February 27, 2012

Practicing Off a Wall Pays Off

By Craig Haley
Play SportsTV Managing Editor


Salisbury University lacrosse coach Jim Berkman
“A lacrosse player’s best friend,” says Salisbury University men’s lacrosse coach Jim Berkman, who has won the most games in NCAA history, “is a nice concrete wall that he can throw the ball off for endless hours and numerous times.
 
“The kids that throw the ball off the wall are able to motivate themselves to do that for hours upon end (and) are usually the kids that separate themselves in the game of lacrosse.”
 
It sounds so simple, but it’s true. The gym rats of lacrosse usually become its top players because they work the hardest on their craft.
 
There aren’t enough youth lacrosse coaches to keep up with the sport’s growing popularity among kids lax players today. So in addition to playing on teams or attending camps, the best players have to keep working on their lacrosse skills and figuring out their moves. Throwing a ball off a wall is a great way to work on eye-hand coordination, strengthen wrists and develop lacrosse stick skills.
 
“Anybody who has ever been any good in lacrosse has always had a great stick,” says Berkman, who won eight Division III titles in his first 20 years at Salisbury University. “A great-stick kid just never puts his stick down. He’s always got his stick wherever he goes, he’s always playing catch with his buddies, with his dad, he’s throwing the ball off the wall all the time and he has a routine where he loves to go shoot off the wall, he loves to go shoot on the net. And he’s doing it with both hands all the time. It seems that those kids who have that drive and determination and love for the game, that never put their sticks down and always have it in their hands where it becomes an extension of their arm instead of a foreign object, end up being the ones with the best skills.”
 
The more a lacrosse player practices throwing off a wall, the better. While standing 5 to 10 yards away from the wall - and eventually farther - it’s important to be creative. A player can work with a quick stick throw, on the backhand or while in motion. He should work on both hands – throwing with one hand and catching with the other, incorporating dodge moves and reversing the stick handle, or just using the same hand for the catch and throw, and then switching his handle. Do the work in sets, and above all do a lot of wall-ball lacrosse throwing.

February 26, 2012

Bulldogs Beat Gophers in Thriller

The University of Minnesota - Duluth Bulldogs lacrosse team visited the University of Minnesota Gophers and came from behind late in the game to pull off a thrilling victory over their in-state UMLL rival.

UMD started the scoring early taking a quick 2-0 lead on goals by Drake Peterson and Alex McNamara.  Following a Minnesota score, Stanley Drutowski tallied his first goal of the season to make the score 3-1 UMD at the end of the first period.  Peterson opened the second quarter with a goal and UMD was up 4-1.  Following another Minnesota goal, Matt Murphy scored to give the 'Dogs a 5-2 lead.  After Murphy's goal, it was all Minnesota, with the Gophers putting in 5 unanswered goals to take a 7-5 halftime lead.

With the Gophers up 7-5 and momentum clearly in their favor, the Bulldogs would have to answer quickly.  McNamara would close the gap to 1 with his second goal of the game, but the Gophers would answer right away to maintain a two goal lead at 8-6.  The Gophers would score again to take a 9-6 lead into the final quarter and it looked like the upset was on.

The Bulldogs, however would have something to say about that and they came out firing on all cylinders.  Kevin Gaydos would open the scoring for the Bulldogs in the 4th quarter and the rally was on - 9-7 Gophers.  McNamara would follow with his 3rd goal of the game - 9-8.  After that, it was all Bulldogs and they would go on to score 5 unanswered goals of their own to win the game 11-9 and outscore the Gophers 5-0 in the final period.  The 'Dogs defense would step up in the final quarter to shut down a Gophers offense that was on fire in the second and third quarters.

The Bulldogs were led by McNamara with his 3 goals.  Gaydos tallied 2 goals and an assist while Drutowski, Peterson and Murphy would each score 2 goals.  Ben Blaeser and Ryan Butts each added an assist.

This exciting game sets the stage for a likely UMLL championship showdown between these two teams.  It's apparent that the Bulldogs and Gophers will be the cream of the UMLL crop again in 2012.

The Bulldogs next take on the St. Cloud State Huskies at the Husky Dome in St. Cloud, MN next Saturday March 3.

February 24, 2012

Next Up: Bulldogs vs. Gophers

Next Up: Bulldogs vs. Gophers

Duluth, MN – The rivalry is set to continue this upcoming weekend.

