Swarm Stars Come to Grand Rapids

From Swarm News

Ryan Benesch and Corbyn Tao in Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids, Minn. - Corbyn Tao took a step and with a long windup, fired a hard shot towards the net.

A crowd comprised of boys and girls sitting only a few feet away in a row of bleachers, watched in awe as the ball whistled by and hit nothing but mesh.

“90 miles an hour,” yelled a brave parent, who clocked the shot with his radar gun near the net.

The now wide-eyed group of kids, applauded in excitement.

It might have been the Swarm’s bye week last weekend, but Tao still found himself doing what he does best: putting on a show with his lacrosse stick.

And Tao wasn’t alone on this particular afternoon. Alongside him was someone who is quite accustomed to finding the back of the net – fellow teammate Ryan Benesch – the Swarm’s leading goal scorer and the NLL’s defending scoring champ.The two found themselves taking shots 3.5 hours north of Treasure Island Field in the city of Grand Rapids this past Saturday while visiting close to 80 kids for a lacrosse clinic.

When Tao and Benesch entered Grand Rapids High School that afternoon, it took only a few short seconds before they felt right at home despite having traveled 200-some miles from St. Paul.

“See that, Corbyn?” asked a smiling Benesch, who pointed to a young girl down the hall sporting his No. 21 player t-shirt.

The two would soon discover that the city of Grand Rapids has been buzzing over the sport of lacrosse for quite some time – and with Swarm fans.

As Tao and Benesch made their way into the gymnasium, the dozens of laxers, who were anxiously awaiting their arrival, greeted the two pros in the midst of passing drill. Several kids in attendance were proudly sporting their orange and black Grand Rapids lacrosse shirts; others donned Swarm tees.

With the sound of a whistle, the group raced to the bleachers and gathered around their Swarm visitors.

A memorable afternoon had gotten underway.

The birth of a program

Four years ago, lacrosse was a foreign word to the 10,869 residents of Grand Rapids. Today, lacrosse has become the sport to play in town.

At first glance, Grand Rapids, which is located 1.5 hours both north of the Brainerd Lakes area and west of Duluth, might night not come to mind when thinking about some of the hotbed lacrosse communities in Minnesota.

But take a visit into town, and you’ll learn quickly that the community has developed a strong connection to the sport. You’ll also meet a group of people that is committed to helping it flourish both on the boys’ and girls’ level.

One of those individuals is Brad Gallop, who helped arrange this past Saturday’s clinic on behalf of the Grand Rapids lacrosse program. When Gallop learned that several Swarm players were going to be in the area to visit SAM 101.5 FM in Aitkin – the radio station that broadcasts Swarm home games in the Brainerd Lakes area – he made every effort to set up a unique opportunity for his program. After a few phone calls, the parties arranged a special meeting in Grand Rapids to have Benesch and Tao stop by for a clinic.

“We’ve been excited for the season to start for quite some time, and then to have it kick off with something like this is just awesome,” Gallop said on having the Swarm visit town.

Gallop, who serves as the head coach of the boys varsity team and wears many different hats in the program, helped jump-start what has become of the Grand Rapids program four years ago. It all started when he decided to host a lacrosse clinic at that time to gauge interest in the sport around town. His inspiration came after he re-discovered his lacrosse sticks that he had played with as a student at the University of North Dakota during the mid '80s.

“I didn’t touch a stick for 20 years, saw it on TV – a college game – pulled the sticks out and I’ve got twins – a boy and a girl – and at the time they were in 7th grade and I said, ‘What do you think about this game?’ They thought it was awesome.”

With his kids fascinated by their newly discovered sport, Gallop decided to send out an invitation at the local arena to attend an “intro to lacrosse clinic.”

“I had 100-some people show up just to see what it was about,” he explained.

But because springtime was winding down and the school’s registration process had already passed, the sport really didn’t take off until the following year. When it did launch, the Grand Rapids program started with just 15 kids. Today, that number has grown considerably to over 100 boys and girls, Gallop says.

“For the kids it’s a no brainer,” he explained. “We get the sticks in their hands, they’re sold.”

Last year, the Grand Rapids boys varsity team featured its first graduating class, and this year Gallop said he expects to have 50 kids competing for varsity and junior varsity spots in just its third year of competitive ball. Gallop also helped launched a 4th/5th/6th grade team this year in an effort to help get kids playing at a younger age.

“We’ve got kids competing, kids invested in it, and so this will be a breakout year for us that way,” Gallop added.

On the girls’ side, the sport has grown just as fast. Around 20 girls attended the clinic, which included a handful of girls who were inspired to pick up a stick for the first time after receiving word of the event.

