Central Iowa Lacrosse & Sports Ramblings

Movin' On Up!

2011-07-04T12:00:00.002-05:00

Today officially marks the end of new content on Central Iowa Lacrosse & Sports Ramblings...
But don't be too sad!
Effective immediately, Lacrosse Iowa is the newest member of the Lacrosse All Stars network!
All of the vital information regarding lacrosse in Des Moines and throughout the state of Iowa will now be found on the Internet's premier lacrosse destination. I am excited at the opportunities this brings including increased exposure and familiarity within the international lacrosse community.
Thank you for your continued support!

DM Lax Store in 2012?

2011-06-30T13:12:00.000-05:00

Absolutely, or so I've been told.
I cannot divulge too much information right now, but I have been speaking with a local proprietor for quite a long time about getting some proper lax equipment in the metro. Based on the brief conversation we had last night, the plan is to have actual lax equipment - sticks, pads, gloves, and helmets - in stock next spring/summer.
The store in question plans to carry Cascade, Warrior, and another company that I am not allowed to name at this time. Their stock will be limited at first, but will expand in step with our lax community. We are working on cross promotional plans to increase lax participation (and their business).

No longer will laxers in Des Moines have to drive to Omaha, Minneapolis, or KC for their gear. No longer will they have to wait for the UPS man to bring their online purchases. No longer will the uninformed head to Scheels only to find crappy Outlaws or head to Sports Authority to find nothing. We will finally be able to refer them to the city's first lax store!
Oh happy day!

Omaha World-Herald Article

2011-06-28T09:33:00.000-05:00

The Omaha World-Herald posted an article today about the recent growth of lacrosse in Nebraska. It is a nice summary of how our neighbors got to where they are, which influenced a lot of our development.

Lacrosse is not yet a sanctioned sport in high school, but schools can participate at the club level. Eight teams took part in the Nebraska High School Lacrosse league this spring. No Lincoln school alone was able to fill a roster, so players from multiple Lincoln high schools converged to form the Rampage.

In case you are unaware, Valley was one of those eight teams.

Growing the Game

2011-06-24T12:50:00.000-05:00

Gargoyles player, Shawn Harrington posted this earlier today. Shawn has been actively promoting lacrosse on Des Moines is Not Boring since ;last summer. He has also gotten a local publication in touch with me about covering the Summer Lacrosse League. Through the power of the press, Shawn continues to help us in our mission to Grow the Game in Central Iowa.

Thank you Shawn!

***

I can officially announce that the local girls' lacrosse will grow by one more in five weeks. We've known she is coming for a while now, but the doctors gave us an official inducement date earlier today.

Jr Buddha's Ballers

2011-06-24T09:41:00.001-05:00

As all Summer Lacrosse League players know, we will not be having league games next week due to several absences stemming from the Vail Lacrosse Shootout.
The Jr Buddha's Ballers are the successor to Team Nebraska, and represent the Nebraska High School Lacrosse League in tournaments around the country, including Vail. Here is a list of returning and former Valley players listed on the Jr Buddha's Ballers roster:

Sam Arends, Cam Bostwick
Hunter Couch, Ted Crites
Cole Griess, Dylan Griess
Tanner McDougal

Zach Zielonko and Tyler Nielsen as assistant coaches with the team. Both also play for the Master's level team, Buddha's Ballers. Other Des Moines area laxers will be traveling to Colorado to witness and/or participate in one the country's most prestigious tournaments as well.
Conference opponents for the Jr Ballers include Western Colorado Maveriks, Brady's Bunch, and national powerhouse FCA. Depending on their conference performance, the Ballers could face such storied clubs as the Baltimore Crabs, True Lacrosse, and Team Colorado.
In addition to Vail, the Jr Ballers competed in the Dick's Sporting Goods Midwest Cup over the past weekend. The winner of the Midwest Cup qualifies for the national championship (Tournament of Champions) in Florida. Unfortunately, the Jr Ballers narrowly missed this opportunity by a single goal in the championship game. All in all, finishing second in the Midwest Cup is a great result.
The Jr Ballers will follow up Vail with the Pipe City Lacrosse Classic in Vernon Hills, IL on July 16. Like the Midwest Cup, the winner of this tournament books a ticket the the Tournament of Champions.
In November, the Jr Ballers will participate in the Lonestar Shootout in Dallas.
As the results come in, I will do my best to keep you posted.

Glimpse of the Future

2011-06-21T09:43:00.001-05:00

A massive change to this blog is coming in the near future...
Here is your only hint.
We are entering a new era this day!

GTG

Appreciation for MLL Players

2011-06-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

One of the biggest criticisms about Major League Lacrosse is the lack of team play. This is largely attributed to the professionals' inability to practice together more than once a week (if that) rather than the athletes themselves. The ~~best~~ only way to build strong team skills is by playing and practicing together.
Players on teams other than the Lizards and Bayhawks generally do not live near the city their team is located in, which means traveling to any required team functions. Unlike other professional sports, very few MLL players are "full time" professionals, meaning that they tend to carry "real" jobs outside of lacrosse. While their employers are fairly flexible, no reasonable company should be expected to accommodate the full rigors of a professional athlete's schedule.
This results in many teams hobbling sessions together once a week, often times the day before games. As the season wears on the teamwork improves, but never to the level we see in the NCAA or even in high school games. Unfortunately this creates the impression that MLL players are a selfish lot, determined to carry the ball through the defense instead of moving it around the offense. In some cases this may be true, but for the most part it is evidence that there is a lack in confidence among teammates.

***

Our Summer Lacrosse League is not unlike the MLL in that aspect. With a wide range of ages, we have players in different stages of their lives. Everybody has different commitments outside of lacrosse. Considering that this is a primarily recreational league, nobody should ever expect that practices would supersede personal obligations (though making time for games may be another story).
Our philosophy is that teams can organize their own practices, under their own conditions and on their own time. Unlike high school and college programs, players cannot be punished for not attending practice since this is not part of the league set up. In that, we are like the adult hockey leagues in Des Moines (and I would imagine most other sports leagues as well).
Although I draw some comparisons between our league and the MLL, I am not suggesting that we are competing anywhere near the same level. I am really just drawing parallels. Unfortunate parallels, in regards to the way the professional league is forced to operate...

***

But my real appreciation for MLL players comes from their ability to balance lacrosse with their "real" lives. These are men that hold professional careers completely unrelated to lacrosse, own or rent homes, and in some cases support families. They are at the age in which weddings and babies are abundant, and obligations seemingly exceed time. Yet they find a way to play professional lacrosse against the best athletes in the sport. I applaud them for that.

Our Kintamani

I may not play in the MLL, but I understand how difficult such a balance can be. My regular readers know that in addition to serving as an assistant coach and organizing our recreational programs, I recently bought a house (and a dog!) and have a baby on the way (August - right during our playoffs). I work full time (with mandatory overtime lately) and have a side venture that I've been working on through the years. Despite my work load, I make lacrosse fit.
In the midst of coaching, moving, two major deaths in my family, and taking baby classes, we have launched (with a lot of help from Coach Zach and a few others) our city's first Youth Lacrosse Program this summer. The planning mostly fell smack dab in the middle of the busiest period of my life so far, yet everything is ready to go. The structure is in place, the equipment is together (thank you Henson Group), the volunteers are set up, and the kids are registered. Unfortunately we had to close registration early due to limited resources (especially volunteers) and a desire for a soft launch. When the program begins tonight, it will all be worth it.
Compared to launching the Youth Program, preparing the second annual Summer Lacrosse League was cake. Still, it was not without its own hurdles - everything from people never reading their email (problem with the Youth too) to everybody waiting until the last minute (probably a symptom of not reading) to ordering jerseys to securing fields to balancing the schedule to accommodate the majority effectively to realigning rosters. My wife will be the first to tell you that between the start of registration through the first night of our leagues I am a volatile mix of frustration and excitement; it is in these times that I remember why I no longer work in customer service... Still, like the Youth Program, everything will be better once our opening face off occurs tonight.

***

Looking at how hard I work to ensure a couple hundred laxers in Des Moines have a good experience really gives me a nice perspective on the work being done by MLL players. Those guys are the emissaries of the game to millions across the country. They are the autograph signing heroes future laxers look up to. I am merely a guy with a computer, a stick, and a dream.
Thanks for reading. Thanks for playing. And thanks for your patience.

2011 Valley Team Awards

2011-06-14T09:48:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to the following Valley Tigers players for their outstanding work this season:

JV MVP: Myles Goertz
Most Improved: Hunter Levis
Freshman of the Year: Ted Crites
Sophomore of the Year: Cole Griess
Junior of the Year: Nick Harrington
Senior of the Year: Collin Mundus
Defensive Player of the Year: Tanner McDougal
Offensive Player of the Year: Dylan Griess
Team MVP: Hunter Couch
Team First Award: Colin Cook

I want to thank all of the players for their contributions this season. I look forward to improving our record and post season success again next spring.

This information will be posted on the Valley team website when I next have the opportunity.

2011 SLL Warm Up

2011-06-09T09:43:00.000-05:00

Last night was the official start of the Central Iowa Lacrosse Association's 2011 Summer Lacrosse League. To kick off the new season, we continued the tradition of the Week 1 warm up game. Last night was a semi-competitive pick up style game geared towards brushing the rust off of guys that have not touched a stick since box wrapped up or longer. Rather than jumping in cold, players are able to re-familiarize themselves with the game and meet their teammates and opponents.
About half the league (around 30 players) came last night, including two of the four goalies. Teams were split into Demons & Gargoyles vs Aces & Crease Monkeys, with a few from the former joining the latter due to the absence of the bulk of the CM team. The split was fairly even and gave everybody a chance to assess the talent they will be playing with and against this season. The level of adult talent moving to Des Moines is pretty strong, and quite a few of these gentlemen have opted to join the league this summer. Having made the rosters beforehand, I had to guess at their ability levels to make fairly even teams. After last night, I have to say that the 2011 SLL will be significantly more competitive and higher quality than last year.
Following the game was a captains meeting. Unfortunately due to other obligations Harrington and Sundermann were not available for CM, but both will be forwarded the specific information. The items discussed include absences, cancellations, referee commitments, and captains' power. Unlike last year where Zach and I ran everything, we are utilizing captains to help run the league and regulate their respective teams.
At this point, everybody in the league should familiarize themselves with the rules (available here). Our guidelines this year should ensure two referees and two bench officials for every game. The refs will each work half the field and monitor a sideline. Trailing refs will watch for offside players and support the lead official's decisions regarding goals, out of bounds, etc. Referees have been instructed to focus on severe and obvious infractions and to make calls at their discretion, keeping the game flowing as much as possible. Respect them as they are mostly untrained as officials and are volunteering.

Quick notes:

Competitive SLL games begin next week. The Demons face the Crease Monkeys at 5:45. The Aces face the Garoyles at 7:00.
If your team does not have enough players (minimum of of 5, including goalie) within 15 minutes of the schedule start time, you will be penalized. If at least five players are available at that point, the game will start in the second quarter with the opposing team up by two goals. If there are not five players present, then the opposing team wins be forfeit and a scrimmage may be held for the remaining time.
We are officially at Valley Southwoods for all games. Based on the reactions last night, this is a major improvement.
I literally just got off the phone with our supplier (The Total Athlete). Our reversibles are being shipped today from Michigan and should be in my hands Monday. I will be at the field around 5:15 on Wednesday to hand them out.
The Youth Program begins next Wednesday at 4:00 pm. Zach will be coordinating volunteers. This will also be at Southwoods, immediately preceding our SLL games.

2011 Summer Lacrosse League Preview

2011-05-30T07:55:00.000-05:00

It's Memorial Day Weekend. The Nebraska High School Lacrosse League season wrapped up last week and the NCAA season is finishing later today. In just over a week and a half (June 8, specifically) the 2011 Summer Lacrosse League will be underway. This season looks to be even better than last year with four teams boasting competitive rosters (on paper anyway). Here's how they break down.

Gargoyles

The rechristened defending champions boast a back line built around captain Shelton. The big man returns with a loaded offense consisting of the Brothers Griess, Bostwick, Ben Couch, Harrington, and others. Shelton can choose between the Tornberg and Mundus brothers on defense and has the added security of Valley's former varsity keeper Hunter Couch in the cage. With their roster depth, experience together, and attitude, the Gargoyles have a solid shot at the 2011 title.

Aces

After running a team of Valley's youngest last summer, Zielonko gathered up his coaching staff to build a more competitive team this season. Based on the concept that the organizers should be able to play with their buddies too, nearly everybody on the team is involved in the coaching, organizing, or operations of Valley Lax and/or CILA. The strong midfield and attack options are somewhat hindered by myself, but the upcoming birth of my child may keep my from being a nuisance in games down the stretch. Goalie Fitch joins the team after spending 2010 with a bunch of Drake guys. His understudy will be newcomer Abbott, who will also see time at the other end of the field.

Demons

While the Gargoyles and Aces may be the early favorites, the Demons should not be counted out. With three Iowa State players (DiGangi, Van Dyke, Catron), Drake's former captain (Shoff), a former Wisconsin Stevens Point Player (Blay), and a host of guys with some level of experience, the Demons have the potential to leapfrog the favorites. DiGangi is a solid and intimidating goalie and will be a strong leader from the cage. Shoff proved his leadership abilities when he formed and ran the Drake team; he is also a very capable defender. Blay was one of the toughest d-poles in the league last season and is also vocal from the back. Swailes is rapidly developing into a quality attackman and Dyke continues to improve at midfield. Kaufman is the epitome of a solid journeyman utility player. The rest of the roster is largely unknown, but loaded with potential.
Crease Monkeys
After reading about the strong players on the other teams, it would be easy to overlook the Monkeys. However this team packs a deadly mix of youth, experience, and skill. Captains Harrington and Sundermann have a strong offensive arsenal at their disposal including the Arends brothers, Crew, and a host of up-and-coming players. Taylor will share net minder duties with the versatile McDougal, who will also contribute to the defense and midfield as the team's needs dictate. With a good number of players able to fill multiple positions, it is conceivable that we will see different line ups every week. This might be the key to the Monkeys finding their way to the early game on August 10, something that this team is entirely capable of with focus and communication.

Texas Christian University?

2011-05-26T13:07:00.002-05:00

It's not substantiated, but Lacrosse Playground is tweeting that TCU may be adding NCAA D1 lacrosse very, very soon. TCU is the newest member of the Big East Conference. The Big East happens to sponsor lacrosse and fairly recently welcomed Marquette to the lax world. The implications of adding the Dallas based school are mind boggling, especially with the Frogs' growing national presence and intimate relationship with Nike.
Oh, and by the way... The formal announcement is rumored to be coming tomorrow.
Stay tuned...

Thanks 412 for the tip!

Huge Announcements That Will Rock the Lax World Today

2011-05-25T09:32:00.002-05:00

First: Under Armour officially announced their upcoming product line today. You may recall that some products leaked earlier this month. Contrary to my previous report, the UA gear was not designed by Gait/DeBeer but was made in conjunction with Vertical Lax, Inc, making this deal sound similar to the recently failed marriage between Adidas and The Henson Group. I was less than impressed by the initial gear, but the pics of the new shaft look great. Connecting with the company's roots, the shafts incorporate the Flag of Maryland in their design

The UA website does not yet have any pics of the gear, but they should be coming soon. No word on how this deal affects Paul Rabil's endorsement deals with UA and Maverik Lacrosse...