After a strong start to the 2012 season, the UMD Bulldogs now look ahead to their next game against the University of Minnesota Gophers.

“Though we beat the Gophers in the UMLC championship game last year, the loss to them at home (in Duluth) still leaves a very sour taste in our mouths. It’s a feeling we will surely not forget entering Saturday’s game,” said senior captain #17 Matt Madden.

These two teams matched up twice in the 2011 lacrosse season, and it’s sure to be a battle to the finish between the Bulldogs and the Gophers.

“There’s always a rivalry between these two teams. If there’s one thing I can say about the Gophers, it’s they always come ready to compete and give our guys a challenge,” said head coach Frank Clark.


During the regular season, the Gophers edged out the Bulldogs 8-7 in overtime on Bulldog territory. But when they played again in the 2011 UMLC playoffs, the Bulldogs reigned superior with a final score of 11-6.

“This is one game everybody marks on their calendars. I have no doubt it will be a great afternoon of lacrosse from both teams,” said Clark.

In 2011, the Gophers finished their season with a divisional UMLC record of 4-1, and an overall record of 6-6. The Golden Gophers made it to the second round of the 2011 UMLC playoffs, but saw their season end when they matched up against the Bulldogs and lost.

“We need to jump on every opportunity and get things going in our favor early like the past weekend’s match-ups will be key,” said Clark.

The rivalry match-up will take place on Saturday, February 25 at the University of Minnesota Bubble Stadium in Minneapolis. The game starts at noon.

“Preparation, focus and execution will be the keys for us to be successful this weekend. It should be a very exciting game,” said Sam Litman, the Bulldogs assistant head coach.

Make sure to keep up with the Bulldogs by visiting umdlacrosse.com, and catch all the details of every game by following @Duluthlacrosse on Twitter.

February 22, 2012

Great Video From UMD's Opening Weekend

Super video short of UMD's opening weekend. Plus link to story.



Game Highlights: Duluth Lacrosse Routs Marquette and Iowa State in Opening Weekend

Duluth, MN (February 20, 2012) The Bulldogs showed their bite is worse than their bark this past weekend. They opened their 2012 season with a match-up against Marquette University in the St. Paul/Minneapolis are at the Vandais Sports Center, and continued a seven-year stretch of wins. This marks their 8th win in the last eight match-ups.

“We were very focused for Saturday’s game,” said UMD Bulldogs head coach Frank Clark.

For the rest of the story visit Lacrosse Playground

February 19, 2012

Bulldogs Open Season with Two Big Wins

The University of Minnesota - Duluth Bulldogs mens lacrosse team opened the 2012 MCLA lacrosse season with two big victories this weekend over Upper Midwest Lacrosse League (UMLL) conference foes.

On Saturday, the Bulldogs took on the Marquette University club lacrosse team at the Vadnais Dome in White Bear Lake, MN and defeated them handily, 17-3.  Drake Peterson opened the scoring for the Bulldogs, putting in the first goal of the season on a feed from Alex McNamara.  It would be all Bulldogs after that.  Peterson led the 'dogs with 5 goals and an assist.  Kevin Gaydos added 4 goals and an assist while McNamara was the feeder, contributing 4 assists and tallying one goal.  Matt Murphy and Neal Pester added two goals, while Shayne Thomas added a goal and an assist, and Julian Chamleunsouk and Tyler Lorinser added a goal apiece.  Ben Blaeser, Matt Madden and Justin Vossen each added an assist.  Goalies Joey Slattery, Alex Libera, Jared Klapperich and Andrew Blaeser all shared time in goal giving up only 3 goals.

The Bulldogs faced Iowa State in the second game on Sunday.  This game was even more lopsided than the first as the Bulldogs crushed the Cyclones 23-3.  Kevin Gaydos started the scoring marathon with the first 3 goals of the game.  Gaydos would lead all scorers with 6 goals on the day.  Alex McNamara put in 4 goals and added an assist while Tyler Lorinser also chipped in with 4 goals.  Neal Pester was the primary assist man contributing 4 assists and also adding a goal.  Matt Murphy scored 2 goals and added 2 assists while Justin Vossen and Shayne Thomas each added a goal and had 2 assists.  Drake Peterson scored 1 goal and added 1 assist and Ben Blaeser, Matt Madden, and Stanley Drutowski each added a goal.  Once again, the goalies shared time in goal giving up only 3 goals. 

