Guilford High School Guilford High School LacrosseLacrosse

Building on SuccessBuilding on SuccessFebruary 24, 2009

March 3, 2009

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Agenda for Parents Meeting

• Vision for Varsity Lacrosse

• History

• 2009 Outlook

• Parents’ Role in Success

• NetMinders

• Using Lacrosse to get into College

• Collaboration with the Youth Program

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Vision for Varsity Lacrosse

• To play lacrosse at the highest possible level

• To encourage sportsmanship and leadership on and off the field

• To create opportunities for our players to get into college

• To have a rewarding and fun experience

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Vision for Varsity Lacrosse

• How are we going to do it?– Build on the success of the last few years– Set clear expectations and goals

• Team• Individual

– Hold players and coaches to those standards– Develop the attitude and effort it takes to win– Work hard to achieve

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History

• 2009 marks Guilford’s 15th year of lacrosse– Still a new program by competitive standards

• High point 1997-2000– 1997 semi-finals (lost to Somers 9-6)– 1998 qtr- finals (lost to Brien McMahon 15-10)– 1999 semi-finals (lost to Staples12-11 (OT))– 2000 finals (lost to Brien McMahon 12-11)

• Competitiveness declined in 2001-2005• On the rise 2006 - 2008

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History

Year Rank Wins Loss

2000 14 (43) 16 7 Finals

2001 23 (53) 6 9

2002 10 (51) 12 7

2003 23 (57) 3 13

2004 25 (62) 5 11

2005 25 (67) 8 9 Qualifying Round

2006 29 (71) 8 10 First Round

2007 22 (72) 11 8 Quarterfinals

2008 22(77) 11 8 Quarterfinals

Fastest Growing Sport - 34 new teams added since 2000.6

2009 Outlook

• Coming off a good year in 2008– Increased the intensity of our play– Adopted college-style offense and defense– Improved our competitiveness

• 8 losses by a total of only 19 goals (previous 49)• Need to increase our competitiveness to beat the

top teams!

– 3 players moved on to play at a higher level• 2 in college• 1 prep school

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2009 Outlook

• Returning a more experienced team

• Improving game management (Coaches and players)

• Improving fundamentals

• Clarifying our offense to allow more player creativity and understanding of roles

• Increasing our intensity and physicality

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2009 Goals

• Become a cohesive team – playing within our individual capabilities to

make a stronger team

• Improve our in-season record beyond 10-6– Make a mark in the SCC and State playoffs

• Establish a sustained effort to serve the community – Create a positive image of the lacrosse team

within the school and community

• Place our seniors in higher education

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2009 Outlook

• What makes a good lacrosse player?– Attitude– Effort– Understanding of Roles and Responsibilities– Skills– Accountability

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2009 Outlook

• ALL positions are up for grabs• Based on coaches evaluations

– We will put the best players in the positions that are most conducive to team play and winning

• It doesn’t matter what position your player may think he is– Midfield, Attack, Defense or Goalie, – We will put the pieces together into

the best combination

• The process is continuous throughout the season

“The secret of winning football games is

working more as a team, less as

individuals.  I play not my 11 best, but my best

11.”         -- Knute Rockne

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2009 Outlook

• Full Varsity, JV and Freshman schedules• Two practice squads (Green and White)

– Green will be Varsity players and Varsity/JV bubble players

– White squad will be Freshmen and remaining JV players• Why?

– To improve the speed and intensity of our varsity practices– To improve the “numbers” and intensity of our freshman

practices– To get more field time for our newer players in a more

forgiving environment• Players will move up or down based on attitude, effort

and skills or “lack thereof”

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2009 Outlook

• Schedule– Preseason– Regular season– Post season

• Paperwork– All players need to sign up for spring sports in the

nurse’s office ASAP• Emergency Cards• Physicals (appointments and forms)• Impact Testing (Freshmen, Juniors)

– All information should be handed in on or before MARCH 3rd

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Parents Role in Success

• Most of the core attitudes for success come from home

• Work ethic• Intensity• Respect for teammates and coaches

• Getting them to and from practices and games fully equipped

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We appreciate it!We have great kids on the team!

Overview of the NetMinders

• The NetMinders is a parent-sponsored organization to support the boys’ lacrosse program

• Primary responsibilities– Fund raising– Hosting support events

• Pasta dinners, senior night, banquet, picnic, etc,…

– Organizing and supporting summer, fall and winter lacrosse activities

– Supporting the coaching staff– And other duties as required

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2008/2009 Goals

• Get more parents involved in the club• Sustain and improve fund raising• Improve game attendance• Improve activities with the youth program• Improve the image of the lacrosse program within

the school and the community– Community service activities as a team– Better play in the media

• Reporting on games• Film for GCTV

• Continue to provide year-round playing opportunities

• Outreach to alumni and alumni parents16

Off-Season Activities

• Summer pick-up games– Twice per week in the evening

• Fall Lacrosse– Once per week practice– 2 tournaments

• Winter Lacrosse– In-door in Hamden once per week– Turf field time 2 days per week after school– One tournament and local scrimmages

• Fall and winter lifting program

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Playing a fall or winter sport is very beneficial and highly recommended! The best Lax players in the state play

football!