Second: The University of Michigan will be making a major lacrosse announcement today. Of course all of the speculation indicates that we will finally get confirmation of the school's move to NCAA D1 lacrosse.

12:00 pm: It is Now Official!

Valley Finishes Third in NHSLL

2011-05-24T13:08:00.002-05:00

Season Recap
The Tigers started the 2011 season with victories over Wisconsin Lacrosse Federation team Westside (Madison) Regents. Minnesota Boys Scholastic Lacrosse Association members St. Louis Park (2010 champions) and Delano.
They followed this with three massive wins in conference play. Losing by a single goal to defending Nebraska High School Lacrosse League champion Creighton Prep was but a minor speed bump. Valley beat their next four opponents - including the team's first varsity win over Lincoln - by a combined score of 52-11. When the Tigers met the Blue Jays for the second time, first place overall was on the line. Unfortunately Prep prevailed, but Valley maintained third place in the league with their second win over (Omaha) Westside.
The Tigers met up with the Warriors again the following week in the first round of the playoffs. From here, the Tigers once again drew Prep for the semifinals. Hopes were high that the third meeting of the season would favor the Tigers, but First Team All State attackman Ted Crites was missing due to a back injury. Spirits fell when the Blue Jays completed their sweep, again by three goals. Saturday offered some redemption for the Tigers and a nice closure for the seniors as Valley defeated Millard West 12-2 for third place.
The Lincoln Rampage became the first team from outside of Omaha to win the NHSLL championship.

All State
Valley had five players named to the All State teams, as well as two honorable mentions.
First Team - Ted Crites (9, A), Dylan Griess (12, M)
Second Team - Hunter Couch (12 G), Hunter Levis (11 A), Tanner McDougal (11 LSM)
Honorable Mention - Ben Arends (8 A), Nick Harrington (11 M)

Roster Changes
Of the 25 players on the varsity roster, only 6 were seniors this season. Hunter Couch (G), Dylan Griess (M), and Jamie Tornberg (D) have been with the team since its inaugural JV season. Griess and Tornberg will be attending the University of Iowa this fall. Colin Mundus (D) and Dan Boyd (D) joined the team last season. Mundus will attend Grand View University to wrestle. Landon Loftsgard (M) joined the team this season. Boyd and Loftsgard have not shared their college commitments.
At this time, the entire attack unit will return; all three (Levis, Crites, and Ben Arends) are on the All State list above. Two-thirds of the starting midfield unit will return; both returning players (Harrington, McDougal) are on the All State List. Freshman Will Tornberg is the only starter returning on the defensive end of the field. The remaining varsity players, as well as the entire JV roster, are sophomores or freshmen.

Further NHL Realignment Scenario

2011-05-20T13:10:00.093-05:00

In my previous post, I mentioned that Winnipeg may spend one year playing in the Southeast Division. The main reason for that idea stems from the Phoenix Coyotes. As of right now, the league-owned Coyotes are staying in Glendale. However their current deal is for a single year and the league still has not found an owner that wants to keep them in the desert. So a major realignment change now could easily be a waste of time.
If the NHL is unable to unload the Coyotes by the end of next season, they may finally throw in the towel and allow the team to move. What separates this move from the current Atlanta-to-Winnipeg deal is the lack of committed owners with NHL-ready facilities. True North has the luxury of having a fairly new, NHL compatible arena at their disposal; the Manitoba Moose of the AHL currently call the MTS Centre home. This has made the rapid progress on the Thrashers deal possible. In order for a deal to get pushed through as quickly next spring, the team will need an owner with a similar situation.
Here is a brief rundown of the potential and rumored expansion cities (in no particular order):
1. Quebec City: This former NHL market is eager to get top-flight hockey back. Unfortunately the city lacks a suitable NHL arena. Also working against the city are the lack of a solid ownership group, repeated failures with minor league teams, and its relatively small population. However, the strong potential for resumed rivalries with the other Canadian franchises works in the city's favor. The return to Winnipeg might indicate a willingness to reconsider Quebec as well.
2. Hamilton: This city in southern Ontario would be an immediate rival with Toronto and Buffalo due to its proximity alone. Unlike many others on this list, Hamilton boasts an NHL-ready arena and strong potential owners. How strong? The Penguins and Predators came thiiiiiiis close to relocating to Hamilton within the past decade and the Coyotes were a bankruptcy hearing away from arriving at Copps Coliseum.
3. Seattle: Seattle is always a fan favorite for relocation and expansion. Its proximity to Vanouver and its junior hockey history make Seattle seem like a logical choice. Unfortunately the departure of the Super Sonics indicates that a suitable professional arena simply does not exist. If the city was unwilling to give their long time NBA team a new home, it would be foolish to think they would do so for an NHL team. The city does have strong potential ownership groups, however.
4. Portland: The Rose City has a lot of the same positives as Seattle. It also has an NHL-ready facility, The Rose Garden Arena, home of the Trail Blazers. It would be a smaller market than Seattle, but the professional sports landscape is much less crowded.
5. Las Vegas: Vegas is a rapidly growing metro with a plethora of potential owners salivating at the cahnce to bring major league sports to Sin City. There is now a large scale stadium proposal on the table designed to bring in an NHL team (among other things). Perhaps the easiest of all moves for the Coyotes, this one is held back by the time it will take to actually build the arena.
6. San Anotnio: San Antonio has both an NHL-ready facility (At&T Center) and a likely ownership group (Spurs Sports & Entertainment). The current AHL team, the Rampage, share the facility (and color scheme) with the NBA's Spurs. Coincidentally, the Rampage are the Coyotes' long time minor league affiliate.
7. Houston: Believe it or not, Houston is a booming hockey town. The current Aeros have been around since 1994. The WHA fielded a team in the 1970s until that league merged with the NHL. The Toyota Center is an NHL-ready facility and is shared by the Rockets of the NBA. With several high end millionaires in the metro, a potential owner could easily be found.
8. Kansas City: The Sprint Center opened in 2007 with the NHL in mind. Like Hamilton, KC almost landed the Predators and Penguins. The Islanders have used relocation to KC as a threat several times. All that is missing from this scenario is a potential owner. As a side note, the Hornets and Kings of the NBA are considering relocating to KC. Incidentally, the Kings played in KC from 1972 to 1985.

So how would my proposed realignment look should the Coyotes move to one of the eight cities proposed above? The highlighted teams represent changes to my original proposal.
1. Vegas, Seattle, or Portland: Things are simple: there would be no changes as all three are already in the Pacific Time Zone.
Eastern Conference
Northeastern: Montreal, Boston, NY Rangers, NY Islanders, New Jersey
Colonial: Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, Carolina
Great Lakes: Detroit, Toronto, Buffalo, Chicago, Ottawa
Western Conference
Southern: Florida, Tampa Bay, Nashville, Dallas, St. Louis
Pacific: LA, San Jose, Anaheim, Phoenix, Vancouver
Prairies: Colorado, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Minnesota
2. Quebec City: It's not a pretty scenario as some rivalries will be sacrificed and some travel just got crappier. Geography pushes a team out of the Northeastern Division; I chose the Devils as they are the southernmost. This creates a ripple effect which causes Carolina to move to the Southern Division and St. Louis to the Prairies, as those are the most logical moves without too much disruption. Colorado moves to the Pacific in place of the Coyotes. All of my original requirements are still met.
Eastern Conference
Northeastern: Montreal, Boston, NY Rangers, NY Islanders, Quebec
Colonial: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, Columbus, New Jersey
Great Lakes: Detroit, Chicago, Toronto, Buffalo, Ottawa
Western Conference
Southern: Florida, Tampa Bay, Nashville, Dallas, Carolina
Pacific: LA, San Jose, Anaheim, Vancouver, Colorado
Prairies: Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Minnesota, St. Louis
3. Hamilton: Without a doubt, Hamilton belongs in the Great Lakes Division with their natural rivals Toronto and Buffalo. Strong potential rivalries with Detroit and Ottawa are too great to pass up. Unfortunately the Redwings-Blackhawks rivalry has to be sacrificed for this to work. Chicago moves to the Prairies Division to build a rivalry with Minnesota; considering their rivalries in other sports, this could be a great move. Once again Colorado takes the Coyotes' spot in the Pacific.
Eastern Conference
Northeastern: Montreal, Boston, NY Rangers, NY Islanders, New Jersey
Colonial: Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, Carolina
Great Lakes: Detroit, Toronto, Buffalo, Ottawa, Hamilton
Western Conference
Southern: Florida, Tampa Bay, Nashville, Dallas, St. Louis
Pacific: LA, San Jose, Anaheim, Phoenix, Vancouver, Colorado
Prairies: Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Minnesota, Chicago
4. San Antonio or Houston: This one is a no-brainer - San Antonio/Houston would join Dallas in the Southern Division. A Texas rivalry is always a good thing and it evens things out with the Florida teams. Nashville is still southern enough to carry over while St. Louis moves to the Prairies. Once again Colorado takes the Coyotes' spot in the Pacific.
Eastern Conference
Northeastern: Montreal, Boston, NY Rangers, NY Islanders, New Jersey
Colonial: Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, Carolina
Great Lakes: Detroit, Toronto, Buffalo, Chicago, Ottawa
Western Conference
Southern: Florida, Tampa Bay, Nashville, Dallas, SA/Houston
Pacific: LA, San Jose, Anaheim, Phoenix, Vancouver, Colorado
Prairies: Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Minnesota, St. Louis
5. Kansas City: On the surface, I only moved Colorado to take the Coyotes' spot in the Pacific and put KC in the Prairies. However, I worked through several scenarios to make this work. Ideally, KC would be in a division with St. Louis at the very least. Unfortunately I could not find a way to do this without violating my time zone requirement or making travel distances a complete nightmare. At least the traditional rivalries remain in place. Under different conditions (say two more expansion teams), I could manipulate things into more ideal conference structures.
Pacific Time Zone.Eastern Conference
Northeastern: Montreal, Boston, NY Rangers, NY Islanders, New Jersey
Colonial: Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, Carolina
Great Lakes: Detroit, Toronto, Buffalo, Chicago, Ottawa
Western Conference
Southern: Florida, Tampa Bay, Nashville, Dallas, St. Louis
Pacific: LA, San Jose, Anaheim, Phoenix, Vancouver, Colorado
Prairies: Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Minnesota, Kansas City

*As a bonus, here is a look at what a 32 team NHL could look like using a couple of the potential relocation markets noted above. In this exercise teams will be broken into two conferences of two divisions (with subdivisions separated to indicate how four divisions could look). My time zone and geography criteria will still apply as much as possible. Red indicates expansion/relocation cities.

Eastern Conference
Colonial: Philadelphia, Washington, Carolina, New Jersey | Montreal, Boston, NY Rangers, NY Islanders
Great Lakes: Detroit, Columbus, Chicago, Pittsburgh | Toronto, Buffalo, Ottawa, Hamilton
Western Conference
American: Winnipeg, Kansas City, St. Louis, Minnesota | Nashville, Dallas, Houston, Florida, Tampa Bay
Frontier: LA, San Jose, Anaheim, Vancouver | Colorado, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg.

Thrashers to Winnpieg - NHL Realignment

2011-05-20T09:44:00.002-05:00

With multiple sources now reporting that the deal that will send the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg is all but complete, the NHL will need some serious realignment. The Thrashers currently play in the Southeast Division alongside Tampa Bay, Florida, Carolina, and Washington DC. Winnipeg is just northwest of Minneapolis.
Rumors persist that next season will see no realignment due to the lateness of the move; team relocations are typically finalized in January. Instead, the Winnipeg team may play in the Southeast for a year before the league changes things up in time for the 2012-13 season. As awkward as this would be for both travel and the TV schedule, it would allow the league plenty of time to make a calculated and rational realignment decision.
Of course the NHL wants to minimize disruption as much as possible, meaning that only a couple of teams will be affected by the realignment. As of right now, the three leading candidates to take Atlanta's place in the East all come from the Central Division: Detroit, Columbus, and Nashville. Detroit is the oldest of the group and seeks to resume their old rivalry with Toronto. However, this would diminish their rekindled rivalry with Chicago and strong rivalry with St. Louis. The Redwings are also further north than a good chunk of the Atlantic Division teams. Columbus is the eastern most team in the Western Conference. The Blue Jackets do not have any strong rivalries and are one of the youngest teams in the league. Although they are closer to Pittsburgh than anyone else and would appreciate that rivalry, the Jackets are further south than the Atlantic teams. Nashville is a nice geographical fit for the Southeast. Coincidentally, the Predators are the closest team to the Thrashers, and they will still be among the closest to the Hurricanes and Florida teams. Both Detroit and Columbus are in the Eastern Time Zone; Nashville is in the Central Time Zone. Regardless of which team it is, the hole in the Southeast Division will most likely be plugged by a team from the Central Division.
So now we have another hole to fill. Winnipeg could simply slide into the Central, but they are further west than Minnesota and almost due north of Dallas. Minnesota currently plays in the Northwest Division and Dallas plays in the Pacific Division. Given that Minnesota is the closest team to Winnipeg, it makes sense to keep them together, which means that Winnipeg would join Minnesota in the Northwest. Dallas would move to the Central. This scenario would require a team to move from the Northwest to the Pacific. One one hand, Colorado would make sense because of their proximity to Phoenix and the California teams. On the other hand, Vancouver makes sense because Winnipeg would be the fourth Canadian team in the Northwest. I think that the NHL will rely on geography and Colorado will take Dallas' spot in the Pacific.
I think the NHL realignment will look something like this:
Eastern Conference
Northeast: Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Buffalo, Boston
Atlantic: New York Rangers, NY Islanders, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
Southeast: DC, Florida, Tampa Bay, Carolina, Columbus
Western Conference
Central: Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville, Dallas
Northwest: Minnesota, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver
Pacific: San Jose, LA, Anaheim, Phoenix, Colorado

However, I think that this is a prime opportunity to really change things up. Stronger divisions and rivalries can arise. Better TV schedules can be made (a major argument coming out of Detroit and Columbus). Fans may be able to travel to more away games in the Western Conference.
The guidelines I am using are as follows: the league will maintain two conferences with three divisions each, both will be geographically based (ie no Original Six conference), the conferences will carry an equal number of teams, historical/natural rivalries will be preserved as much as possible, and no division can span more than two time zones. However, division names can be changed. I am also not counting on expansion or retraction.
Eastern Conference
Northeastern: Montreal, Boston, NY Rangers, NY Islanders, New Jersey
Colonial: Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, Carolina
Great Lakes: Detroit, Toronto, Buffalo, Chicago, Ottawa
Western Conference
Southern: Florida, Tampa Bay, Nashville, Dallas, St. Louis
Pacific: LA, San Jose, Anaheim, Phoenix, Vancouver
Prairies: Colorado, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Minnesota

While it is not perfect, I think that this would provide for better TV schedules and create stronger rivalries within the divisions themselves. The Eastern Conference came out fairly well rounded and looks to be considerably dominant. Because so many teams are located so closely together, TV times are less of a concern than they are in the West. Travel distances are also less of an issue. Every team is located in the Eastern Time Zone except Chicago.
Detroit moves away from the Western Conference travel schedule and rekindle their rivalry with Toronto while also maintaining the Wings' rivalry with Chicago. Though the Canadians lose their extensive series with the Maple Leafs, they retain their rivalry with the Bruins and add fellow Original Six member New York Rangers. Pittsburgh maintains its rivalry with Philadelphia while picking up nearby Columbus and adding more games against Washington. Philadelphia and Washington should pick up intensity as well, given their proximity. Columbus and Carolina benefit from the popularity and strength of their new opponents.