It was a solid opening weekend for the Bulldogs.  Next Saturday the Bulldogs take on in-state rival University of Minnesota in a re-match of the UMLL title game from a year ago.  The game will be played at the University of Minnesota sports bubble and might be the most important early season UMLL test the 'dogs have had in recent years.  Next weeks game should be a great indicator of who has the inside track for the UMLL title in 2012.

February 16, 2012

Instructional Videos of the Week: Fundamentals of Goaltending Series

Series of videos from IMG Lacrosse Academies covering the fundamentals of Goaltending. This 6 video series provides excellent instruction for the new player interested in playing goalie for the first time and for experienced goalies as well. Go to YouTube.com to view the entire series. Some of the later videos in the series will be most helpful to more experienced goalies. Watch all of them if you're just getting started as a goalie.

February 9, 2012

Instructional Video of the Week: Brendan Mundorf Dodging from X

Nice instructional video featuring Brendan Mundorf dodging from X. Video is specific to dodging from X but the tips here are great advice for both attack and midfield dodging from anywhere on the field. Check it out:

February 8, 2012

Boy Dies After Struck by Lacrosse Ball

Sad story from Rochester, NY. This makes a good case for automatic external defibrillators (AED) to be on the sideline for all lacrosse practices and games.

Rochester Boy Dies After Struck by Lacrosse Ball


A 12-year-old lacrosse player died Tuesday, five days after he was struck in the chest by a ball during an indoor game, according to a report by YNN Rochester (N.Y.).

Tyler Kopp was hit in the chest by a ball in what the Brighton Central School District called "a routine play" during the game Thursday, a statement said. An off-duty firefighter performed CPR on Kopp, a seventh-grader at Twelve Corners Middle School, until ambulance crews arrived. Emergency medical technicians restarted Kopp's heart with a defibrillator before transporting him to nearby Strong Hospital, where he died in the early morning hours Tuesday.

"Tyler had great sensitivity towards others, a fierce determination and a strong competitive fire. He was the iconic boy -- loving sports, the outdoors, and playing with his friends," Kopp's father Brian said in the statement provided by the Brighton Central School District.

An official cause of death was not released in the YNN Rochester report, but similar events transpired in the deaths of Northport (N.Y.) High goalie Louis Acompora in 2000, Cornell University defenseman George Boiardi in 2004 and Binghamton (N.Y.) High player John Mack in 2006. All were attributed to commotio cordis, a rare but potentially catastrophic phenomenon that results in sudden cardiac arrest.

Commotio cordis occurs when an individual receives a blow to the chest in a very precise spot over the heart at a very precise moment in the cardiac cycle. The blunt blow -- which doesn't even need to have extreme force -- imparts an electric charge to the heart, causing ventricular fibrillation in an otherwise normal heart. Acompora and Boiardi were struck in the chest by a ball; Mack was hit by a stick. Seven of nine lacrosse-related cardiac deaths reported to US Lacrosse since 1983 have been attributed to commotio cordis.

In June 2011, Jamesville-Dewitt (N.Y.) High sophomore Dan Cochran, playing for a summer all-star team, survived an episode of commotio cordis after he was revived by an automatic external defibrillator (AED) on site. Portable AEDs help increase the likelihood of surviving sudden cardiac arrest by shocking the heart back into its normal rhythm.

The Kopp family has requested privacy, a hospital spokesperson said.

“The national lacrosse community mourns the tragic passing of Tyler Kopp today and, on behalf of US Lacrosse, I want to extend our deepest sympathies and prayers to his family and friends,” US Lacrosse President and CEO Steve Stenersen said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. “There is nothing comparable to the loss of a child for a family and a community, and we understand and respect the family’s request for privacy.”

US Lacrosse, which owns and publishes Lacrosse Magazine and LaxMagazine.com, has taken a leadership role among sports-based organizations to address commotio cordis and increase access to AEDs. In 2007, the organization partnered with Cardiac Science to make AEDs more affordable to lacrosse leagues and chapters and to provide AED/CPR training through the US Lacrosse AED Grant Program. US Lacrosse also hosted the first commotio cordis summit in Baltimore in May 2007, bringing together leading researchers, medical experts and equipment manufacturers. Among those in attendance were the families of Acompora, Boiardi and Mack.

Since Louis' death, the Acomporas have also taken a leading role in increasing the access to AEDs. They established the Louis Acompora Foundation, the primary mission of which is to lobby all states to pass laws requiring schools to have a defibrillator. In 2002, New York became the first state to pass such a law.