“All of those girls were playing amongst the boys, wanting to learn, which was great to see,” Benesch said.

Renee Bymark, who serves as the head coach of the girls club team said the program began with 10 girls two years ago, and now has grown to nearly 50 participants.

“I’ve never been involved in a sport like this before, especially starting from the bottom and seeing it grow like it has and with the intensity of the lacrosse community,” Bymark said. “… I expect it to continue to grow.”

While the participation numbers continue to grow across the board, there might be no better way to chart the growth of lacrosse in Grand Rapids than to take a look at what will be taking place the first weekend in May, when the city hosts its annual LAX Shootout tournament.

Because of its size, the Grand Rapids LAX Shootout is held on a local golf course to make room for the 42 teams and 800 participants traveling to the area. All of the teams play a minimum of five games and the weekend event attracts teams from as far away as Winnipeg.

“A lot of organizations make it their primary event,” Gallop said.

To pull off such a large-scale event certainly deserves praise. Take in consideration the following factors: the location of the tournament is 3.5 hours north of a majority of the lacrosse programs in the state; the Grand Rapids lacrosse program is only its fourth year of existence; and most impressive of all, the tournament is held on a golf course. One has to applaud those involved for coordinating one of the premier lacrosse tournaments in the Midwest.

“Obviously to be able to take over a whole golf course and create an event like that and have the community support is huge,” Gallop said.

"Bringing kids together"

Sophomore Grant Gunderson entered Saturday’s clinic eager to take lessons from two of the game’s best. The sophomore midfielder, who was geared up in his “Swarm Lacrosse: It’s Like Hockey… With Balls” t-shirt, could be found with a stick in his hands 15 minutes after the clinic had concluded, still practicing away.

“As soon as I started playing, lacrosse was my new favorite sport,” Gunderson said.

Now in his fourth year of participation, Gunderson is one of the many kids who has joined the lacrosse movement in town, and is enjoying every minute of playing the fastest growing sport in America.

Swarm all-star Ryan Benesch teaching lacrosse skills in Grand Rapids

“For a small town, it’s exploded,” he explained. “It started out really slow, and then one year it doubled. It’s been doubling every year. The kids just love it.”

And when word of Saturday’s clinic reached town, the news traveled fast.

“A couple of the kids in attendance had never played before,” said Kayrn Surface, a parent who helped set up the event. “They heard the radio announcement, and saw it in the paper that the Swarm guys were going to be here, so they wanted to see what the Swarm was all about.”

With Benesch and Tao in attendance, the kids received tips on a wide range of skills ranging from the proper techniques on shooting, passing, dodging, and ground balls.

“It’s good to see that many kids interested in lacrosse and wanting to learn,” Tao said on the turnout. “It’s good for the sport.”

If there’s been one obstacle in the Grand Rapids program, it’s been a lack of coaches. Due to the large growth of the program over the past few years, both Gallop and Bymark noted that they’ll need more coaches to keep up with the rapid growth rate.

With that in mind, the program was ecstatic to have the Swarm around to help coach.

“We’ve never really had that sort of thing before,” said Alexis Tatter, a senior on the girls club team. “… It’s not everyday that we get to have professional people come up here for a sport that we like.”

At the end of the clinic, Benesch and Tao wowed the kids with a few stick tricks and electric shots to the net. The two then proceeded to sign autographs and posed for pictures afterward – several of which reached the phones of Benesch and Tao via Twitter on their drive home.

In just a short matter of time, it was evident that Benesch and Tao had made an impact.

“A few (kids) grabbed registration forms at the end,” Surface said. “…The sport is bringing kids together.”

A trip to ‘The Hive’

In just a little over a month, the Grand Rapids lacrosse program will make the 3.5 hour drive down to the Twin Cities with a group of over 150 people to attend the Swarm’s nationally televised game against current West Division leader Colorado on April 28.

“We’ll be there in full force,” Gallop said. “…It’s going to be a big weekend for Grand Rapids lacrosse.”

It will be a big weekend for the program, not solely because they’ll be at the Swarm game, but because all of the programs’ teams will be spending the weekend in the Twin Cities to compete in tournaments.

And when they do make their visit to Xcel Energy Center, Gallop said it will be fun for the kids to watch Benesch and Tao in particular, now that they’ve gotten to know them.

“It becomes much more personal and exciting for the kids, and I know they’re all looking forward to it,” he added.

Last Saturday’s clinic was certainly a special event for those in the Grand Rapids community, but it was just as enjoyable for Benesch and Tao, who likewise left smiling.