Keeping Minnesota and Winnipeg together makes sense considering that they are closer to each other than to anybody else; they are also the only remaining Central Time Zone teams. Calgary and Edmonton are also closely tied. The Alberta teams seem to fit best with Winnipeg and Minnesota, which establishes a Central and Mountain Time Zone. Unfortunately this creates an issue with the division's fifth team. Despite Colorado being further from all of the teams than Vancouver is from the Alberta pair, the Avalanche's location in the Mountain Time Zone pushed them into this group.
By default, Vancouver joins the Pacific, which keeps the entire division in one time zone for most of the year (stupid Arizona!). The Canucks join all three California teams in a division rounded out by the Coyotes. Other than Vancouver, this division is fairly compact compared to the rest of the Western Conference and should continue to build on current rivalries.
Of course this whole thing could be blown to hell if the Coyotes or Islanders end up moving after next season...
There are several different proposals floating around right now. And I invite you to post yours below, whether directly or as a post to your blog. I will definitely check them out and possibly comment in return.

Summer 2011 Youth Registration Closed

2011-05-14T18:29:00.000-05:00

As of right now, registration for the Summer 2011 Youth Lacrosse Program is closed. We have exceeded our planned capacity; everyone who registered will participate. Watch for future opportunities or contact us to be added to the contact list.
Information will be emailed to players and parents within the next two weeks.

2011 Summer Lacrosse League Closed

2011-05-11T14:05:00.002-05:00

Registration for the 2011 Summer Lacrosse League is now closed. Rosters and schedules will be released sometime next week.

*Registration for the Summer 2011 Youth Lacrosse Program will be open until Friday, May 13 or until the program is full. As of right now, there are only eight slots still available!

Reminder: Summer 2011 Youth Program

2011-05-09T09:02:00.002-05:00

Registration for the Summer 2011 Youth Program is set to terminate this Friday, but we may be closing it early due to limited space. To ensure that you are able to participate register today!

About the Summer 2011 Youth Program
Presented by the Central Iowa Lacrosse Association and the Valley Tigers Lacrosse Club

The Summer 2011 Youth Lacrosse Program is designed for and open to boys across the metro currently in grades 5-8. This seven week program will feature the Valley Lacrosse Club’s coaching staff instructing young players on the essential skills of the game. The program will emphasis strong, intelligent game play and sportsmanship. Each weekly session will include instruction as well as a competitive game.

§ Weekly practice and game sessions will be held in Clive on Wednesday afternoons from 4:00 – 5:30 pm, beginning in June.

§ Your $30 (per player) registration fee will include a t-shirt, new lacrosse stick, and a lacrosse ball.

§ Registration for this program is now open and will close on Friday, May 13, 2011 or when the program is full.

Final Notice: 2011 Summer Lacrosse League

2011-05-09T08:27:00.004-05:00

Even though registration was technically closed on Friday, we still have a couple of slots open in the 2011 Summer Lacrosse League (high school & adult). The reversible order has already been sent to ensure that they arrive on time, so the league will be capped as a necessity. Rosters will be complied this weekend, so registration will be cut off some time on Friday. I know that some teams want to get together and practice before the league starts and they cannot do so until the rosters are set.

About the 2011 Summer Lacrosse League

We will not have sponsors this year. Instead, teams will have names and specific color schemes to eliminate "guest players" and other shenanigans. Players will be assigned to teams in an effort of creating some balance (though the 2010 champions Lightning Wear/Gargoyles will largely carry over from last year).

We will have a new format this year - adopted from last summer's second half - which should reduce absence issues. The 2011 SLL will feature a modified field consisting of 1 goalie, 2 defenders, 3 midfielders, and 2 attackmen. This means that teams will be offside with less than three men in the defensive half or less than two in the offensive half. Teams may run up to three long poles on the field at any time.

Rosters will max at 14 players to allow everybody plenty of playing time. We plan to have four teams in the league, with all four teams playing each week. Teams not playing will be responsible for refereeing games opposite their own. Referees will be assigned beforehand and coordinated through team captains.

This year's league will begin On Wednesday, June 8 and run through August 10. The exact number of games will be determined once we know the exact number of teams.

Registration is available below. There is a $35 fee to cover cost of the pinnies, balls, etc.

Click Clack

2011-05-04T12:36:00.005-05:00

It is official: Under Armour is entering the lacrosse equipment fray. Much like the partnership that Nike has with STX, Under Armour has been working with Gait/DeBeer to produce a line of equipment. Originally, I assumed UA would work with Maverik, especially in light of Paul Rabil's dual endorsement deals.

Since Gait ended up being UA's partner, I am now wondering about the Rabil's future with Maverik. Given his status as the highest profile laxer in the world, it is hard to imagine that UA wants to part with him, but they probably do not want their key laxer working for a competitor either. I guess we will see if UA buys out Rabil's Maverik contract, lets it run its course, or reduces their emphasis on him. Remember, Rabil appears in UA signage outside of lacrosse as well.

Along the same lines, we can expect equipment changes at Maryland. The Terps have reportedly been dissatisfied with STX and were among the first to drop this year's Assault line. Rumors have been swirling about an equipment switch ever since STX launched the first Nike lines, and now it looks like we know who the Terps have been considering. Whether UA will have a full line at launch is uncertain, so it is probable that standard Gait gear will supplement the team, again much like STX on Nike sponsored teams. As in everything else, Maryland will be the signature school for UA lax.

You may recall that way back when I started this blog (10/31/2008 to be exact), I said that Under Armour will be producing equipment in the near future. My exact words were:

Expect it around 2012.

Am I a profit or what?

5/4/2011 - Edit - 1:15 pm
Lacrosse Playground has posted pictures of the UA Revenant Head. It definitely has a strong Gait influence.
Unfortunately I am getting word that the pads and gloves also have a strong Gait influence. Considering that Gait is arguably the least popular manufacturer in the game - mostly attributed to their looks - this seems to be a huge misstep on UA's Part. Pics and/or links will be posted as they become available.

5/4/2011 - Edit - 2:30 pm

Lax U Nation has posted pictures of the arm pads. They are not as Gait-like as I had heard. Actually they are pretty respectable with a simple, almost classic look. I cannot get the pic to copy, so you'll have to follow the link. Sorry.

Further edit: All of the links and pics of UA lax gear have been pulled from the internet. That includes those linked on my blog. For those of you lucky enough to see them, what do you think?

Summer 2011 Youth Lacrosse Program

2011-05-01T09:25:00.002-05:00

The Central Iowa Lacrosse Association

And the

Valley Tigers Lacrosse Club

Present the Summer 2011 Youth Lacrosse Program

§ Weekly practice and game sessions will be held in Clive on Wednesday afternoons from 4:00 – 5:30 pm, beginning in June.

§ Your $30 (per player) registration fee will include a t-shirt, new lacrosse stick, and a lacrosse ball.

§ Registration for this program is now open and will close on Friday, May 13, 2011.

For more information, Contact Adam at CenIowaLaxAssoc@gmail.com

-or-

Visit the Central Iowa Lacrosse Association website:

http://centraliowalacrosse.sports.officelive.com/Youth.aspx

Final Home Games of the Season

2011-05-01T08:27:00.002-05:00

The 10-1 Valley Tigers Lacrosse Team will play their final home games of the 2011 season this afternoon at Tiger Stadium. Tiger Stadium is the track stadium on the Valley High School campus, not the big football stadium.
Valley faces Creighton Prep at 1:30 for the second time this season. Prep narrowly beat Valley by a single goal scored in the final minute on April 16. The winner of this game will be the number one seed when the playoffs start in Omaha next Saturday.
Valley will then face Westside for their final game of the 2011 regular season. In their April 3 meeting, Valley outscored Westside 10-5.
Admission to both games is free. Concessions and team t-shirts will be available for purchase.

Update: Youth Lax in Des Moines

2011-04-25T13:00:00.001-05:00

Now that the high school/adult summer league is ready to go, I can finally concentrate on getting the youth league finalized. We are still working on some specifics like the time, weeknight, and cost, but we have narrowed down the basics. First and foremost, we have identified the type of game the youth league will play. We plan to open with instructional clinics/practices each night and followed by a Chumash game. We will only be using short sticks; we plan to provide a stick to each player as part of the registration fee. We are still working on helmet and glove issues.
The youth league will meet once a week and the boys will be coached primarily by the Valley coaches. We are receptive to members of the local lacrosse community assisting with the program.

We have a preliminary contact list of around 20 boys; there is plenty of room for more. If you know of an interested boy currently in grades 5-8 that would be interested, please contact us ASAP to get them on the initial contact list. This also applies to anybody interested in helping coach the boys. I anticipate having the information out this week.

2011 Summer Lacrosse League - Sign Up Now!

2011-04-20T09:44:00.007-05:00

At long last, sign ups for this year's adult/high school Summer Lacrosse League have arrived!
Once again we will be ordering pinnies, but we are going with a new supplier based on several comments I received last summer. Gone are the sponsors; teams will now be able to choose their own nicknames, which are subject to approval (they have to be appropriate for all ages). Each team will have its own color scheme to eliminate "guest players" and other shenanigans.
We will have a new format this year - adopted from last summer's second half - which should reduce absence issues. The 2011 SLL will feature a modified field consisting of 1 goalie, 2 defenders, 3 midfielders, and 2 attackmen. This means that teams will be offside with less than three men in the defensive half or less than two in the offensive half. Teams may run up to three long poles on the field at any time.
Rosters will max at 15 players to allow everybody plenty of playing time. We plan to have five teams (possibly six) in the league, with four teams playing each week. The fifth team will be responsible for refereeing games during their off week. Referees will be assigned beforehand.
This year's league will begin On Wednesday, June 8 and run through August 10. The exact number of games will be determined once we know the exact number of teams.
Registration is available below. There is a $35 fee to cover cost of the pinnies, balls, etc.

My Apologies

2011-04-16T21:12:00.000-05:00

I apologize for the lack of posts this spring. I've just had so much going on lately. The new house, new dog, OT at work, and baby classes have taken a lot of my free time. This has required me to do my behind the scenes stuff during my work breaks at the expense of this blog.
For those not coming to Valley games, the Tigers are 6-1 overall (3-1 in league play) after suffering a close loss at Creighton Prep today. The JV team is 5-1 on the season. Valley hosts Lincoln and Millard South next week at Tiger Stadium on the main Valley campus.
Zach and I have been working diligently on the summer league (high school & adult) and youth league (grades 5-8). That information is nearly ready and should be sent out early this week. The summer league will have new & better pinnies this season.
Contact me if you are interested in either league and I will add you to the pool/contact list.

Summer League Updates

2011-04-08T09:43:00.004-05:00

I am finally starting to get caught up from moving, which means that the behind the scenes stuff for Valley Lax is mostly on track. This is giving me time to get the summer league information together a bit. On the way to Omaha last weekend, Zach and I had an opportunity to make some plans for both the youth and adult leagues.
Youth:

Grades 5-8
Six on six
Short sticks only
No checking
No goalies - tarps will be used
Possibly using box goals
Teams will be coached by high school players/staff
Pregame practice/warm up

Adult:

13-15 man rosters. The goal is to eliminate players subbing between teams. We want to keep players only playing for their team. We are also hoping that this allows us to create five or six teams. High school and adult players. Current middle schoolers will be in the youth league.
Eight on eight - Goalie, two defenders, three middies, two attack. Up to three long poles allowed on the field at any time. Due to absences last summer, we ended up playing this format several times; it seemed to work well and opened up the games a bit. This should also help limit the effects.
Teams will be shifted from last year to accommodate the new roster structure. Despite initial thoughts to keep teams in tact, ALL ROSTERS MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
There will be a referee schedule with a two man crew working each game. We may have two games going at a time (depending on the number of teams) so multiple members of a team may be reffing).
Every effort will be made to avoid double headers and a cancellation/make up plan is in the works.
The current plan is to order reversible jerseys again, but we may be going with a different company based on feedback last summer. We are exploring using a different primary color for each team. Once again we are interested in sponsors for the teams and are open to allowing *appropriate* team names (Gargoyles, Young Guns, etc). At this time, we plan to order all of the jerseys to ensure that all players have them.
The anticipated cost should be similar to last year, so expect around $30 to cover the jersey and ball fee.
We will be using orange balls as always.

Other items have been discussed. Once we get everything finalized, a comprehensive list will be posted on the blog and website. An email will be sent out as well.
And yes, we are considering dropping the box for an MLL style two-point arch.

Valley Lax at Home Sunday

2011-04-07T09:43:00.000-05:00

Following two big varsity wins and a JV victory last weekend, the Tigers will host Burke high school at Tiger Stadium this Sunday.

Sunday, April 3 results:
Varsity vs Burke 14-2 win
Junior varsity vs Burke 4-3 win
Varsity vs Westside 10-5 win

Sunday, April 10 Games:
Varsity vs Burke 3:00 pm
Junior varsity vs Burke 5:00 pm

This week's home games will be held at Tiger Stadium on the Valley High School campus. Concessions and t-shirts will be available for purchase. Admission is free for both games.
Valley High School/Tiger Stadium - 3650 Woodland Ave, West Des Moines, IA 50266

Drake Home Games This Saturday

2011-03-30T07:00:00.002-05:00

The Drake Bulldogs will host the University of Wisconsin LaCrosse and St. Mary's University this Saturday (April 2) at 2:00 pm and 4:30 pm, respectively.
Come out and cheer for your local college lacrosse team! Admission is free for both games.

Visit the Bulldogs Lax homepage for more information.

Valley Lax Dominates Northern Teams

2011-03-29T12:35:00.002-05:00

It was a cold and blustery weekend at Valley Stadium, making the teams from St. Louis Park and Delano, Minnesota and Madison (West Side Regents), Wisconsin feel right at home. All three teams played their first games of the 2011 season this weekend, as did the home town Valley Tigers. Defending Nebraska High School League champion Creighton Prep also ventured to West Des Moines with three league wins already under their belt.
I wanted to post a big write up of the games, but the massive backlog at work and home has made this nearly impossible. Here are the scores:
Creighton Prep 7, St. Louis Park 4
Valley 18, West Side Regents 8
Creighton Prep 8, Delano 7 OT
Valley 13, St. Louis Park 8
Delano 11, vs West Side Regents 3
St. Louis Park 8, West Side Regents 5
Valley 13, Delano 6

Opening Weekend at Valley Stadium

2011-03-24T06:22:00.000-05:00

Saturday, March 26 & Sunday March 27

Saturday Games:
11:00 Creighton Prep (NE) vs St. Louis Park (MN)
1:30 Valley (IA) vs Madison Regents (WI)
4:00 Creighton Prep (NE) vs Delano (MN)
6:30 Valley (IA) vs St. Louis Park (MN)

Sunday Games:
10:00 Madison Regents (WI) vs Delano (MN)
12:30 Madison Regents (WI) vs St. Louis Park (MN)
3:00 Valley (IA) vs Delano (MN)

No Internet Until Monday

2011-03-17T16:35:00.004-05:00

I am closing on my house tonight. I will be painting my new digs tomorrow and moving over the weekend. Unfortunately that means I will not have cable and the Internet until late Monday afternoon.
This means that there will be no new blogs, emails, or even Valley score updates until Monday night at the earliest. Valley's JV plays three games in Omaha on Sunday, but I will have to miss them.

