Breaking News: ND WILL USE ADIDAS!

According to the Adidas Lacrosse Facebook page, the University of Notre Dame men's lacrosse team will begin using Adidas protective gear beginning with the upcoming 2011 season. You may recall that I predicted this move when the company launched its 2011 equipment line. An example of the new 111 gloves can be seen on the right; this picture came directly from the company's Facebook page. All in all, it is a very attractive glove and can be customized.
This makes Notre Dame the first NCAA Division 1 lacrosse team to sport Adidas' protective equipment on the field. The team has already been wearing Adidas uniforms as part of the school-wide contract with the company. No word has been given about which sticks the team will be using. Although it's possible that they may continue with Brine, my gut tells me that the Irish will be using some combination of Adidas and Reebok sticks in 2011. Reebok is a subsidiary of Adidas.
So far nothing has been said about the team's helmets. The Irish currently use Riddell, but many are hopeful that they will switch to Cascade.
This is a good move for Adidas in light of Notre Dame's success in the 2010 season. An overtime loss in the Championship definitely propelled the Irish (and the sport) onto the national scene. What better way to officially launch a much improved line of equipment?

9/20/2010 Update: Notre Dame will also use Adidas sticks and heads. I am trying to get confirmation of which specific models will be available. I was told, "They will use Adidas for everything but their helmets." Whether or not that includes gear from subsidiary Reebok remains to be seen.

Reminder Boys Scouts Tomorrow

This a reminder:
The Boy Scouts of America will be having their 100th Anniversary Encampment at Water Works Park tomorrow. The even is expected to draw over 5,000 people and will last all day.
There will be a lacrosse clinic and demonstration as part of the event. The lacrosse portion will be held on the large field on the western side of the park, behind the Isaac Walton League building. Numerous volunteers have contacted John Yasenko, a local laxer and officer with the Boy Scouts.
Morning volunteers should report to John by 8:30 am. John should have made arrangements with the afternoon volunteers. Jim Burk is helping John coordinate the Valley players. If you have any questions, please contact John Yasenko or Jim Burk.

Hockey Night In Iowa 2010 Edition - Game 3

When the Irwins team trickled into the locker room last Wednesday night, we lacked a leader. Team sponsor & captain Bill Goodman was MIA and the team was wary after our Week 1 defeat. As we discussed ways to organize our bench, the team started to come together. To make it through the night without embarrassing ourselves, we organized the offense and defense separately and then went over the basic positioning on offense and defense to maximize our efforts.
We stuck to our game plan of set lines and short shifts to keep our players focused and fresh. We learned the hazards of disorganization and over exertion during our first game and hoped to move past that. We focused more on improvement than winning.
Even though YDD showed up with a short bench, we recognized their skill. And that skill came to light almost immediately when they went 2-0 early. Both goals were legit and were symptoms of our team adapting to the system and each other. We held our heads high, dug in our heels, and stuck to the game plan.
When we scored the first goal, the bench was excited. By the time we scored our last, both benches were in disbelief. We won the game 5-2 with strong performances from everybody. Yes, we had three full lines while YDD had less than two, but their overall experience is much greater than ours. They played a valiant game and we played as a team.
Hopefully we can carry that momentum to tonight's game. Remembering what we learned about positioning and communication could prove to be vital. We are facing a Funky Pickle team that is an unknown quantity. With almost as much player movement in the off season as Irwins, they are undoubtedly still looking to gel. High calibre players like Josh Feathers, Rod Bragg, Justin West, Jake Anonson, and goaltender Tony Hansen can certainly bring the heat. After a surprising 3-0 loss to the Puck Hawgs in week 1 and an even more surprising 3-2 win over Alien last week, Funky Pickle comes in at .500, just like us.
Tonight's late start (9:55 pm) could prove to be the ultimate difference maker. Lord knows who will make it and who won't for these games. We showed last week what can happen if one side has a depleted bench. Which players make it will also impact the final score...

Drake Lacrosse Launches Website

As they head into their first season of existence, the Drake Lacrosse team has launched their official website. Although it is a work in progress, the website is another step towards making the team a reality. In addition to information about the team, the website has information about the team's fundraiser t-shirts. The blue shirts feature the team's official logo (right) and sell for $10.00. Expect to see me in one soon.

Already having the school's support and recognition as an official club, the team will begin playing in the Great Lakes Lacrosse League this spring. Before that, team members will compete in the 2010 Central Iowa Lacrosse Association Box League. The Bulldogs will use the high speed style of box lacrosse to tune up for their inaugural season in the GLLL.

As a Drake alumnus and lacrosse enthusiast, I am extremely excited by the time and energy that Shoff has put into the team. His (and others) hard work will pay off this spring. I congratulate the Bulldogs on their recognition by Drake, their ability to put a team together, and the recent launch of their website. This is one more strong step for lacrosse in Iowa.