When Benesch learned that the Grand Rapids program would be making the trip down to St. Paul in the coming weeks, he was taken back by their generous support.

“It’s an honor,” Benesch said. “It’s a great feeling when somebody is willing to spend that much time to come watch our team play. We definitely need to put on a great performance for them.”

Bulldogs Lose First of the Season

In the UMD Bulldogs men's lacrosse teams first major test of the season they fell just short losing to #2 ranked Cal-Poly on Saturday March 10 by a score of 9-6. The Bulldogs face another stern test tonight, taking on #5 ranked Chapman University in Orange, CA. Follow all of the UMD Bulldogs lacrosse games on their live Twitter feed http://twitter.com/#!/Duluthlacrosse

UMD player coaching at a lacrosse clinic at Redondo Beach High School in California

Instructional Video of the Week: Faceoff Tips from Anthony Kelly

How to Become a Better Lacrosse Player Away from the Field

How to Become a Better Lacrosse Player Away from the Field

1.  Play wall ball.  Go to the nearest school and pass and catch against the wall. 

2.  If there is an outdoor field or goal nearby – use it!

3.  Play catch at the park or in the backyard with a teammate, friend, parent, or sibling.  If they do not have a stick, have them use a baseball glove and tennis ball.

4.  Place an obstacle in your backyard (pylon, lawn chair, garbage can, etc) and work on your one-on-one moves.  For example, head fakes, shoulder fakes, stick fakes, change of pace, roll dodges, face dodges, bull dodges and split dodges.

5.  Practice cradling in your bedroom, in front of the TV, walking around the house, walking down the street...anywhere!  Practice with you non-dominant hand a equal amount.  Work on stick tricks to improve your feel for the ball and stick skills.

6.  Run around the block while cradling the ball.  If you have a treadmill, jump on the treadmill and practice cradling while running a mile or two on the treadmill and getting a workout in at the same time.  Just start slow so you don’t get shot off the back of the treadmill and injured.

7.  Work on loose balls in your backyard.  Being good at ground balls can make the difference between a first teamer and someone riding the pine.  Practice your groundballs!

8.  Put a piece of tape on a chainlink fence and, using a tennis ball, shoot at it.

9.  Improve your footwork - Improving footwork is an underrated way to improve as a player. So much of what lacrosse players do on the field relies on having quick feet and proper footwork.  A great way to improve footwork is to lay down a training or agility ladder and go through a few routines repetitively. Another excellent way to improve footwork and lower body coordination is with a jump rope. Jump ropes are inexpensive and they don’t take up a whole lot of space. Dedicating 20 minutes per day to a jump rope routine can very quickly improve a player’s footwork and foot speed.

10.  Get in Shape - Having the stamina to play an entire game and make it through all those grueling practices the coach likes to run is crucial. Stamina is mostly built through distance running and cardio work. Doing something as simple as running around five or six miles per week for the two months prior to the season should be pretty adequate in getting a player the stamina he needs. Start off by doing a mile at a time, maybe three to four times per week. Once this distance becomes easy, try stepping up to two miles at a time. About two to three months of distance training should be adequate enough for gaining the stamina a player needs.

Weightlifting can help a player improve his overall strength, but heavy lifting is not      recommended for younger players who have yet to fully physically mature.  The goal of weight training is not to get hugely buff, but rather to improve core strength and tone the muscles most vital to a lacrosse player

Bulldogs top St. Cloud State 15-3

The UMD Bulldogs traveled to St. Cloud to take on the St. Cloud State Huskies in a UMLL battle Saturday March 3 and came away with a convincing 15-3 win. With the win, the Bulldogs are now 4-0 in the early season.

Bulldogs leading scorer Sr. Kevin Gaydos

The Bulldogs were led by attackman Kevin Gaydos who scored 3 goals and added 1 assist. Alex McNamara added 2 goals and an assist while Drake Peterson and Neal Pester each scored 2 goals, Ben Blaeser, Justin Vossen and Matt Murphy each added a goal and an assist and Ryan Butts, Tyler Lorinser, and Matt Madden each added a goal. Midfielder Nathan Monsein was stellar at the faceoff X winning 16 of 18 faceoffs while also leading the team with 6 ground balls. Joey Slattery led the UMD goalies with 9 saves.