Valley's New Buckets

2011-03-11T21:35:00.000-06:00

Fresh new Cascade Pro7s with custom decals!

Left side

Right Side

The back panel has a very special meaning. May not make it public until the Tigers' opening weekend games...
A very big thank you to TheTotal Athlete for hooking us up.

Limited Activity

2011-03-11T12:44:00.001-06:00

I apologize to all of my regular readers for not posting anything over the last week. As many of you know, I am in the process of buying a house (we close next week). This has consumed most of my time - to the point of preventing me from attending practices and causing me to miss next weekend's JV games in Omaha. I'll also be missing Hopkins vs Cuse next Saturday (damn it).
"Well you could just write over your lunch break," you're probably saying. Yeah, well, I could but I have been using my lunch breaks for a far more important task lately.
On top of those two items, I have been working with a few vendors to hook Valley up with some new stuff - especially helmets and fan/fundraiser t-shirts. The helmets have arrived and will make their online debut soon; I have to say that they are classic and awesome. The shirts will be here any day, but we have not set the price yet. We also have new uniforms coming; they will debut at our home games on March 26 at Valley Stadium.
Bear with me a little longer. Hopefully regular posts will resume around the 23rd. Thank you for your patience.

Valley Tigers are Preseason #2

2011-03-02T11:13:00.000-06:00

West Side Lax released the 2011 preseason rankings for the Nebraska High School Lacrosse league last week:

Preseason Top 9: 1. Creighton Prep 2. West Des Moines Valley 3. Lincoln 4. Millard West 5. Westside, 6. Omaha Burke 7. Millard North, 8. Millard South 9. River City.

This is a major improvement over last year's rankings which saw the Tigers ranked ninth in the then ten team league. With only three regular season losses last year, Valley was the fourth seed in the playoffs (second in the North Division). After a narrow loss to eventual champions Creighton Prep in the semifinals, the Tigers faced Lincoln in the consolation game. The overtime loss to the Rampage resulted in Valley finishing the season solidly in fourth place.
Papillion-La Vista will not field a team this year, which is noted by their absence from the preseason rankings. The last word I received from the league indicates that River City has also withdrawn. The 2011 season was scheduled to begin with a jamboree at Burke High School this weekend, however that event may have been canceled.
Valley's complete schedule can be found here.
West Side Lax favors Valley on the defensive half of the field by praising senior goalie Hunter Couch, junior LSM Tanner McDougal, and senior defender Jamie Tornberg. Rounding out the defense are athletic senior poles Dan Boyd and Collin Mundus. Junior poles Colin Cook and Will Cafferta add imposing size while freshmen Will Tornberg brings a touch of speed. Sophomore Ben Oberender has moved to pole after playing JV middie in 2010. Freshman Graham Taylor backups Couch.
Senior middie Dylan Griess led the league in scoring last year and leads a strong midfield which includes junior Nick Harrington and Hunter Levis and sophomores Sam Arends and Cole Griess. Freshman Ted Crites leads the attack after a successful 8th grade season. Sophomores Josh Crew, Ross Delsol, Myles Goertz, and Quentin Straw all return in offensive rolls and will be joined by a strong crop of freshmen.
The complete roster will be updated here in the coming weeks.

National Lacrosse League All Star Game Today!

2011-02-27T07:00:00.001-06:00

The 2011 National Lacrosse League All Star game will be on Versus this afternoon at 1:00 pm (Iowa Time). The game will be broadcast live from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York and presented by the Oneida Indian Nation.This game will be the first of nine NLL games scheduled to air on Versus this season.

Iowa vs Iowa State Lax This Weekend

2011-02-25T09:35:00.005-06:00

This is straight from the Hawkeyes' website:

Iowa Hosts Kansas & Iowa State This Weekend

February 22, 2011
After starting the season with two wins this past weekend, Iowa will host its first home games of the 2011 season this weekend.
Iowa starts things off with a game against conference foe Kansas on Friday in the Bubble at 7:30 PM. The Jayhawks come to Iowa City with a 1-2 record so far this season, also beating Memphis to go along with losses against Vanderbilt and Clemson.
Kansas has won four straight games against the Hawkeyes, including a 12-9 victory in Lawrence last season that decided the GRLC Division I-AA winner. Mitch McElman led the way for the Hawkeyes with four points (2G, 2A) in that game, while Kansas’ Francis Enright led all players with four goals and two assists.
Enright leads the Jayhawks with 14 points this year and is tied with Nick Troll for the team lead with six goals.
Iowa then plays in-state rival Iowa State on Saturday night in the Bubble at 7:30 PM. The Cyclones have played one game so far this season, losing 16-6 to Missouri. The Hawkeyes won the last meeting between these two teams, 12-11, during the 2009 season. Alex De La Pena had three goals and three assists in that game, while Craig Millspaugh added two goals and two assists.

The Hawkeyes are undefeated coming into tonight's game with massive wins over Memphis and Arkansas.
The Cyclones come to Iowa City with a 16-6 loss to Missouri under their belt.
Game Times:
Iowa vs Kansas - Friday 7:30 pm
Iowa State vs Kansas - Saturday 5:30 pm
Iowa vs Iowa State - Saturday 7:30 pm
Admission is free for all three games.

**********************************************************************

Iowa does not have any more home games scheduled in 2011. Iowa State will have home games on March 26 & 27.

Wanna Be a Coach?

2011-02-20T21:34:00.000-06:00

As lax continues to grow in Des Moines and throughout Iowa, we will face an increased need for qualified coaches. US Lacrosse now offers coaching certification courses for registered members.

USL Certification Steps
Do you want to be a certified coach through US Lacrosse? If so, take the following steps:

Level 1 Certification
Fulfill your educational components (ECs) by completing these three requirements.
• CEP Level 1 online course ($30)
• CEP Level 1 Instructional clinic ($65)
• PCA Double Goal Coach 1 course - Coaching for Winning and Life Lessons
Upon completion, apply for certification. Submit the paperwork and your documentation.

Level 2 Certification
Meet the following requirements to complete your educational components.
• Be Level 1 certified
• CEP Level 2 online course ($55)
• CEP Level 2 Instructional clinic ($85)
Apply to certify. Submit the paperwork and your documentation.

Right now US Lacrosse is offering registered members the opportunity to take the Level One online course for free. Both the boys' and girls' courses are available - and yes you can register for both for free. After registering, you have 120 days to complete the test.
Future coaching education opportunities will be posted as they become available. Contact me with questions.

Valley Tigers Lax 2011 Schedule

2011-02-18T14:43:00.005-06:00

2011 Varsity Schedule

Date - Opponent - Location - Time
Saturday March 26 - St Louis Park (MN) - Valley Stadium - TBD
Saturday March 26 - Madison Regents (WI) - Valley Stadium - TBD

Sunday March 27 - Orono (MN) - Valley Stadium - TBD

Sunday April 3 - Burke - Burke HS - 12:00 pm
Sunday April 3 - Westside - Westside HS - 3:30 pm

Saturday April 9 - Burke - Valley Stadium - 3:00 pm

Saturday April 16 - Creighton Prep - Creighton Prep - 11:00 am

Saturday April 23 - Lincoln - Indian Hills - 11:30 am

Saturday April 23 - Millard South - Indian Hills -3:30 pm

Saturday April 30 - Millard West - Millard West - 11:00 am
Saturday April 30 - Millard North - Millard West - 3:00 pm

Sunday May 1 - Creighton Prep - Valley Stadium - 11:00 am

Sunday May 1 - Westside - Valley Stadium - 3:00 pm

Saturday May 7 - State Quarterfinals
Saturday May 14 - State Semifinals
Saturday May 21 - State Championships

Sunday May 8 - JV vs Dubuque - Valley Stadium - TBD

The full schedule - including time and location updates, and the complete JV schedule - can be viewed here.
Home games are in italics

Drake's New Website

2011-02-16T12:40:00.001-06:00

The Drake University Lacrosse team recently redesigned and relaunched their website. The new site can be found at: http://drakelacrosse.com/

The Bulldogs will also be unveiling new uniforms just in time for the upcoming Great Lakes Lacrosse League season.

Speaking of the upcoming season, the Bulldogs will play two home games on Sunday, April 3. They will face Wisconsin-La Crosse at 1:00 pm and St. Mary's at 2:15 pm.

For more information, contact the team.

Early Thoughts on the 2011 Summer League

2011-02-11T16:58:00.000-06:00

I know the Box Lacrosse League just wrapped up a few weeks ago. I know that the Valley season won't begin for another month. But I also know that I have to get ahead on future leagues. I am always thinking about our next lax league during the current leagues. I have really begun working to get the whole thing put together.
The Nebraska High School Lacrosse League will wrap up on May 21, freeing the Valley players and coaches. The 2011 Summer Lacrosse League will start sometime after that - most likely around June 1, 2011.
Like last year, the league will be open to high school and adult players. Games will either be om Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday depending on field availability and other factors. After the dissatisfaction regarding last year's reversible jerseys, teams will probably be responsible for providing their own uniforms. There still may be a ball and net replacement fee, but it will be much less than last year's fee.
Last year's teams may remain in tact, particularly Team Lightning Wear(league champions). A permanent referee solution will have to be made. We also had a player shortage issue last summer, which I would like to limit this season as much as possible. One solution would be to permanently adopt the two defenders, two attack set up we ended up with last year. That is not set in stone; it is just an early thought...
Adding to the attendance issues, I know that I stand a fair chance of missing games in late July and the odds of my absence only increases as we approach mid-August. Jim has volunteered to help run things during that time, but I am definitely interested in getting additional help, maybe even from some fresh blood. I thought about making a captains council to help keep things going while I am out...
I will continue to work on the logistics of this year's league. Hopefully improvements can be made to give everybody an even better experience than last year. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your comments and suggestions.

Easy Access

2011-02-11T09:49:00.001-06:00

If you are a regular reader, then you probably noticed the little tab things just under the Lacrosse Monkey ad and above the blog text. These little tabs will take you to information pages. One of my goals for 2011 is to make essential information more easily accessible from this blog as well as the Central Iowa Lacrosse Association website.
Although they are not all complete yet, that will change as the appropriate information becomes available. Most of the information will also be posted as a blog or at least a small update notice will be posted. Some of it will come directly from the CILA website. Additional categories may be added as needed. I will eventually add links to the appropriate CILA page as well.
Right now you can click on the Womens Lax, Boys Lax, and Referee tabs for the most current information. The HS Boys tab will be updated with Valley's schedule and some other information soon (hopefully by Sunday). Hopefully this will make it easier for everybody to find the relevant information.
As always, contact me with your feedback, suggestions, or questions.

Clothing Makes the Man

2011-02-10T09:43:00.002-06:00

I recently stumbled across what I quickly decided was one of the best lax t-shirts ever. A quick verification of the bank account later and it shipped out last Thursday afternoon. It arrived on Tuesday, but I did not open it up until last night.
The Nike Lax Legacy T-shirt is made of loose fitting Nike Dri-fit. In addition to the sweet buck on the front, the word "Legacy" adorns the back. You can purchase one here for $25.00 ($22.50 for Club Lax). It also comes in red and sky blue.

Valley Season Begins in March

2011-02-08T12:55:00.000-06:00

The 2011 Valley Tigers Lacrosse Club schedule is nearly complete. Right now it looks as though all of our home games save one will be held at Valley Stadium, a significant upgrade over last year's location. Aside from watching the action on the luxurious new field turf, fans will be treated to real seats, adequate parking, and accessible restrooms!
While I cannot disclose the entire schedule* at this time, I can provide some highlights. The Tigers will open their home campaign with a post Spring Break two day tournament featuring two teams from Minnesota and one from Wisconsin. Following that, Valley will play five league games over three dates in April. Junior Varsity games will also be played at the stadium.
Valley will also have five away games in Omaha this year. The Nebraska High School Lacrosse League playoffs begin May 7. Unlike last year, the state semi-finals and finals will be split over two weekends. Just like last year, the Tigers intend to become the first Iowa team to win a Nebraska championship.
*All opponents, dates, and game times will be announced at a later date.

Living in a Fantasy Land... Part 11b

2011-02-07T07:00:00.001-06:00

Last time I did a Lincoln mock up, I mentioned that the school changed its color scheme a bit since I graduated nearly 14 years ago (yeah, that's right; many of the players I coach where in diapers when I graduated). In the spirit of this being my fantasy land, I decided to revisit Lincoln. If I was setting the program up and making the relevant decisions, I would definitely revert to the retro color scheme.
I really feel that the athletic gold shorts pop in contrast with the maroon jersey. I have never really embraced the monochromatic look in sports, whether we are talking about lax, soccer, or football (it works in basketball though). So why not use the team's secondary color for the shorts?I chose to stay with the same pattern from the original post because its classic look seems to fit with the "Railsplitters" name. You may have noticed that the pattern continues seamlessly from the jersey.
With so many teams these days opting to wear black or white helmets, the gold helmet gives the Rails more personality. In addition to the maroon chin and mohawk, my dream helmet includes a maroon back panel with "Railsplitters" written in white and custom Abraham Lincoln and/or state of Iowa logos on the sides.
Because this is one of my favorite color schemes, I also mocked up some Warrior Wrath gloves:
Keep watching for more "Fantasy Land" posts. They will appear as inspiration hits me. Click here to start at the beginning.

Wanna Be a Referee?

2011-02-05T16:02:00.001-06:00

Since the inception of the Central Iowa Lacrosse Association, we have recognized the need for certified lacrosse officials in Des Moines Area. Not only would local certified referees help out with Drake and Iowa State, but they could greatly facilitate expansion at the high school level.
A few area laxers had previously inquired about becoming certified refs. We had tried to set some stuff up in the past, but our small pool (even combined with Nebraska) makes it difficult. Luckily we are close to a few larger, more established lacrosse areas.

Registration for Lacrosse Officials Training Classes in Minnesota

There's a fair amount of complaining about officiating, so it's time for you to become part of the solution. Information on officials training is posted on the UMLOA website and registration is now open here.

A few notes:

•For all classes, register well in advance. There are online training components, some of which must be completed before your first in-person meeting, so don't wait until the last minute. Information on how to access the online training will be sent to you at least a week before your course begins. The full schedule and requirements can be found here.

•You can pay by mail-in check or by PayPal. To pay by PayPal, choose the mail-in check option and follow the directions given. Level 1 Registration is $149.00. Level 2 Registration is $99.00. Combined Levels 1 & 2 Registration is $199.00

•For Level 1, you must select one site for Level 1 Class #1 and one site for Level 1 Class #2 (for a total of 6 hours of in class training). You must also choose a site for on-field training.

•You will need to join US Lacrosse as a district 7 men's official (or renew your membership) prior to registration. If you have already renewed your membership but you are not a District 7 men's official, you will need to contact the US Lacrosse Membership Department.

