With a year under their belts with a new system and a new staff, coaches on the boys varsity lacrosse team are more optimistic about the team’s ability to navigate a challenging NEPSAC schedule.
“Last year, everything was new, and things ran very differently,” said second-year head coach Andrew D’Ambrosio. “This year people understand what’s expected right off the bat.”
This was evident, added D’Ambrosio, during the team’s Spring Break trip to Arizona. “There was a heightened sense of optimism leaving Phoenix,” he said. “We’re farther along in implementation of our systems than last year.”
Co-captain Ben Meyers ’19 agreed. “With two or three practices a day, three games, and a whole bunch of bonding, we were able to figure out who we were as a team very early on,” he said.
Just surviving the rigors of the trip was a testament in itself to the resilience of the team, said co-captain Tyler Mackesy ’19. “All the guys pushed through tough days and competed every day,” he said.
This year’s squad has the advantage of having a deep group of interchangeable players, which should give several different players good scoring chances, said D’Ambrosio. The team also has several players who can break down their man with dodges, offering multiple points of attack, said Meyers.
On the other side of the ball, the Bearcats should be able to rely on experience and leadership from the older players on the team. “We have a lot of seniors throughout the defense, which makes for better communication,” said Mackesy.
Having experience from last year facilitates that communication, said D’Ambrosio. “We’re a helping defense in general, and that only works when people know what they’re doing,” he said.
One of the points of emphasis for the squad this season will be an attention to detail, captured in the team slogan “A little a lot,” which Meyers explains comes from a quote from Yale lacrosse coach Andy Shay: “We ask our guys to do the little things right a lot.” Focusing on detail will help the team make fewer mistakes, said Meyers.
