, having never shaved since college.
For now, we have another day to practice and get back at it for some more redemption against a Kean team that has taken it to us the previous two seasons. At this point, every stride we take is not only huge for our team, but huge for the Vassar lacrosse program as a whole.
Following the Manhattanville game, one thing was very apparent. Our offense needed to pick up our level of aggression in a major way, because scoring three goals in lacrosse simply does not win games. Instead of being tentative and overly-patient on the offensive side of the field we needed to get fearless and not be afraid to take chances.
Lacrosse is a sport that originated as a way for Native American tribes to resolve religious conflicts through battling on a playing field that could be miles long in some cases. Those who played were not merely athletes carrying sticks, but were warriors fighting for the respect and honor of their tribe.
This past week of practice we worked on going from a group of athletes to a group of warriors who wanted to represent our college with energy and passion that no other team could equal. Throughout the entire week the competitive nature between the offense and the defense during practice was equal to two male rams charging at one another at full speed to display its dominance. Even outside of practice there was a friendly trash-talking atmosphere that even resulted in a brotherly brawl between the two sides before practice one day. This intensity between the two sides was exactly what set the tone for the offensive explosion that took place against both Keuka and Castleton, netting us the first two wins of the season. This give Vassar lacrosse a winning record for the first time since I have been here.
One of the greatest parts of Spring break, aside from the incredible amount of bonding time we have with one another, is that the culmination of weeks of work for a completely different purpose comes to fruition. This work is finally seeing each player returning the first day of spring break with the most ridiculous mustache they could physically grow. Sure, trying to see some individuals’ mustaches is like trying to see peach fuzz with a magnifying glass (cough cough Nick), but others really knock this out of the park (sorry for the baseball reference laxers).
Adam Ben-Avi’s zig-zagging mustache really takes the cake as the best facial hair on the team, while Ross certainly wins for having the mustache that makes nearby individuals the most uncomfortable. Still, no one quite has a mustache like Mr. Gottlieb, but then again, his has been years and years in the making, having never shaved since college.
For now, we have another day to practice and get back at it for some more redemption against a Kean team that has taken it to us the previous two seasons. At this point, every stride we take is not only huge for our team, but huge for the Vassar lacrosse program as a whole.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Preparing for the Final Season
March 2
One month ago, our group of twenty-four young men gathered in the Kenyon varsity weight room for an intense workout. The attitude of this workout set the precedent for the passion and determination that engulfed our Vassar men’s lacrosse team for the following four weeks as we prepared for our first clash with the Valiants of Manhattanville. The memories of last year’s season-opening loss to Manhattanville still resonated as a shoulda-woulda-coulda game that everyone on the team wanted back.
The team gathered together the night before the opening game at the apartment of some of the seniors. Turns out fifteen pounds of chicken, seven pounds of pasta, and six jars of sauce didn’t even come close to feeding the whole team. A few of the players even had to go for an emergency sauce run to the local convenience store to pick up a few extra jars of Ragu. Even all four heads of lettuce disappeared within a few short minutes. Let’s just say feeding twenty-four hungry guys for a pre-game dinner is much more difficult than you would imagine.
Lacrosse was certainly the focus of conversation (aside from people trying to figure out where they could find more food) and everyone was anxious to hit the field the following morning. Our entire apartment was overflowing with the team, people trying to find anywhere and anything to sit on.
The next morning at 9:30 we met once again for a pre-game breakfast at the All-Campus Dining Center (ACDC). This time there would be no shortage of food. We filed in wearing jackets and ties, essentially the only individuals in the cafeteria at that time. A 9:30 breakfast is definitely not the norm for a Vassar student on a Saturday morning. A nervous excitement could be felt around the table. I was especially jittery myself, knowing this was officially the start to my final season as a Vassar Brewer. It is amazing to realize how fast one’s time as a college student-athlete flies by. I still clearly remember my first game four years ago, the first time I put on my silky-smooth Vassar jersey and stepped on the field at Lehigh University to play Moravian College. The program has come so far since that day and everyone on the team was incredibly excited to show this in our upcoming game.