•Basic uniform and equipment are included with Level 1 Training (but not Level 1 Re-certification). You will need your sock size, shirt size, and waist size to register for Level 1 Training.

Please contact head official Harold Buck or training coordinator Russ Ramsay with questions.

Girls Middle School Lax

2011-02-04T14:43:00.000-06:00

The Des Moines area is going to try an experimental run at a youth girl's program with the help of a youth program in Kansas City.
Beginning in April, a four week practice schedule for girls in 5th-8th grade will take place. The conclusion of the session will be on May 22, playing at a play day in Kansas City.
This program is open to 5th-8th grade girls throughout the Des Moines metro. No experience is necessary to play, but you will need your own lacrosse stick, goggles, and mouth guard. Girls' starter packages can be found here (stick packages).
Coach Jaacki and the Waukee girls team will be assisting with the program.

Please contact Jaacki, if you are interested.

-An announcement regarding middle school boys will be made at a later date. Contact me to get on the email list.

Waukee HS Girls Lax Schedule

2011-02-04T12:45:00.000-06:00

Saturday, April 2 in Kansas City

Saturday, April 16 in Omaha

Saturday, April 23 in Columbia, Mo.

Saturday, April 30 at Southwoods in West Des Moines

Saturday, May 7 in Omaha

The 2011 high school team will begin practice in February and will begin competition on April 2, 2011. This year's team is comprised of high school girls from Waukee High School, Valley High School, Johnston High School and North Polk - and is open to anyone in the Des Moines area.

Please contact Jaacki, if you are interested in playing or coaching.

No Valley Practice

2011-02-02T12:39:00.002-06:00

Due to the blizzard and the resultant school cancellations, tonight's lax practice has been canceled. We cannot use the facilities when there is no school... Enjoy the night off.

Marquette Announces First Coach

2011-02-01T13:10:00.000-06:00

The newest NCAA D1 program in our region is all set to announce their first head coach:

Multiple sources indicate Hofstra assistant Joe Amplo will be hired as the first head coach of the men’s lacrosse program at Marquette University.

Up to this point the coaching search has been headed by former Maryland Terrapins head coach Dave Cottle. Cottle was released by the Terps following their loss in the NCAA playoffs last spring. Cottle has accepted a position with the Chesapeake Bayhawks, where he will serve as team president. He previously served as a coaching advisor during the team's 2010 championship season.
Excitement continues to build as the Golden Eagles' lax program develops. Everything will come to a head in the 2012-13 season.

Don't Step on my Blue Suede Shoes

2011-01-31T20:55:00.000-06:00

Originally, I was leaning towards "Ch-ch-changes" but that felt too cliche...
By now you have probably noticed a complete change in the color scheme both here and at the Central Iowa Lacrosse Association website (unless you are colorblind, in which case I apologize). Red, black, and gold have been dropped in favor of navy, sky, and white. Even the logo has been tweaked in recognition of the new colors.
Why the change?
Way back when I started this blog, lacrosse had no presence in Iowa outside of a few MCLA teams. Valley just started playing. To build excitement and interest, I had several polls designed to create some direction for the sport - a rallying point, if you will. The colors were announced on the now defunct Demons' blog:

The final results of the survey are in. After the preliminary poll closed on the Central Iowa Lacrosse Association website and receiving the first logo submission, we have officially decided on the Demons' colors. When the team reaches the point of ordering uniforms, gear, and merchandise (hopefully in the spring of 2010), these colors will be used. They are: Black, White, Red, and Athletic (Yellow) Gold.*
The overall results are:
Black- 21 %
Red - 17 %
White - 14%
Athletic Gold/Yellow - 8.5%
Vegas Gold, Purple - 6.5%
Forest Green - 5%
Silver - 4.5%
Maroon, Orange - 4%
Navy Blue, Royal Blue, Emerald Green - 3%

But as lax really started taking off last summer, we began to analyze various aspects of CILA. This included everything from a sponsor-friendly logo to league structures to high school expansion and youth programs. To maximize the connections between our programs, Zach proposed that we radically alter things. The coordinators agreed that a change would be beneficial indeed.
After significant discussion about names and color scheme, we reached the same conclusion on the colors and program name. The results are now being made public via the recolored websites. The name was informally announced through our box league team - Aces.
Why Aces?
We all agreed that "Demons" could potentially alienate certain sponsors and participants. Aces, while seemingly generic, is also more friendly and accessible. The name also gives us multiple opportunities to distinguish teams at different levels (ie spades for the men, hearts for the women, diamonds for middle school, etc. - though these are not accurate or set at this time).
The new name also provides more opportunities for helmet and uniform designs like argyle or gingham - things that would have looked silly with the Demons' logo. The new color scheme also allows us to step away from the "traditional" sports in the metro a bit. Both colors are fairly synonymous with lacrosse in general, due mostly to associations with NCAA D1 programs.
However, I want to clarify that we did not choose these colors in honor of North Carolina. In fact, none of us are UNC fans at all.
So, what about the high school team(s)?
Valley will remain Valley. The high school provides the uniforms and facilities for practices and games. They have allowed us the privilege of using their name and we respect that. Without Valley's support, lacrosse may not be where it is today.
As far as future high school teams go, we want to continue to use actual high school names as much as possible. Barring that, we would most likely choose an alternate name for new teams - similar to the Capitals and Oak Leafs hockey clubs. We obviously have the Demons' logo and name available, as well as several other options. Some are even Des Moines/Iowa-specific.
If the Aces name is ever used for a high school program, it would most likely be a summer travel team open to players from various schools. At least that is the plan right now...
Please do not refrain from sharing your thoughts on the new colors and name below. You can also contact me. Thank you for supporting lacrosse in Central Iowa.

Box Lacrosse League Champions

2011-01-28T09:42:00.002-06:00

Congratulations to the Iowa State Cyclones
2010-11 Central Iowa Lacrosse Association Box Lacrosse League
Champions

Both were great games last night. I apologize but there will be no write up at this time, possibly later when I have more time.
Championship Game: Iowa State 13, Aces 11

2011 MLL Schedule

2011-01-25T14:38:00.002-06:00

MAJOR LEAGUE LACROSSE ANNOUNCES 2011 SCHEDULE

All 40 Games to be streamed live on ESPN3.com

Week

Game Day

Game Date

Visitor

Home

1

Saturday

5/14/11

Long Island

@

Boston

1

Saturday

5/14/11

Rochester

@

Chesapeake

1

Saturday

5/14/11

Hamilton

@

Denver

2

Thursday

5/19/11

Chesapeake

@

Hamilton

2

Saturday

5/21/11

Denver

@

Boston

2

Saturday

5/21/11

Long Island

@

Rochester

Bye

Saturday

5/28/11

Memorial Day All Teams Bye

3

Friday

6/3/11

Denver

@

Long Island

3

Saturday

6/4/11

Chesapeake

@

Boston

4

Friday

6/10/11

Hamilton

@

Rochester

4

Saturday

6/11/11

Long Island

@

Boston

4

Saturday

6/11/11

Chesapeake

@

Denver

5

Thursday

6/16/11

Chesapeake

@

Long Island

5

Saturday

6/18/11

Boston

@

Rochester

5

Saturday

6/18/11

Denver

@

Hamilton

6

Friday

6/24/11

Hamilton

@

Rochester

6

Saturday

6/25/11

Boston

@

Chesapeake

6

Saturday

6/25/11

Rochester

@

Hamilton

6

Saturday

6/25/11

Long Island

@

Denver

7

Friday

7/1/11

Long Island

@

Hamilton

7

Saturday

7/2/11

Rochester

@

Chesapeake

7

Sunday

7/3/11

Boston

@

Denver

All-Star

Saturday

7/9/11

2011 MLL All-Star Game - Boston, MA

8

Saturday

7/16/11

Boston

@

Long Island

8

Saturday

7/16/11

Chesapeake

@

Hamilton

8

Saturday

7/16/11

Rochester

@

Denver

9

Saturday

7/23/11

Hamilton

@

Boston

9

Saturday

7/23/11

Long Island

@

Chesapeake

9

Saturday

7/23/11

Denver

@

Rochester

10

Thursday

7/28/11

Rochester

@

Long Island

10

Saturday

7/30/11

Hamilton

@

Chesapeake

10

Saturday

7/30/11

Boston

@

Denver

11

Saturday

8/6/11

Boston

@

Hamilton

11

Saturday

8/6/11

Chesapeake

@

Rochester

11

Saturday

8/6/11

Denver

@

Long Island

12

Saturday

8/13/11

Rochester

@

Boston

12

Saturday

8/13/11

Denver

@

Chesapeake

12

Saturday

8/13/11

Hamilton

@

Long Island

CW

Saturday

8/27/11

2011 MLL Semi-Final #1

CW

Saturday

8/27/11

2011 MLL Semi-Final #2

CW

Sunday

8/28/11

2011 MLL Championship

Annapolis, MD

ESPN2 will air six games this season, including Long Island at Boston on June 12 and the All-Star game in Boston on July 9. A complete broadcast schedule will be made available at a later date.

It's Official - MLL Adds Two!

2011-01-21T12:52:00.000-06:00

Just over a month ago we found out that Major League Lacrosse planned to add two more teams beginning next season (2012). The league sent a broadcast announcement email within the last hour confirming that the expansion cities have been chosen:

Major League Lacrosse To Expand in 2012
Two New Teams To Be Added
BOSTON, MA - January 21, 2011 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, today announced that two new teams will be added to the league in the 2012 season. The two new teams will be located in Charlotte, North Carolina and Columbus, Ohio.

In addition, MLL Commissioner David Gross announced that beginning in 2012 each of the league's teams will be playing a 14 game schedule, an increase from the current 12 game schedule.

More details will be coming soon.

Columbus has been a target of the league for a while. Various events have been held at Crew Stadium throughout the league's history. The Machine played a "home" game there last year to further test the market. Although nothing has been said of the owners or venue, Crew Stadium seems to be the logical place meaning the owners are somehow connected to Hunt Sports Group, if not HSG themselves. HSG was a founding partner of Major League Soccer. In addition to the Crew and Crew Stadium, HSG owns FC Dallas and the Kansas City Chiefs (NFL).
Charlotte was a no-brainer as well. With lax consistently gaining popularity in North Carolina, plopping a pro franchise in the state just makes sense. NC has two major population areas - Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham. With two NCAA DI powerhouse programs already in RD (North Carolina and Duke), Charlotte seems more hungry for top level lacrosse. The availability of pro players may help bridge the gap in quality between the Queen City and the Research Triangle. You may recall that I previously mentioned Charlotte as an ideal expansion location.

National Lacrosse League Returns to National TV!

2011-01-20T13:12:00.007-06:00

Because we can never have enough Box Lacrosse! Or Lax on TV for that matter!

Earlier today the National Lacrosse League announced a deal with Versus to air nine games this season. Coverage will begin with the All Star Game on February 27 at 1:00 pm (our time).
Versus is owned by Comcast, who purchased controlling interest in NBC Universal yesterday. This acquisition increases Comcast's market presence. Early speculation revolves around Comcast using NBC Universal Sports, Gold Channel, etc. to supplement Versus as the company builds a credible rival to ESPN (owned by Disney). The NHL is currently the foundation for Versus sports programming and Comcast now has exclusive rights for all nationally televised NHL games.
I am hoping that Versus has the foresight to capitalize on lax's growing popularity to strengthen the network. One would think that lax on Versus would outdraw poker and bowling on ESPN...

The 2011 NLL All Star Game will be held at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York and presented by the Oneida Indian Nation.

"We are gratified to be hosting the National Lacrosse League on our Oneida Nation Homelands," said Ray Halbritter, Oneida Nation Representative and CEO of Nation Enterprises. "It's a great opportunity to showcase the modern version of the Creator's game, while reminding everyone of the sport's significant origins."

You read that correctly: rather than being held in an arena already occupied by a current NLL team, the game is being held in its birthplace. I, for one, believe this is an amazing move that shows the uniqueness of lacrosse among all other sports. This move signifies respect for the game itself and its creators.

Random Valley Update

2011-01-18T07:31:00.003-06:00

The Valley High School Lacrosse Club has started indoor practices.
The Tigers' season begins in two months.
All home games will be played at Valley Stadium this year - admission will still be free!
The season will open with a tournament featuring teams from Minnesota and Wisconsin on March 26 & 27!

This Might Be My Next Lacrosse Purchase...

2011-01-15T09:00:00.000-06:00

I've spent a pretty good chunk of change on lacrosse since I started really getting into the game a few years ago, but my next purchase may be the most meaningful. I am considering one of the following:

-or-

I should know which after the 27th of this month.

Hockey Night in Iowa 2010 Edition - Game 22

2011-01-12T07:00:00.001-06:00

Last week the Irwins hockey team found victory against the upstarts from Funky Pickle. I predicted a three goal game, but am happy to report that we won by five!!! The most amazing thing is not that I actually scored last week, but how I scored:

I took a wobbly shot on a breakaway. Hansen deflected it. As I circled behind the net I noticed the puck sitting unguarded just a foot away from the right post. A Pickle defender stood inches away but made no movements toward the biscuit. I reached out and aimed for Hansen's five hole. One deflection off the back of his leg later, the puck landed safely over the line.

Tonight we face the Puck Hawgs. The porkies have manhandled us all season thanks to the top goaltender in the league. But we should face them with a fairly complete team for the first time this season. We plan to put a dent into Hillock's 2.57 GAA tonight...

Hawkeye Laxer Featured in Lacrosse Magazine

2011-01-10T09:35:00.006-06:00

De La Pena vs Iowa State, April 18, 2009

Iowa Hawkeyes captain Alex De La Pena was recently featured by Lacrosse Magazine in an online article. Normally this translates into a feature article in following print issue. This article will help boost outside awareness of our state's most successful MCLA program.
Although De La Pena learned to lax on the East Coast, his presence at Iowa has helped elevate and organize the program. He is arguably the best laxer to ever suit up for any collegiate lax program in the state.
You may remember me previously mentioning De La Pena in a series about building an MLL franchise in Des Moines:

Another player I would acquire is Alex De La Pena from the University of Iowa. Although the talent in the MCLA is considered below that of the NCAA, De La Pena has finished in the top five in the points per game category for the last two years. As a Hawkeye, he would be regarded as a local hero and favorite.

Even if it fails to make the magazine proper, it is pretty awesome to see one of our schools featured in the nations primary lacrosse magazine!

Hockey Night in Iowa 2010 Edition - Game 21

2011-01-05T07:00:00.001-06:00

Due to an oversight and illness, I did not give a preview of last week's ABC Hockey League. This makes two weeks straight that I did not make it to hockey, having missed the week of Christmas due to holiday obligations. I am happy to report that my teammates defeated Alien in a shootout on December 23. Unfortunately they lost 9-4 to YDD last week.
Tonight we face the unpredictable Funky Pickle. You may remember that I predicted a win last time only to see us destroyed 14-1. However, the explosive Dane Maxwell has returned from Europe to strengthen our offense and provide some depth on the bench. The 7:45 start time may also help us as we are the oldest (aka early fatigue) team in the league.
At least I know that I am rested and ready to fire at will on Pickle goalie Tony Hansen. I imagine that most of our team is as well. Taking a bold step in spite of our last meeting, I am predicting a three goal victory for Irwins tonight.