2011 National Champion BYU

UMD now starts a brutal west coast road trip where they will face a string of top ranked MCLA lacrosse teams. Next week they travel to California to take on the nations #2 ranked team Cal Poly on March 10, #4 ranked Chapman University on March 12 and #11 ranked UC-Santa Barbara on March 14. The Bulldogs then return to Minnesota on March 17 where they will take on last seasons national champion and #3 ranked BYU at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. To round out this rugged schedule of highly ranked teams, UMD will then travel west again to take on #9 ranked Arizona State University on March 23 and #10 University of Colorado on March 25 in Tempe, AZ. Following this stern test, UMD should have a much clearer picture of their 2012 national title chances. UMD is ranked #15 in the latest Nike/Inside Lacrosse Magazine coaches poll.

Instructional Video of the Week: Fundamental Positioning for Faceoffs

Good video showing the fundamental positioning for faceoffs. Weight should be on your feet. We'll have a short series featuring the fundamentals of faceoffs.

Bulldogs vs. Gophers Highlights from Last Weekend

Feature Film Crooked Arrows to be Released May 18

The first feature length film to be released depicting the game of lacrosse is set to be in theaters nationally May 18, 2012. This movie looks to have some very good lacrosse action starring real lacrosse players from the Onandaga Nation in New York. Be sure to get your entire team out to view this movie as soon as it hits the theaters. A great way to support the growth of the game of lacrosse! Go watch this movie! Trailer below:

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.

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.

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.

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

The Future is Here

Nice...

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.

Bulldogs Getting Ready for MCLA Season

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.

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:

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.

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.

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."

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!

Instructional Video of the Week: Lacrosse Goalie Fundamentals

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. 

Fundamentals of Goalie Play

Essential to every team is a good goalie. A goalie needs to be a leader with very good knowledge of the game, its rules and understanding of the needs of the team. The following covers the fundamental technique of playing lacrosse goalie.

Fundamentals

• Simple Concept: intercept the ball in its path with your stick or body before it goes in the goal.
• Musts: Cup, Helmet, Goalie Stick, Chest protector, throat guard, and gloves. Anything else is up to you.
•  Goalie Positioning
• Fingers should hold the stick, but not choke it. Handle should be in fingers not palms.
• Hands should be about 12” apart in a comfortable relaxed position.
• Arms should be away from your body, but you should not have flying wings, far enough so you can easily maneuver the stick in a clock and counter clock- wise fashion (like a baseball player). Far enough away from your head so you don’t hit your mask when you move it from stick side high to off stick side high.
• Feet should be shoulder distance apart and weight should be forward. Not necessarily on your toes but definitely not back on your heals.
• Body position should be similar to a linebacker, a tennis player: an athlete.
• Goalie Stick should be positioned just off your shoulder covering the “Box Area”. If you are right handed, you hold the top of the stick (toward the stick head) with your right hand and the bottom hand (left hand for righties) should be about 12” away. Arms bend at elbows and away from your body. Head of stick should be slightly forward and you should be ready to step toward the ball in an easy fluid motion.

• Step to the ball – Legs come together
• Attack the ball. Get your whole body in the path of the ball. Your stick gets there first while starting to step to the path of the ball.
• You should step to the ball beginning with the foot and leg from the side the ball came from. The step should be at about a 45 degree angle towards the ball.  If the ball (bounce, high, or low) came toward you from the right of your body, you should step with your right foot and leg followed by your left foot and leg coming together with your right foot and leg. If the ball came from toward you from the left side of your body, you should step to the path with your left foot and leg followed by your right foot and leg coming together with your left foot and leg.  Always follow your stick with your body.  If you happen to miss with your stick, your body will be in position to stop the shot then.  Don't play "matador."
• If the ball is a bounce shot position your chin at the point of the bounce while stepping to get in the path of the ball. Your stick gets to the ball first with your whole body following.
• This is true for any shot. Every time. Practice, Practice, Practice! Attack, attack, attack

• Goalie Position in the Goal

• When the ball is in front of the opening of the Goal, you should be in the goalie position on the imaginary “half moon” between the pipes and move as the ball moves. As the ball moves from pipes, side, front (top) right and left, you should be moving on the half moon to be in position to attack any shot that comes near the goal.
• When the ball is behind at X (directly behind the goal) or off pipes right and left, you should be positioned at the center of the moon, waiting in goalie position except with your bottom hand at the end of the handle so that you are in position to “steal the ball”. Only make the attempt if you can be successful. Do not be over anxious so as to be out of position for the next opportunity to make a save.
• When the ball is thrown from back to front, you move with the side the ball went to first. If I am standing at the x of the moon, and the ball is thrown from back right to side left, I turn (clockwise) with my right side moving first to get my stick to the ball side as fast as I can the rest of my body follows my head. If the ball is thrown from back right to side right I move (counter clockwise) my right side to the ball first followed by stepping with my right foot to the right side of the goal.