NetMinders Contacts

• Officers– President – Renee Leary

• renee.leary@comcast.net– Vice-President, Dave DeMaio

• daviddemaio@mungerconstruction.com– Secretary, Wendy Davis

• wdavis3121@aol.com– Treasurer, George Curry

• gcescurry@sbcglobal.net– Youth Coordinator – Matt Fogarty

• matthew.fogarty@sbcglobal.net

• Class representatives– Freshman, Ann Marie Gunn, a.gunn@sbcglobal.net– Sophomore, Char Curry, gtcchar@yahoo.com– Junior, Diane Carlson, erickcarlson@comcast.net

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WebSite www.ghsboyslax.org

• Single location for lacrosse news, forms, schedules, rosters, statistics, field directions, etc. – “one stop shopping”

• NetMinders controls the content– Easy maintenance and update– Repository of knowledge

• Player and parent database behind the scenes– Simple to contact players and parents– Email addresses and phone numbers hidden to

general public

• We need emails and phone numbers for parents and players to make this work!

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WebSite Home

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Team Page

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Exchange

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Fundraising Activities

• Commemorative (ad) program – Renee Leary and TBD

• Letter writing – Diane Carlson

• Player pictures – Diane Carlson

• Concession stand – Anna Raccuia

• Car washes – Wendy Davis

• 50/50 raffles at games – need coordinator

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Need for Volunteers

• Pasta dinners – Dave and Terri Polastri• Game film and commentary – Gary Drake – Need

volunteers• Half-time activities – need coordinator• Concession stand – Anna Raccuia• Car washes – Wendy Davis• Media coordinator – Need coordinator• Youth day – Matt Fogarty• Banquet – need coordinator• Senior night – need coordinator

• We need coordinators for some events and volunteers for all events

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Lax-Bash, March 28• WE NEED VOLUNTEERS

– Field coordinator runs the logistical side of the Jamboree – Jeff Deacon• Ensures all teams know the schedule and what field they need to be on• Runs horn to start and end games, and coordinate team movement• Engages volunteers to maintain water coolers on all fields• Works with the Youth program to coordinate ball boys at all games• Maintains visibility and oversight on any game that GHS is NOT competing in• Supervises “oversight staff” on every field

– Concession coordinator – Anna Raccuia• Determine menu for the event• Publish to other teams• Arrange for volunteers to staff the concession stand• Set-up/clean-up• Arrange for exposure/promotion at back fields

– Activity coordinator -- ??????• Promotion• Local newspapers

– pre and post event– In school– Youth program– Arrange any other activities for fun or fundraising

– Game filming - ?????

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Lacrosse Provides College Opportunities

• Lacrosse is growing rapidly at the collegiate level – Since 2000

• 41 new NCAA programs• 130 New MCLA programs (more than club teams but not varsity)

• While there are scholarship opportunities, the real leverage is:– Introducing your son to schools they may not have considered

otherwise- via College coaches and players– Leverage: Getting your son into a better school than he might otherwise

get into– Priority considerations, locking in the commitment early– Immediate sense of belonging once on campus– Coach supervision supporting academic success– And,… there are scholarship opportunities

• Even if you don’t play in college– The discipline of a varsity sport translates into improved academic

performance– The work ethic and leadership skills derived from varsity sports make

applicants more appealing to college review boards

There are benefits from playing lacrosse in high school, even if you don't seek a future as a college lacrosse player

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GHS Alumni• Jon Hunt (‘96) – Plymouth State, Head Coach University of New England.• Carter Ozyck (’96) – Quinnipiac University• Dave Burtraw (’97) – Hartwick College• Ian Andrews (’97) – Eastern Connecticut State University• Brian White (‘97) – Plymouth State, GHS Head Coach• Matt Libby (’98) – Gettysburg College• Jeff Maciorowski (’98) – Endicott College, former coach Lassell College • Scott Davidson (’00) – University of Denver, MLL Player• Noah Hollander (’00) – Hartwick College, Captain• Colin Kott (‘01) – Curry College• Josh Maciorowski (’01) – UMass / Endicott College, former Coach at Lassell College• Mike Silverstrini (‘03) – Eastern Connecticut State University• Dave Hamilton (03) – University of Hartford• Adam Rosati (’03) – Castleton State College• Cory Robbins (’05) – Hartwick College• Jake Mahon (’06) – Hartwick College• Brendan Calafiore - Skidmore• Chris Garceau –West Point• Chris Reiben - Colby College• Fred Turcio (08) – Cawtaba• Jay Bellonio (08) – South Kent Prep• Sean Leary (08) – West Point

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Collaboration with the Youth Program

• We need a strong youth program to have a strong varsity program

• We need youth players and parents to– embrace high school lacrosse– come to our games

• Increase fans in the stands and Youth exposure to varsity games by:– Creating "youth Events" at our games – Having Ball Boys at every home game– Hosting “Youth day” at one of our Saturday home games

(currently scheduled for April 26th)– Mini-games at half time– We need help to manage this process!

• Our players and coaches will work with youth teams to encourage skill development and collaboration

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Parents Role in Success

• Support for the program– Financial support

• Items to make the program more rewarding for the kids– Banquet– Pasta dinners– Senior gifts

• Unfortunately some essentials too!– Balls– Stick repair supplies– etc,…

– Logistical support• Game filming• Tracking stats• Concession stand (If we can get people to come to the games)• Half-time activities• Lax-Bash• Etc,…

– Intensity in the stands• Bring the grandparents, bring the neighbors, bring your friends• Bring strangers, just get bodies in the stands

Join the Lacrosse Community and have Fun! 29

Key Dates

• March 9 – Conditioning begins• March 23 – Practice begins• March 28 – "Lax Bash"• April 7 – Pasta Party• April 8 – Season opener against East Lyme at home• April 26 – Car Wash• May 4 – Pasta Party• May 16 – Youth Day• May 17 – Car Wash• May 22 – Senior Night• June 1 – Pasta Party• June 19 – Alumni Game• June 21 – End of the year banquet• End of the year picnic with girl’s lacrosse - ????

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Play to Win

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