February 7, 2012

Developing Your Dodging

Article from Inside Lacrosse featuring Brendan Mundorf

Brendan Mundorf #2
Brendan Mundorf is one of the most feared dodgers in the world. He's scored with incredible consistency over his six years with the MLL's Denver Outlaws, and without ever canning a two-point shot, he's approaching 250 career points — so you know he can get to the cage. The STX athlete is also getting his camp company Mundorf Lacrosse rolling, and here he is perfecting his method of teaching players how to dodge.

01: When to Dodge
I always want to start a dodge off of ball movement or when my defender is approaching me; the faster or more out of control he's running at me, the more comfortable I am to start my dodge. By the same measure,  I like to always have my feet moving when I catch the ball or any other time pre-dodge — essentially, I don't want to go to the cage if I'm standing still and my defender has his body into me.

Typically, the best time to attack from X is after a middie has made a strong dodge down the alley and worked it behind because my defender' going to be coming down from his help position on goal line extended and the rest of the defense is recovering off of a slide. As a result, it's usually best to go for the backside pipe because the frontside is crowded by the dodger and the defenders who stepped up to turn him back.

02: How to Dodge
At my first step, I picture a straight line between my feet and where on the field I want to release the shot. Then I attack my defender, going straight at him, and take one hard step to the front side pipe causing the defender to drop step turning his hips and shoulders in one direction. Once he does that, I make my move, like a split dodge here, and I aim for his back shoulder and run through it.

The benefit of dodging a moving defenseman is that it's easier to get him to choose one direction. After the move, keep running at the defenseman to take away his checking ability.

03: Stick Protection and Hand Placement
Mundorf dodging
One thing that separates the best players like Ned Crotty is an ability to get their shot off even when they're covered. Two things that are important in being able to do that are stick protection and hand placement in releasing your shot. Protecting your stick is something that develops, and the best way to do it is to practice dodging over and over until you have confidence in knowing how to hold your stick.  I focus on keeping my hands totally across my body and my stickside elbow tight to my chest so the defender can't get a lift.

This plays perfectly into getting a well-disguised shot off.  Keeping my hands low, I work on turning the corner, rotating my body and releasing around my defender. A great way to practice this is by putting a trashcan at five-and-five, dodging at full speed to the edge of it then shooting around it.

February 4, 2012

Lacrosse Comes of Age in Minnesota

By Amelia Rayno, Star Tribune

Maddie Ulfig had her first experience with lacrosse when she was in sixth grade. It was a modest beginning: a parent in her hometown of Lino Lakes was familiar with the sport and created a boys' team, which they housed by laying down turf in a Shoreview ice arena – box lacrosse style – and joined an informal indoor winter league.

There was no girls' team, so Ulfig, enraptured by the novelty and physical play, signed up with her brother – and five other interested girls.

"That was the only option at the time," said Ulfig, who plays lacrosse at Gannon University in Erie, Pa., and who is now a volunteer counselor at a new girls' summer camp that is taking place this week in Coon Rapids.

Consider also Greg Zandlo, who unexpectedly became a lacrosse parent when his daughter Jen picked up the sport in the ninth grade. He said at the time many were still totally naïve.

"Most parents – I was one of them – didn't have a clue what lacrosse was," he said. "We knew it was a city in Wisconsin."

Things in Minnesota have changed drastically since then. In recent years, the lacrosse scene in the state has gone from obscure – with just men's and women's clubs and no formal teams for high school-aged kids – to what could be called a full-fledged craze. Lacrosse is a sanctioned Minnesota State High School League sport. Camps are cropping up every year as lacrosse lovers and would-be businessmen try to keep up with the teeming interest.

But to the disappointment of Ulfig and others who hail from the northern suburbs, lacrosse's growth north and east of the Cities remains sluggish compared with that of the burgeoning southern and western regions of the metro.

That's why Zandlo, Ulfig and several other aficionados decided to create Minnesota Lacrosse Academy, a new girls' camp in the northern suburbs aimed at helping to ignite interest in those communities and to ease the struggles of the young athletes there who travel to far-away camps and scramble to get recognized by college recruiters. All of MLA's counselors will be current D-I, II or III players.

"It's tough, especially the traveling," said Greg's daughter Jen Zandlo, another counselor at MLA and a player at Marquette. Zandlo formerly played on a club team in Hopkins, and her parents drove here there, about 45 minutes away, several times a week.