Wish I Would Have Found This a Month Ago

2010-12-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

I already have a hockey playing Santa that looks like it might be from the same line. Maybe it'll go on sale and I can pick it up for next Christmas...
If you want one of these, click here.
I hope you're having a Merry Christmas!

Tis the Night Before Christmas...

2010-12-24T20:00:00.001-06:00

As you are drifting off to sleep,

Santa Claus will do his Christmas creep.

Whether you leave cookies or banana bread,

hopefully Old Saint Nick will bring you a new lax head.

As he places the gifts oh so quick,

no doubt he'll leave you that titanium stick.

But if you've never scored a goal,

expect a fat lump of coal.Have a Merry Christmas!

Hockey Night in Iowa 2010 Edition - Game 19

2010-12-22T09:30:00.003-06:00

The ABC Hockey League does have games tonight, but I will not be attending. Some last minute Christmas needs are preventing me from making it, despite the late start time. Irwins will be facing third place Alien. Alien is always tough, so I wish my teammates good luck tonight!

D1 Lax Is Coming to a Town Near You!

2010-12-16T17:01:00.000-06:00

I'm at work so I cannot go into too much detail right now, but Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin made a major announcement today:

Marquette University will add men's and women's lacrosse to its NCAA
Division I varsity sports offerings, Athletic Director Steve Cottingham
announced Thursday. Both teams will begin competition in spring 2013.

This is a huge step for our region as Marquette will become the closest NCAA D1 program to Des Moines (308 miles vs 382 miles to Notre Dame). The potential to send Iowa laxers to D1 camps in Milwaukee is huge and the scouting possibilities for leagues in our region will drastically increase.
I will be looking into establishing a relationship with the school ASAP.

Lacrosse Magazine

2010-12-15T12:31:00.001-06:00

To whomever nominated me as "Fan of the Year" in Lacrosse Magazine, my sincerest thanks. It caught me by surprise and brought a tear to my eye to see my name. (The amount of background info was a bit unnerving, however... JK)

Lacrosse has become an important part of my life and I will continue to work my hardest to help it flourish in Des Moines, throughout Iowa, and across our region. As great as my love for the game is, I have not done this alone. Thanks to Zach, Tyler, Jim, Iowa State Men's Lax, Drake Lax, Valley lax, Coach Tumbas at 412, and the countless others that have helped get the game going in Iowa. We are looking forward to an even bigger year in 2011!

Thank you again from the bottom of my heart.

Hockey Night In Iowa 2010 Edition - Game 18

2010-12-15T07:00:00.001-06:00

The downward spiral for the Irwins hockey team continued last week with an 8-1 loss to the Puck Hawgs. We were hampered with numerous absences last week including three of our defensemen and a fellow center. This resulted in the third center playing defense and winger backing me up at center. The result was me being on the ice for 2/3 of the game and tweaking my knee.
My knee has recovered and we are expecting a more complete roster tonight. As we will face the defending champs who are currently tied for first place - Cup O Kryptonite. Kryptonite is as formidable as ever and will be looking to improve their goal differential.
Despite our massive losing streak, our play has improved every week. We work well together but suffer from soft shooting, a lack of rebounds, and general bad luck. If we can eliminate two of those things tonight, we could walk out of Buccaneer Arena with an upset. As President Obama said during his campaign, "Hope."

MLL Expansion: David Gross Confirms 2 in 2012!

2010-12-09T14:33:00.004-06:00

Lacrosse Magazine is reporting that Major League Lacrosse will go forward with expansion, adding two teams in the 2012 season and two more in 2013 to bring the league back up to ten teams. Gross continues to say that the league is aiming for 16 teams by the end of the decade.

"The health of our league has never been better," Gross said on the heels of MLL's 10th anniversary season. "Ten years gives us legitimacy."
"We feel there is enough talent," he said of expansion plans. "It will also help keep guys in the league longer."

LM also has a poll regarding these four new teams. The poll lists 19 potential expansion markets targeted by MLL as mentioned by Gross. Whether or not this list is inclusive or just exemplary is not known.

MLL has identified 19 markets in which it has interest, including: Atlanta, Columbus(Ohio), Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Miami, Minneapolis, Nashville(Tenn.), Orange County (Calif.), Orlando (Fla.), Pittsburgh, Raleigh-Durham(N.C.), Salt Lake City and Virginia Beach (Va.). The league has also examined the possibility of a team in either Portland, Ore., or Seattle.
Also on the list are Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco, home of former MLL franchises Machine, Barrage and Dragons, respectively.

To vote, follow this link.
Gross states that all 19 markets have ownership groups ready to invest in the league, something that has been a large problem in the past. This list seems fairly focused and contains a nice mix of large and mid size markets. Kansas City is conspicuously absent, however... In fact, only two of the five teams I proposed in a recent poll are on the list.However, I feel that there may be hope for Kansas City (and possibly one more city on the list). Gross said that the league will announce the two new 2012 teams this February. Generally that means that everything is in place and ready to go. Logically, the league is no longer targeting these markets as they have already acquired them; therefore these cities would not be on the above list. Given that Sporting Kansas City specifically mentioned lacrosse during the MLS team's rebranding, it makes sense that they may have been one of the cities included in the first round of expansion.

"But like European soccer clubs," Heineman said, "several other sports, such as lacrosse and rugby, will fall under the Sporting Kansas City umbrella in the future."

Whether SKC is set to be one of the 2012 teams is uncertain. However, it is entirely possible. The omission of Kansas City from the target list may also serve as a strategic slight of hand by Gross. By keeping quiet about the confirmed markets and throwing out a large list of possible markets, the commissioner allows the official announcement to build excitement. In this day and age of spoilers and WikiLeaks, it would be a nice change of pace to see a professional league drop a bomb like this. I guess we will find out in February...
For what it is worth, my top guesses for the upcoming announcement are Kansas City, Salt Lake City, Pittsburgh, and Milwaukee.
This expansion would compliment the rebirth of the Rochester Rattlers and the rumored move of the Toronto Nationals to Hamilton. The Rattlers were already announced while official word about the Nationals is expected to come before the end of the year.

Hockey Night In Iowa 2010 Edition - Game 17

2010-12-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

Boy, last week was a classic example of a disaster. In what should have been a surefire win over Funky Pickle, Irwins humiliated ourselves with a 14-1 loss. Out lone goal came in the closing minutes from one of defensemen - also one of our oldest players - Rick Radcliff. This loss firmly cements us in the league's basement. We have not had a win since squeaking by the same Funky Pickle team 5-4 on October 20!
Tonight we face a major uphill struggle against the Puck Hawgs. A fellow cellar dweller last season, the Hawgs are now tied for first place with my former team, Cup O Kryptonite. Backed by the league's best goalie, Justin Hillock, our scorelines have been lopsided to say the least. The lone goal in our last defeat to the Hawgs came prior to Hillock's on-ice arrival. Yes, you read that correctly; Hillock was running behind in the locker room and the Hawgs played with six skaters and no goalie for the first four minutes or so - and we only managed one measly goal.
As we have the 9:55 start time tonight, we are expecting Pentico to be in net. Pentico has shown more resolve than Daniels of late. We are hopeful that his presence will boost the team's morale at least enough to be competitive.

Dubuque Lacrosse Clinic This Weekend

2010-12-07T09:31:00.004-06:00

For anybody living in Northeast Iowa, I wanted to pass on the latest opportunities in Dubuque. The DYLA is well on their way to developing a comprehensive lacrosse program, including a high school team planned to begin playing this spring.

True Lacrosse and the Dubuque Youth Lacrosse Association are hosting a FREE Speciality Clinic and Demo Day this Sunday, December 12.

Time: 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Where: Courtside Bar & Grill
2095 Holliday Drive
Dubuque, IA 52002-0471
All players should wear the proper lacrosse equipment, if you need equipment please email your age, height and weight to True Lacrosse so we can bring you a set.
Rental equipment also free of charge!
We will be playing indoors so please wear gym shoes, not cleats!
Come learn from some of the most experienced players and coaches in the lacrosse world.
This event is open to all ages and skill levels so feel free to invite all
your friends!

For more information, please contact the Dubuque Youth Lacrosse Association.

Duke Dropping Brine Next Year?

2010-12-02T17:00:00.003-06:00

How is this for a bold prediction?

Duke Lacrosse will drop Brine (New Balance) as their official equipment, helmet, uniform, and shoe supplier within the next 7-12 months. They will switch to Nike shoes and uniforms, as well as Nike and possibly STX equipment. There is a high probability that Cascade will supply their helmets going forward.
The school's athletic department signed and exclusive contract with Nike in 2009. Current contracts are running their course, but all are set to expire within two years of the signing date. As the summertime is most colleges' "off season," it is most likely that this contract was signed between May and August of 2009. Expect an announcement or official mock ups around then.
My speculation is rooted in this article:

In 2009, Duke's athletics department signed a contract with Nike Inc., giving the apparel giant exclusive rights to supply all twenty-six varsity teams with uniforms, shoes, and other equipment. Before each season, a Nike representative contacts a team's coach to present various options for the look of that season's gear.
Before the Nike contract was signed, each coach ordered from his or her own manufacturer, and some of those agreements will remain in place for the next two years.

Just remember that you heard it from me first!

Hockey Night In Iowa 2010 Edition - Game 16

2010-12-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

Irwins is back in action tonight at 8:35 pm. We return from Thanksgiving break with what should be a gimme game. Funky Pickle sits just ahead of us in the standings, but they are the only team in the league that has not beaten us.
My hopes are high for tonight. A victory following the week off could spark our energy enough to start a streak. Still, we'll take this one game at a time and focus on defeating the Pickles tonight. This is our opportunity to climb up the ladder a bit.

Go Blue?

2010-11-26T21:47:00.003-06:00

According to a random remark made on MGoBlog today, Michigan may finally launch D1 lax - for men and women!

Will be expanding the athletic department…adding both men’s and women’s Lacrosse to get up to 27 sports.

Although it does not give a date, information I have picked up elsewhere says the programs will be added in time for the 2012 season. Already the top program in the MCLA, the Wolverines are one of the best supported and funded varsity club programs in the nation. They were the first high profile team to wear Adidas gear and have been used in the company's marketing campaigns.
I have long thought that adding more high profile schools at the D1 level will provide the greatest benefit to men's lax. Notre Dame's epic 2010 season did a lot to raise the game's profile and the potential for rivalry games with the Wolverines will continue that. With the Irish's NBC contract, match ups with Big Blue might actually creep onto nationwide broadcast television; the effects of that could be mind shattering indeed.
Michigan's presence also adds a third team in the Big Ten conference (Ohio State, Penn State). Not only does this allow for more Big Ten Network broadcasts, but it also builds incentive for other schools in the conference to add lax. Certainly the additional broadcasting potential and revenue would do wonders during the network's relatively light spring schedule.

***

This was another interesting tidbit from the post:

Dave Brandon (Michigan AD) sees the Big 10 at 14 teams in the next couple of years, with 16 teams being possible. Only big name teams that have a large market share / successful in sports and in academics. He did not name names, but mentioned only a few schools fit that profile.

This hearkens back the mayhem of this summer by indicating that the Big Ten is not ready to stand pat. Further expansion also opens the doors to more lacrosse programs in the conference.
Should this expansion happen, and should Michigan finally take the big step, then it is definitely not hard to imagine the conference working towards sanctioning lacrosse and adding a championship game within the next decade. Exciting times indeed.

Machine to Rochester Confirmed

2010-11-23T14:45:00.003-06:00

This in an update to an earlier post.
From Inside Lacrosse:

ROCHESTER, NY - RocLax LLC Owner & CEO Robert Clark announced today that Major League Lacrosse will be returning to Rochester for the 2011 season. The team, nicknamed the Rattlers, will feature the best players in the world and will play its home games at Marina Auto Stadium. The Rochester Rattlers have retained 23 players from the Chicago Machine franchise for the 2011 season. A complete roster is available at http://www.rochesterrattlers.com/. Three of the notable players are:

Ned Crotty - 2010 MLL Rookie of the Year, led all rookies in scoring with 24 points in seven games.
Casey Powell - MLL all-leader leader with 388 points, second in assists 186 and seventh in goals 197.
Matt Streibel - Member of MLL Championship teams in 2004, 2006 & 2007, Named MVP in 2007.

This really was not much of a surprise. I am happy to see pro lax return to Rochester. I am even happier to see a more stable franchise. Travelling teams are scary at the professional level...

***

RIP

2006-2010

A Shocking MLL Development

2010-11-23T14:42:00.001-06:00

On the heels of the news about the Machine moving to Rochester as the Rattlers 2.0, Inside Lacrosse has reported that the Toronto Nationals (Rattlers 1.0) are on the move as well. After leaving Rochester for Toronto two years ago, the Nationals are now moving to Hamilton, Ontario.

The Nationals franchise moved from Rochester to Toronto before the 2009 season and has taken on a Canadian and Iroquois flavor. The Nationals played their first season at BMO Field, the brand-new 20,000-seat home to MLS's Toronto F.C., averaging 3,846 fans a game (fifth in the league). Last year they moved to Lamport Stadium, a 9,600 capacity stadium in Toronto that was built in the 1970s, and averaged 3,009 fans a game, finishing fifth again in MLL attendance.

No word has been given in regards to where the Nationals will play in Hamilton, but there are a few suitable venues to choose from. Though some would surely like the team to play at Ivor Wynne Stadium, my gut says the 30,000 seater is too cavernous and expensive for the team; its AstroPlay surface would be ideal, however. Given the typical MLL attendance (and the numbers in Toronto), the 5,000 seat Brian Timmis Stadium seems to be an ideal venue, but it may be considered too small or "amateur" for the pro team. Ron Joyce Stadium seems to be the most likely candidate since it has a flexible capacity of 6,000-12,000 seats. This puts it in the same neighborhood as Marina Auto Stadium in Rochester, which makes sense for this league.
This move puts the team halfway between Toronto and Buffalo, which means there is strong potential to draw lax fans from both cities in addition to the Hamilton residents. The team will also be significantly closer to the Six Nations, which will definitely tap into one of their core audiences and bring the league closer to the sport's roots and the team's namesake.
Time and time again the city of Hamilton has appealed to the NHL as a possible expansion/relocation city. The acquisition of the MLL franchise might work well for the city in its attempt to prove worthy of an American major league franchise, outside of the Canadian Football League. Granted the MLL is small potatoes compared the hockey league, but this is still a step in the right direction.
Placing a team in a city like Hamilton is also a great move for the MLL as it struggles to find its footing. Whereas most professional leagues (this one included) seem to target the same cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, moving to mid-size "minor league" markets allows fan bases to develop without competition from the more established teams in Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, and Arena Football League. Hamilton, Rochester, Annapolis, and Long Island all bit this bill nicely. Through the Machine's travels this past season, we learned that the league is already looking at similar markets in Columbus, Cary, Albany, and Virginia Beach. While Denver and Boston remain as the only successful major markets in the league, it will be interesting to watch how future expansion efforts proceed.

Rochester MLL Update

2010-11-23T09:44:00.000-06:00

In yesterday's post about a potential Kansas City MLL team I mentioned that the league will return to Rochester this season. Inside Lacrosse is reporting that the move of the Machine to Rochester is all but official and an announcement is expected sometime before Thanksgiving. Stay tuned...

Pro Lax in Kansas City?!