• Catch the ball
• Don’t pop at it. Cradle it into your stick like other players do. Don’t stab or pop it. Catch it.
• Make sure your pocket is broken in.
• Make sure your stick is in good repair. Fixing any loose or broken strings prior to game.

• Throw the ball
• You must be able to cradle and throw just like any of your teammates. They must be able to rely on you to control the ball, catch the ball, cradle the ball, and throw the ball with consistency and accuracy. Half field accurate and consistent throws at a minimum.
• To throw the ball you position your hands in a throwing position. Bottom hand at the end of the handle and top hand about 12 to 18 inches away as to allow the “levered” throwing of the ball. Always step toward your target and lead the runner just like a quarter back would lead a wide receiver. Don’t throw buddy passes.
• After you pass the ball, look to get back in the cage.

• Crease

• The crease is yours; it is your domain; it is your protection. Your sole responsibility is to keep the ball from going into the goal. You can use the crease to help you do that.
• Remember to always clamp on the ball with your stick when it is near the crease. Rake it back to you but be careful not to allow it to pop out. Get your defensemen to know what “clear the crease” means.
• After you have possession of the ball, you have three seconds to get the ball out of your crease (pass it or walk/run it out).
• Look for the attack man standing in front of your crease while you are attempting to make a clear.
• If there is no fast break or out let pass, take the ball behind.
• You cannot go back into the crease after you have left it with the ball. You can enter the crease at anytime without the ball. Remember the ball in the back of the net trick.

• Communicate
• Talk to your coach about the proper calls he wants you to make. You need to use an authoritative voice without yelling. Know everyone’s name, nick name. Talk to provide information not to talk.
• Some of the calls that might be made by a goalie:
• Stick side high, med. Low, off stick high, med. low
• Check sticks
• Square right or left
• Stick on Stick
• Front (top) left, center right
• Side left, Red Zone, Side right
• Pipe (post) side left, Pipe (post) side right
• Back left, X (back Center) and Back right
• Clear the crease
• Clear
• Redirect
• Who’s got man, Numbers?
• The hole and who has got the hole?
• Fast Break
• Who’s backing up
• Ball, ball down
• Watch the pick, who has his back

• Have Fun!

Goalie Highlight Video

It's been said that a good goalie is worth more than a 6 goals a game attackman. There is a lack of goalies here in the North (at least where I live in the North). How do we encourage and develop goalies that are needed? Maybe watching this highlight video will help. What those goalies are doing looks pretty exciting to me! The crowd roars just a little louder when a goalie makes a great save. A good goalie can make a huge difference to a teams success. How about giving it a try?

Instructional Video of the Week: Dodging from Behind the Net

Swarm connects with Native American roots

 From Star Tribune

• Article by: MICHAEL RAND , Star Tribune

Promotions are the lifeblood of pre-game and halftime entertainment at sporting events. Objectives can vary greatly -- from quick laughs to an attempt at education -- but few would seem to have the depth as the one being offered this weekend at Xcel Energy Center.

The Minnesota Swarm pro lacrosse team has its home opener at 7 p.m. Saturday against the Buffalo Bandits. In conjunction with that, the Swarm is promoting Native American Heritage Night. Native American kids will play lacrosse pre-game. Local tribal communities will be honored. Halftime will feature a traditional lacrosse match -- the version originally played hundreds of years ago by Native Americans.

The bigger picture, however, extends beyond just one night. The Swarm is halfway into a two-year initiative at the Prairie Island reservation to help kids re-connect with the game their ancestors played. Swarm representatives travel southeast of the Twin Cities multiple times a week to give instruction and lead games.

"And it's not just lacrosse," said Swarm co-owner Andy Arlotta. "We've incorporated all kinds of things into the program. We're dealing with accountability, getting good grades and goal-setting sessions. The kids are really grasping hold of it."

The Swarm's program has been so well received that it was recently recognized at the White House and is being adopted by other organizations around the country, Arlotta said. The program runs year-round, with this obviously being the indoor season (even with the recent balmy weather).

Brian Kimmell is the Swarm's Native American Lacrosse Coordinator and heads the club at Prairie Island. Corbyn Tao, a Swarm rookie and member of the Nishga tribe, also recently began making regular instructional appearances.

"I'm enjoying it a lot," Tao said. "I'm just excited to be able to contribute to it and be a role model. ... The dedication and belief of the kids stick out. They've only been playing for a year, but they're really open-minded. I tell them to try something, and they're willing to give it a shot."

Said Arlotta: "If we can put someone like [Tao] in front of them, that's a great role model."