Added counselor Anna Eiden, a senior lacrosse player at University of Detroit-Mercy: "And there still aren't many opportunities for girls. It's getting popular in some places, but for our cities it's still pretty new. That's what we're trying to change."

For now, the expectations are modest. As of last week, fewer than 20 kids from grades 6-12 had registered for the MLA camp. With the help of sponsor Dave's Sports Shop, Greg Zandlo is essentially funding the project out of his own pocket, with hopes that it will catch on in the future, or at least bridge the gap until more organizations are started.

But the folks at MLA have to be encouraged by the state's fast-growing history with the sport. If the past is any indicator, camps can be very successful here. When Mark Hellenack – an East Coast lacrosse enthusiast who had worked with US Lacrosse – moved to Minnesota in 1993, he felt something like a "visionary," he said, laughing.

"People looked at me funny" when he talked about getting teams together, he said. "But I knew it would take off here, simply because kids [with a hockey culture] have the mentality where they're used to playing a physical game, and all they really needed was a lacrosse stick to have at it."

It did just that. Hellenack became involved with the Minnesota chapter of US Lacrosse and watched it flourish quickly. In 1996, seven boys' clubs at the high school level were formed. In 2001, there were 23. Between 2007 and 2008 – the latter being the second year that the boys' state tournament was sponsored by the MSHSL – boys' teams jumped from 32 to 48.

Northstar Lacrosse store owner and camp director Ian Flam started his business nine years ago with a small camp and retail shop that was open for just a few hours a day. Now the shop is open nine hours a day, seven days a week, and camp interest has exploded.

"My first camp had 50 kids. Now we're over 500, and we're maxed out," he said.

Being recruited can still be a challenge. Some coaches and scouts are reluctant to travel to the Midwest when there is an avid lacrosse base on the East Coast.

"We had to take kids to where the coaches are," Hellenack said of the traveling teams he has coached. "They're not coming to Minnesota to watch a kid play lacrosse – it just doesn't happen."

A college recruiting program that Flam runs in the summer saw 13 kids receive scholarships for lacrosse last year.

"That's a big deal," he said. "We're going to tournaments out east and placing consistently in the top three to five, and even winning."

Said Hellenack: "We have more and more Division I girls and boys going to college because the skill level is going up. Just like we are known for hockey, we are starting – I won't call it a hotbed – but we are getting respect. Coaches are starting to say we have good school systems, the kids are bright ... and lacrosse is starting to creep its way out here."

Ulfig – somewhat of a pioneer still, in the northern suburbs – hopes to continue that movement near Lino Lakes. One of the next critical steps is to establish good youth programs to help feed the high schools.

"We all have this great passion for it – it's almost our lives," she said of herself and the other counselors at MLA. "I want to teach girls to play ... and have them find that passion on their own."

February 3, 2012

Highlights from Team USA vs. Denver

Some incredible highlights from this excellent game at last Sunday's Champion Challenge.  Team USA won 16-15 in overtime.  Watch #22 Mark  Matthews from Denver University - man is sick with the stick!  Denver is going to be a handful for any team this year in the NCAA and Matthews is destined to be a superstar.  Also some amazing highlights from #20 Patrick Rodgers of Denver and Chazz Woodson of Team USA with a signature goal flying just outside the crease to put it in.  Definitely worth watching these game highlights!

February 1, 2012

NILL Back in Action this Sunday!

The NILL is back in action this Sunday for a Super Bowl Sunday Spectacular day of indoor lacrosse games at Pioneer Hall in the DECC.  It's also a doubleheader Sunday so all team will be playing two games this Sunday.  Games start at 2:00 p.m.  Schedule below:

Sunday February 5:  Super Bowl Sunday Spectacular!*

2:00 p.m. - Team 6 - Free Agents vs. Team 3 - Wieczorek
3:00 p.m. - Team 5 - Grand Rapids vs. Team 2 - Halver
4:00 p.m. - Team 4 - Grand Rapids vs. Team 1 - Honey Badgers
5:00 p.m. - Team 3 - Wieczorek vs. Team 5 - Grand Rapids
6:00 p.m. - Team 4 - Grand Rapids vs. Team 6 - Free Agents
7:00 p.m. - Team 1 - Honey Badgers vs. Team 2 - Halver

*Super Bowl Sunday we will have a TV in Pioneer Hall with the game on and we may ask players/parents to bring snacks and pot luck for a Super Bowl Sunday lacrosse bash.