2010-11-22T07:00:00.003-06:00

For those of you that don't know me too well, I am a big soccer fan. I have followed MLS for a very long time and have been a so-so Fire fan since around 2000 or so. With Kansas City being half the distance from Des Moines, I toyed with the notion of switching allegiances* to the Wizards. After visiting KC over the summer and seeing their glorious new stadium, my mind was pretty much made up.
Last week the team's owners, OnGoal, announced that the Wizards were being renamed to begin a new chapter in their spanking new home this season. The result of the rebrand was Sporting Kansas City. While most long time fans plan to continue using the Wizards moniker (myself included), the "Sporting" comes from "sporting club," a popular naming style in Europe. European sporting clubs are typically over a century old and feature teams in other sports along with their more famous soccer teams (alternatively known as Athletic Clubs).
True to this, OnGoal has laid out plans to incorporate other sports under the Sporting Kansas City banner. Like the MLS team, the new clubs would play their games at the soccer team's brand new stadium, which opens this season. Rugby and lacrosse were two sports that were repeatedly identified by OnGoal. As Major League Lacrosse is the only professional field lacrosse league, it makes sense that OnGoal is referring specifically about an expansion franchise.
You may recall my MLL Expansion series. In that series I identified Red Bull as an organization that might pursue this type of ownership/expansion to maximize use of their stadium, Red Bull Arena. This set up would be similar to the company's Salzburg operations only a lacrosse club would be substituted for the hockey team.
Based on OnGoal's description of their brand identity and future plans, this is how I expect the SKC lax team to work out as well. The new lax team would incorporate the SKC color scheme, name, and elements from the crest. A proper nickname may be given immediately or developed by the fans over time. The logo would have some differences as OnGoal said the crest is specifically assigned to the soccer team.
On the same note, rumors keep popping up about a return of the Rochester Rattlers. The most persistent part of these rumors is that the team will be owned by the Rhinos and will play in their stadium, something else I suggested in my MLL expansion series. Just like SKC and the Outlaws (as well as Red Bull, if it happened), the new Rattlers would benefit from playing in a rent-free stadium as their venues are controlled by their owners. It seems that these owners recognize the potential long term profitability of MLL franchises, much like the original MLS owners when that league started.
Supporting the thought that expansion to KC and a rebirth of the Rattlers will happen sooner rather than later is a recent interview with MLL commissioner David Gross.

We have a very aggressive expansion plan in place. Our goal over the next decade is to grow from a 6 team league to a 16 team league. Now plans are often modified and we won’t add a team just for the sake of expansion.
In the short term, we will remain a 6 team league for the 2011 season. After being a road team last year the Machine will have a permanent home for the coming season, which we will announce next Tuesday. We will be adding two new teams for 2012 to grow to an 8 team league and should be able to announce those markets early in the New Year. We also hope to lengthen our season in 2012 from 12 games to 14 games.

According to the rumors, the "permanent home" for the Machine is in fact Rochester. Per the arrangements that kept the name and colors in the city when Toronto Nationals were born, the Machine will assume the "Rattlers" name.
It is entirely possible that one of the two teams expected to be included in the upcoming announcement will be Sporting Kansas City. The city has a strong and continually growing lax scene that would only become more fueled by a professional team. The fanbase would be regional with laxers throughout Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and even Iowa attending games and team sponsored tournaments. Without an NCAA D1 program in our region, the MLL team would have the potential to create an unrivaled top tier camp in the Great Plains.
When and if this actually comes to fruition remains to be seen. Hopefully OnGoal will commit to this plan and create something truly specially in Kansas City...
*For the record, the Des Moines Menace are the team I cheer for above every body else on the pitch. In fact, the Menace are one of my two favorite teams in DM in any sport.

Hockey Night In Iowa 2010 Edition - Game 15

2010-11-17T07:00:00.000-06:00

It is official: The Irwins Bike & Sports hockey team is in a major downward spiral. With only three wins and eleven regulation losses so far this season, we are firmly in last place. Sadly, two of those wins came over the also struggling Funky Pickle team. The Pickle gets the edge thanks to an overtime loss.
Tonight we face Yankee Doodle Dandy Tatoo for the fourth time. While we beat YDD the first time we faced them this season, we lost the other two meetings. Yet tonight could easily go either way. Both teams are fairly even on paper.
Pentico is expected to fill in for Daniels again tonight. He played strong against Alien last week. He looked comfortable compared to the recovering Daniels and made some strong saves. Overall, the team looked solid and determined to win. If not for a few unlucky bounces, we may have been in a position to squeak out a win.
Tonight's game will take loads of concentration and focus. I know that the entire team is itching to break our losing streak. A win over YDD could spark further victories...

Equipment Poll Results

2010-11-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

Last month I posted a couple of polls in response to some major happenings in the lacrosse world. Adidas officially became the gear suppliers for Notre Dame and Bucknell, and Easton formally entered the lacrosse equipment business. I've been meaning to get the results posted (and get the dead polls off the page), but there has been so much happening with the 2010 Box Lacrosse League and equipment reviews (not to mention hockey and my killer work schedule) that I really have not had much of a chance.
So without further ado, here are the results:

Although this sample is small, the majority of respondents approve of Notre Dame's move to Adidas equipment. The Irish had a breakout season this year with an overtime loss in the national championship game and have long been a flagship institution for Adidas apparel. With their profile raised thanks to the spectacular coverage of the NCAA finals, the Irish will serve as a marquee client for the lacrosse division as well. As the de facto team for many fans in non traditional areas, this move will push Adidas closer to the forefront of many of these laxers' minds.

The Bucknell poll is intriguing because very few of my readers are familiar with the Bison. Once again, the overall consensus is approval for the switch, but I suspect it is for a different reason than Notre Dame. Whereas supplying the Irish raises the profile of Adidas Lacrosse, the Bison's move surely benefits Bucknell. The publicity surrounding the switch might have impacted Bucknell's profile and made more laxers aware of their program. Nearly every major lacrosse blog and periodical featured the move, which came shortly after the Notre Dame announcement. Associating with such a renown brand as Adidas may pay dividends with recruits from non traditional areas...

This poll was unfairly loaded since Easton is technically the only new member of this party. Adidas and Reebok are both on their third generation of equipment. Nike is merely a rebranded STX product (and nearing its third generation as well). Very little, if anything, is expected to change with Maverik now that Kohlberg is running the show. And New Balance has done little more than increase the capital of two of the biggest lax brands - although the new Warrior cleat and shoe lines are amazing.
Given Easton's long history of high quality products in sports as varied as ice hockey, baseball, and archery, it comes as no surprise that players are looking forward to seeing their lax line. Early pictures look promising and the helmet has a lot of potential. Whether or not their lax gear lives up to the reputation remains to be seen...
The high response for Adidas is fairly surprising considering their early failures. Apparently their turn around starting with last year's John Grant Jr line and continuing through this year's 111/211/311 line is convincing people to give them a second chance. Having sampled part of this line, I have to say that the quality is light years ahead of their initial line.
To me, the Nike and New Balance votes represent the "old school" laxers that prefer the smaller "traditional" lacrosse companies. Despite the pockets of Nike and New Balance, we are essentially talking about STX, Warrior, and Brine equipment. For some people, there is no alternative.
I am simply at a loss with Reebok. Their gloves might be the best in the history of the game and the new 10k line looks even better than anything they've put out to date. Of course, they have been around for a few years and have great exposure as the supplier of the National Lacrosse League. Perhaps this longevity just removes the excitement from the brand... Then again, most of their shafts are not up to the quality of their competitors' from my experience.

Hockey Night In Iowa 2010 Edition - Game 14

2010-11-10T07:00:00.001-06:00

We played our final Sunday game of the season this weekend. Despite the 6-0 loss to the now first place Puck Hawgs, we played some of our best hockey of the season. Our puck movement was strong, our passes connecting, and our shots numerous. Unfortunately the Hawgs' goalie Hillock is a tough nut to crack.
Tonight we face a hot-cold Alien Hockey team. Since long time goalie Bast departed for Texas, Alien has used a tangent of keepers - Dan Bishop and Lisa Nissen (aka the hot chick goalie). Alien has been in a slump throughout the new keepers' tenure. Their lone win came on October 6 - against us...
We hope to carry Sunday's momentum and firepower over to tonight's game. As both Alien keepers are less experienced than Hillock (or Bast), our chances for a win are pretty high. However, we must be mindful of the aggressive Alien defense; they have the ability to strip our best players like a cop at Customs. Strong communication and positioning will be vital as we attempt to unleash a barrage at whomever is in net tonight.
On our end of the ice, Daniels is out for the evening and Pentico is in. Pentico is a capable goalie and has played pretty well for us in the past. Unfortunately we have yet to record a win with him in the net. Our blueliners will have to tighten the gap and force the Alien shooters to bad angles as they attempt to provide Pentico so breathing room. Keying in on strong puck carriers like the Dylos will be critical and should be left to our speedy centers.
Wing play could be the difference in tonight's game. If our wings are able to stay open near the blue line for quick transitions and can execute pinpoint passes like they did on Sunday, we should take this one home. Our centers seem to have a knack for creating space and getting open. As long as the wings can move the puck and pick up rebounds, the goals should begin to rack up for Irwins.

Equipment Review - Adidas John Grant Jr Stick

2010-11-08T07:00:00.001-06:00

The most unexpected item in my Adidas box was a John Grant Jr stick. More accurately, the Henson Group sent me a JGJ shaft and unstrung head. Considering that everything else I received (shoulder pads, shoulder liners, arm pads) was from the new 111 line. The JGJ line was released last season; the Michigan Wolverines made extensive use of the JGJ en route to their third consecutive MCLA title.
As I removed the stick from the box, I could tell that it was not quite as light as the Krypto Pro that I have been using for the last two years. It was not much heavier, but noticeable. Part of that weight may have come from the beefy butt cap. Unlike the smaller tapered units on Warrior shafts, the JGJ boasts an octagonal rubber end that is over an inch long and terminates in a wide base.
The head came out of the box as a featherweight. Despite its weight, the JGJ head is fairly stiff and felt strong. I attempted to squeeze, twist, and otherwise mutilate the head before taking another step. It also boasted about a bajillion stringing holes, which proved quite valuable.

The head's shape is nothing revolutionary, but is solid and functional. The pinch is as tight as possible under current NFHS and NCAA specs. Ball retention is superb and scooping is as good as anyone could want.
My first issue with the JGJ stick came when I tried to attach the head to the stick. Usually the screw holes line up perfectly when the head and shaft are produced by the same manufacturer. Unfortunately for me, the screw hole on the stick was down the shaft about half an inch too far. No matter what I tried, the holes did not line up. However, the provided me an opportunity to test the strength of the magnesium alloy shaft. I first tried using the self drilling screw included with the head, but had no luck. I then tried a standard drill bit; it barely scratched the surface before breaking. My cobalt drill bit finally pierced the hard metal in the proper location.
Once the head was strung and mounted on the stick, I decided to weight it. It came in at less than pound: 14 5/8 oz. By comparison, my Krypto Pro with a Mojo and the same stringing weighs 13 7/8 oz. The JGJ is incredibly balanced; it is clear that Adidas designed this stick and head to be used together.
My second issue with the stick arose when I started wall balling. Most sticks have a glossy finish or graphics that provide some grip; since I despise tape, those treatments usually work perfectly for me. The JGJ stick has a satin finish that is silky smooth - there is no grip until you hit the butt end. Since the graphics are under the satin coat, they add nothing to the grip. At first this was a hindrance as my hands slid too freely, but I quickly adapted to it. Tape fans will barely notice...
I previously mentioned the strength of the stick when I broke a drill bit trying to get the head on. The practical strength is also amazing for such a light stick. I have used it in both field and box games since receiving it and have also had shorties and d-poles take open swings at it - baseball and samurai style. I have yet to see a scratch, let alone a dent. The satin coating provides aesthetic protection over the super-heroic magnesium alloy.
If not for the fact that I have become very attached to it, I probably would have come up with some far more abusive "tests" like running it over with a garbage truck...
The head performs as well as any other head. There is nothing too spectacular about its design. Stringing makes the biggest difference in regards to passing, shooting, and even cradling; as I strung it the same way as my Krypto Pro, I noticed no significant differences in this avenue. The sidewalls are fairly thin, but incredibly strong. They have some flexibility, but are not what that malleable. I would definitely put it in the same class as the best heads in its price range: 9k, Viper 2, or Evo.

*Shaft*
Weight: 10
Strength: 10
Durability: 10
Grip: 6
Overall: 9 out of 10

*Head*
Scooping:9
Release: 9
Retention: 9
Weight: 10
Strength: 10
Durability: 10
Overall: 9.5 our of 10
Complete Stick: 9.3 out of 10

Hockey Night In Iowa 2010 Edition - Game 13

2010-11-07T10:30:00.001-06:00

Special Sunday Edition!!!

With another huge loss on Wednesday, Irwins is now in last place. Our two wins against Funky Pickle are meaningless for the time being as the Pickle managed to make it to over time and escape with a point following a shoot out loss.
Today we face the second place Puck Hawgs. In our two previous meetings the Hawgs beat us by a combined score line of 14-3. With numerous anticipated absences today, expect more of the same. The Hawgs boast the league's best goalie and a talented offense. Scoring goals is not our strongest suit, and the Hawgs have proven to be particularly tough.
I would like to take the ice with the hope that we will win today, but the Hawgs are in second place for a reason and we are in last for a reason. This will not change my game play nor my enjoyment of the game. I will play my heart out and have fun, regardless of the outcome.

Equipment Review - Adidas 111 Shoulder Liners

2010-11-06T09:35:00.002-05:00

In addition to the 111 Elbow Pads and Shoulder Pads, Adidas Lacrosse sent me a pair of 111 Shoulder Liners. Preferred by d-poles and players that despise full shoulder pads, the liners are generally not my cup of tea. But as I mentioned in the Arm Pad review, I am considering a switch to d-pole myself. When that happens, liners are exactly what I want to wear.
Much like the Shoulder Pads, I tried the 111 Shoulder Liners on as soon as I pulled them out of the box. Their extremely light weight made it seem more like yanking on a t-shirt than putting on a set of pads. Right away I could tell that they would definitely be in the way on the field.
The front laces make it easy to widen the protection while keeping adequate padding over the sternum. The ample Velcro straps allow plenty of room to account for barrel chests and strong upper bodies. The neck opening is large enough for an NFL line backer to wear comfortably, yet the shoulder padding sits exactly where it should.
Much like the 111 Shoulder Pads, the liners move with your body and do not ride up on your throat. They do not impair throwing or interfere with checks. Full range of motion is entirely possible while wearing the liners.
Just like the rest of the 111 line, the Shoulder Liners are equipped with Climalite. This moisture wicking fabric is amazingly functional. I never felt wet while wearing these despite the swimming pool of sweat that poured from my body. When summer time humidity rolls around, Climalite will be a blessing.

Comfort: 10

Flexibility: 10

Moisture Management: 8

Protection: 4

Overall: 8 out of 10

Since every high school and college player in the country has to wear shoulder pads, it is important to get something that suits your needs as a player. Generally, the liners are designed for defensive players, but they would work for some middies as well. While they do not offer much protection, dodging middies that are not afraid of the occasional check can certainly appreciate their maneuverability and near weightless feel.