The game against Manhattanville was a hard-fought match on a cold and windy day that saw our defense essentially prevent Manhattanville from posing much of an offensive threat. Our offense possessed the ball in a text-book manner, but unfortunately we could not pull out the victory with a score of 4-3 in favor of the Valiants on the scoreboard as the final buzzer sounded.
After the game there was frustration in the locker room knowing that we had not lost this game like we had lost games in the past, due to dropped passes and failure to execute all over the field. But instead, we felt as though we out-hustled and out-executed the other team, but simply came up short in the scoring column. But we knew that this game was one we could most certainly build upon for the remainder of the season.
The tailgate the parents put together for us after the game acted as an instant pick-me-up for everyone. They give us the opportunity to spend time with family and friends and warm up with some hot chili in the breezy afternoon. The Krull family’s famous steak-tip sandwiches were absolutely the fan favorite for this tailgate with the Danaher fat-free chocolate layered concoction coming in close second. We could never thank our parents enough for what they do for us.
If nothing else came from this game, it gave us the confidence that Vassar lacrosse will no longer be the proverbial punching bag of our opponents and the Liberty League. Instead, this year, we know we can throw the punches ourselves.
One month ago, our group of twenty-four young men gathered in the Kenyon varsity weight room for an intense workout. The attitude of this workout set the precedent for the passion and determination that engulfed our Vassar men’s lacrosse team for the following four weeks as we prepared for our first clash with the Valiants of Manhattanville. The memories of last year’s season-opening loss to Manhattanville still resonated as a shoulda-woulda-coulda game that everyone on the team wanted back.
The team gathered together the night before the opening game at the apartment of some of the seniors. Turns out fifteen pounds of chicken, seven pounds of pasta, and six jars of sauce didn’t even come close to feeding the whole team. A few of the players even had to go for an emergency sauce run to the local convenience store to pick up a few extra jars of Ragu. Even all four heads of lettuce disappeared within a few short minutes. Let’s just say feeding twenty-four hungry guys for a pre-game dinner is much more difficult than you would imagine.
Lacrosse was certainly the focus of conversation (aside from people trying to figure out where they could find more food) and everyone was anxious to hit the field the following morning. Our entire apartment was overflowing with the team, people trying to find anywhere and anything to sit on.
The next morning at 9:30 we met once again for a pre-game breakfast at the All-Campus Dining Center (ACDC). This time there would be no shortage of food. We filed in wearing jackets and ties, essentially the only individuals in the cafeteria at that time. A 9:30 breakfast is definitely not the norm for a Vassar student on a Saturday morning. A nervous excitement could be felt around the table. I was especially jittery myself, knowing this was officially the start to my final season as a Vassar Brewer. It is amazing to realize how fast one’s time as a college student-athlete flies by. I still clearly remember my first game four years ago, the first time I put on my silky-smooth Vassar jersey and stepped on the field at Lehigh University to play Moravian College. The program has come so far since that day and everyone on the team was incredibly excited to show this in our upcoming game.
The game against Manhattanville was a hard-fought match on a cold and windy day that saw our defense essentially prevent Manhattanville from posing much of an offensive threat. Our offense possessed the ball in a text-book manner, but unfortunately we could not pull out the victory with a score of 4-3 in favor of the Valiants on the scoreboard as the final buzzer sounded.
After the game there was frustration in the locker room knowing that we had not lost this game like we had lost games in the past, due to dropped passes and failure to execute all over the field. But instead, we felt as though we out-hustled and out-executed the other team, but simply came up short in the scoring column. But we knew that this game was one we could most certainly build upon for the remainder of the season.
The tailgate the parents put together for us after the game acted as an instant pick-me-up for everyone. They give us the opportunity to spend time with family and friends and warm up with some hot chili in the breezy afternoon. The Krull family’s famous steak-tip sandwiches were absolutely the fan favorite for this tailgate with the Danaher fat-free chocolate layered concoction coming in close second. We could never thank our parents enough for what they do for us.
If nothing else came from this game, it gave us the confidence that Vassar lacrosse will no longer be the proverbial punching bag of our opponents and the Liberty League. Instead, this year, we know we can throw the punches ourselves.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