Hockey Night In Iowa 2010 Edition - Game 12

2010-11-03T07:00:00.001-05:00

The new month provides an opportunity for a fresh start. After a massive 6-1 loss to the Puck Hawgs last week, Irwins is tied for last place with Funky Pickle. Although the website shows us below the Pickle, we hold the edge with two wins over them.
Tonight we meet first place Cup O Kryptonite for the third time. Our previous encounters resulted in a pair of 5-2 losses (1st - 2nd). I am not going to lie, the coffee guys are pretty damn good.
In order to beat Cup tonight, we will need a miracle in net. Daniels is a competent goalie, but has struggled since injuring his knee a few weeks ago. His confidence has been noticeably shaken, but his spirits remain high. If he can regain some of his form, he may be able to prevent some of the softer goals he has allowed since his return.
Our defense has long been our strongest component. Their communication and puck movement should spark our offense and relieve pressure on Daniels. Unfortunately, most of their outlet passes are choked by poor offensive placement and turn overs abound.
To counter this, the centers (Massa, N. Hrabak, and myself) continually push the wings further up in the defensive end. Last week, the wings collapsed several times which drew the three of us out and exposed our weak transition game. Instead of providing solid opening along the boards, the defensemen were left looking for a roving center to pass to. As the Hawgs continually chocked the middle, we routinely failed to clear.
Cup's defense is much more familiar with each other than that of the Hawgs. This translates into better coordination and puck control. No team in the league retains the puck in the offensive end as well as the defending champions. Breakaways are nearly impossible against this dominating team.
Unfortunately, I predict another big win for Cup O Kryptonite tonight - once again in the 5-2 neighborhood.

Equipment Review - Adidas 111 Arm Pads

2010-11-02T07:00:00.003-05:00

When I received my box from Adidas Lacrosse, I have to admit that I was disappointed to see the 111 Arm Pads instead of the 111 Arm Guards or 211 Elbow Guards. Since I typically play attack and also play box, I was hoping for something offering a bit more in the way of arm protection. On the other hand, I have been considering playing d-pole and was excited about the potential for these pads.

I received size XL, but as soon as I pulled them on I realized they may not be big enough. The nonadjustable top strap did not want to slide over my bicep. Since I am not exactly Schwarzenegger, this is a major concern; I am unsure about more muscular D1 d-poles being able to wear this pad without some *ahem* modification.

Valley d-pole Dan Boyd tried them for half of the Orange vs White game. He praised their light weight, but said that they continually slipped off his arm due. Whether this was due to the pads' size or me stretching the strap (it is elastic, so that should not be an issue), I am not sure.

If I was a d-pole, this is the type of pad that I would prefer to wear. Unlike attack, poles rarely get repeated checks across the forearm so getting rid of the extra weight and restriction of a full arm guard would be a great idea. The 111 arm pads' ClimaLite lining, flexibility, and light weight make this pad a winner. They provide sufficient protection on falls and errant stick checks to the elbow. Full force hits are definitely felt, but again, this pad is designed for players that are rarely in the position to receive such checks.

Comfort: 7
Flexibility: 9
Moisture Management: 8
Protection: 5
Overall: 7.25 out of 10

I would recommend this pad to d-poles - especially those that park themselves on GLE. LSMs would be wise to avoid this pad as it offers virtually no protection.

Warrior Trojan 2

2010-10-30T07:00:00.001-05:00

Lacrosse All Stars posted pics of the new Warrior Trojan 2 helmet, which the Crease Monkeys are wearing at the Hawaii Invitational.*

More Hawaii Invitational Equipment Pictures posted at Inside Lacrosse

The Trojan 2 looks better than previous Warrior helmets, yet is easily identifiable with that brand. The overall design strategy with its diamond shaped vents suggests that the rumors of a single helmet line for Warrior and Brine (both New Balance brands) are true. Much like the first Trojan and the Cascade Pro7, the visor is part of the shell and not a separate piece.
It has a pug-like look that makes me think it will not fit players with prominent facial features. The previous Trojan was noted for fitting wider heads, so that could be a positive. Time will tell how the Brine and Warrior sponsored NCAA teams react to the new helmet; overall response to the original Trojan was fairly high.**
You may recall that the previous Warrior Trojan looked very similar to multiple Cascade models. Team USA was supposed to wear the helmet in the World Championships, but ended up with Brine Triumphs instead. Allegedly, the original Trojan helmet was pulled due to trademark infringement lawsuits filed by Cascade.

*An Easton lax rep playing with the team previously informed me that he planned to wear an Easton hockey bucket with a box cage.
**Though it tended to be of the "next best thing to a Pro7" variety.

Equipment Review - Adidas 111 Shoulder Pads

2010-10-29T07:00:00.001-05:00

Although I have been a long time fan of Adidas shoes and apparel, I have not cared much for the Adidas line of lacrosse equipment. Instead of being made by Adidas or their subsidiary, Reebok, Adidas lacrosse equipment is made under license by a third party company, The Henson Group. The original product line looked bulky and inflexible. Last year's John Grant Jr looked like a major improvement, but was too narrow in scope and too high in price for consideration.
Earlier this year, the 2011 line was launched. Much like their original product line, the 2011 line featured three levels of equipment at different price points: 111 (top), 211 (middle), 311 (bottom). Since the launch, the company has announced that they will be equipping Notre Dame and Bucknell. Adidas is also adding several MCLA squads to its portfolio alongside Michigan, who has won the last two MCLA national championships wearing Adidas equipment.

***

After the Notre Dame announcement, an Adidas/Henson representative contacted me about trying some equipment. Because their first generation gear was so poorly received by myself and others, I eagerly accepted their challenge. Among the items I received was a pair of the 111 Shoulder Pads.
Of course I tried the pads on as soon as I yanked them out of the shipping box. I was stunned by their extremely light weight and amazing flexibility. Just trying them on let me know that I was wearing something vastly superior in comfort to the Warrior Hitlites I had been wearing.
I first wore the shoulder pads while running a clinic to get a feel for them in action (patience is not always my best virtue). As I ran, cradled, passed, and shot, the shoulder pads moved with my body. Unlike every other pad I have ever worn, they did not creep up onto my neck or shift sideways on my shoulders. When I finally took them off, I was amazed at how wet the Climalite lining was; I felt dry the entire time.
Having passed the first test, I was very excited to test the pads during Valley's fall ball Orange vs White game last week. Once again I found the pads to be extremely light and flexible. Even with the added pressure of a game and follow through checks, the pads stayed away from my throat and let me breathe easily. I felt dry the entire night despite the pads' dampness upon finishing; the sponge-like Climalite material is simply amazing.
Since I did not get hit enough during the game to really get a feel for the pads' protection level, I convinced a d-pole to take some swings and pokes. After about a dozen hard pokes around my mid section followed by some flat out baseball swings, I got a pretty good feel for the pads' level of protection. While they are not as tough as Reebok's 9k pads, they are comparable to the Warrior Hitlites. I could feel the hits, but not to the point of pain or impediment.
As a heavier guy, I have always had a problem finding a set of pads that fit just right. My large frame made getting the right pads difficult even when I was in top shape. The 111s not only make it around my ribs, but they also sit comfortably on my abdominal area. The pads stretch with my body which allows easy breathing - unlike other pads I've worn. The capacity to stretch helps prevent the pads from creeping towards my neck. In fact, the movement of the pads is so in tune with my body that I often forgot I was wearing them!

Comfort: 10

Flexibility: 10

Moisture Management: 8

Protection: 7

Overall: 8.75 out of 10

These pads will now be my primary shoulder pads; my Warrior Hitlites have been relegated to loaner duty. I am very interested to see how their technological innovations will perform in the heat and humidity next summer. I am also interested in trying the 111 gloves and arm protection, although Lacrosse All Stars' review of the 111 Arm Guards left me weary...
Regardless, I highly recommend the 111 Shoulder Pads to most midfielders and attackmen. Hardcore dodgers may find the protection lacking, however.

Thank you, Adidas Lacrosse!

Is Lax Broken?

2010-10-28T07:00:00.002-05:00

I stumbled across this article yesterday. The author makes a strong point about the over evolution of field lacrosse to the point where it is hardly identifiable as the same game being played 30 years ago.

The midfield as a transition area of the field and also the midfielder were unique to the American field game. Both no longer exist.That player is gone, replaced by five players (long pole middie, short stick defensive middie, face off middie, clearing middie and offensive middie) whose roles have empowered the coaches and made the game impossible to watch and less enjoyable to play. The free flowing area of the field is no longer used and the free flowing aspect of the game is mostly extinct, taken over by specialists and hundreds of substitutions that create confusion where there once was mostly excitement.For 100 years the midfielder was the embodiment of the American field lacrosse game. He was the most balanced and impressive athlete on the field. He had the skills and conditioning to play the whole field. He excelled at defense, transition and offense.

This is especially true about the major power house D1 teams like Hopkins, Duke, and Syracuse. It is even starting to become the norm at the high school level, particularly in the traditional hotbed areas. For the most part Valley does not utilize too many specialists, but the Tigers do run a LSM and sub for an attacking middie. Their face off guys usually play the whole field versus being a FOGO (face off get off).

In the games original design, the weight of the stick made for natural trade offs in its size and length. If you carried a bigger stick to play defense, you HAD to be a bigger guy to carry it. It weighed more. You were not as nifty a mover as the smaller offensive players, so there was a natural trade off competitively. As we got to synthetic materials that all changed. Originally defensive plastic heads were bigger for the less skilled defenseman to handle the ball better. Defensemen soon learned that they could handle the smaller head and pocket and they got better at handling the ball. After the shaft became metal and light weight, any size athlete could handle the long stick.

Even looking over the Valley defense, you can see some of this. Although a few of the poles had some decent size, Boyd, McDougal and Mundus are definitely more on the athletic end of the equation. These defenders had decent size, but were more quick and nimble than a traditional d-pole.

At the same time this was happening the stick head was getting pinched by manufacturers. This makes it easier to hold the ball and lessens the need for skill. Power is more important and this is not consistent with the original design of the game.Since the ball will not come out of the stick, cross checking has slowly become the norm, along with heavy, wild, one arm wrap checks. Ref’s know the ball won’t come out unless you knock the snot out of a guy, so they let it go. Who’s that fun for? The skill and beauty that once defined the game is basically not required. The new bigger and stronger athlete can simply run over you and the ball is still in his pocket after you knock him to the ground.

That last little bit describes Tyler, as anyone that has played in a CILA league can attest to. Not that there is anything necessarily wrong with that...
Last year the NCAA changed the amount of pinch allowed; the MCLA adopted the same rules. This change was intended to open the game up more and reduce the force of the hits required to dislodge the ball. However, the change was not made at the high school, professional, or international levels.

The article is largely disjointed and lacks the same kind of free flowing pace that the author desires from lacrosse. At one point he mentions that attendance is down at the college level. He attributes this to an over emphasis on coaching, but it could just be that high school students are practicing more and playing more games. Or it could just be that more fans are staying home to watching the increasing number of games on television.
Regardless, it is an interesting read.

Drake Lax Game This Friday

2010-10-27T14:40:00.000-05:00

VS
Drake Lacrosse will host Iowa State this Friday (10/29) at Drake Stadium. The game is schedule to start at 6:30. This is the first meeting between the Cyclones and Bulldogs outside of the CILA box league.
I will be in attendance, working in an official capacity. This will probably be the last field lacrosse event for either team before the spring. As always, admission to the game is free.
*Drake originally planned to face Cornell, but unspecified circumstances led to a change in opponent.

Hockey Night In Iowa 2010 Edition - Game 11

2010-10-27T07:00:00.001-05:00

I missed last week's game due to some personal business, but my teammates managed to pull off a 5-4 win over Funky Pickle. Apparently there was some sort of altercation between a few players; unfortunately I do not have the details.
Tonight we face the Puck Hawgs for the second time. Last time we face them, they destroyed us 8-2. Despite my earlier speculation, this is definitely not the same team as last year. The Hawgs sit in second place behind Cup O Kryptonite with two losses - one of which was in over time.
Meanwhile, we are just one spot removed from last place by virtue of our two wins of Funky Pickle...
As much as I hate to say it, I am predicting a loss for Irwins tonight. I will do everything I can to prevent it, as will my teammates. Hopefully we can finally solve goalie Justin Hillock and stop their offense.

No Posts - Updates

2010-10-25T14:32:00.001-05:00

There may not be any real posts for a few days. I was not home all weekend and will be finalizing the box lacrosse rosters and schedule this week. I am currently working on the Adidas 111 pads reviews and expect them to be posted this week.
I apologize for any inconvenience.

Bear With Me

Week	Game Day	Game Date	Visitor		Home
1	Saturday	5/14/11	Long Island	@	Boston
1	Saturday	5/14/11	Rochester	@	Chesapeake
1	Saturday	5/14/11	Hamilton	@	Denver

2	Thursday	5/19/11	Chesapeake	@	Hamilton
2	Saturday	5/21/11	Denver	@	Boston
2	Saturday	5/21/11	Long Island	@	Rochester

Bye	Saturday	5/28/11	Memorial Day All Teams Bye

3	Friday	6/3/11	Denver	@	Long Island
3	Saturday	6/4/11	Chesapeake	@	Boston

4	Friday	6/10/11	Hamilton	@	Rochester
4	Saturday	6/11/11	Long Island	@	Boston
4	Saturday	6/11/11	Chesapeake	@	Denver

5	Thursday	6/16/11	Chesapeake	@	Long Island
5	Saturday	6/18/11	Boston	@	Rochester
5	Saturday	6/18/11	Denver	@	Hamilton

6	Friday	6/24/11	Hamilton	@	Rochester
6	Saturday	6/25/11	Boston	@	Chesapeake
6	Saturday	6/25/11	Rochester	@	Hamilton
6	Saturday	6/25/11	Long Island	@	Denver

7	Friday	7/1/11	Long Island	@	Hamilton
7	Saturday	7/2/11	Rochester	@	Chesapeake
7	Sunday	7/3/11	Boston	@	Denver

All-Star	Saturday	7/9/11	2011 MLL All-Star Game - Boston, MA

8	Saturday	7/16/11	Boston	@	Long Island
8	Saturday	7/16/11	Chesapeake	@	Hamilton
8	Saturday	7/16/11	Rochester	@	Denver

9	Saturday	7/23/11	Hamilton	@	Boston
9	Saturday	7/23/11	Long Island	@	Chesapeake
9	Saturday	7/23/11	Denver	@	Rochester

10	Thursday	7/28/11	Rochester	@	Long Island
10	Saturday	7/30/11	Hamilton	@	Chesapeake
10	Saturday	7/30/11	Boston	@	Denver

11	Saturday	8/6/11	Boston	@	Hamilton
11	Saturday	8/6/11	Chesapeake	@	Rochester
11	Saturday	8/6/11	Denver	@	Long Island

12	Saturday	8/13/11	Rochester	@	Boston
12	Saturday	8/13/11	Denver	@	Chesapeake
12	Saturday	8/13/11	Hamilton	@	Long Island

CW	Saturday	8/27/11	2011 MLL Semi-Final #1
CW	Saturday	8/27/11	2011 MLL Semi-Final #2
CW	Sunday	8/28/11	2011 MLL Championship
			Annapolis, MD