Archive for May 3rd, 2008

National Senior Showcase Rosters Announced

BALTIMORE– US Lacrosse has announced the four team rosters for the 2008 National Senior Showcase, to be played June 20-21 at Benedictine University in Chicago. The annual all-star game features outstanding senior boys high school players representing the North, South, West and East regions of the country.

The National Senior Showcase (NSS), sponsored by Warrior Lacrosse, is an annual offering of the US Lacrosse Men’s Division Coaches Council. Lacrosse players across the nation apply to be chosen for their regional team.

More Details Here!

Varsity High School Rosters Needed

Head coaches of high school girls and boys varsity teams may submit their numerical team rosters to Lacrosse Magazine for assistance in identifying players whose pictures were taken by LM photographers at games throughout this season. Rosters may be faxed to 410-889-0744. Please use a cover sheet.

LAREDO Gives Live Game Experience to Officials

Hands-on, live game experience is critical to educating and developing lacrosse officials. The Men’s Division Officials Council (MDOC) sponsors the Lacrosse Referee Development Program (LAREDO) to meet these needs at a national level. LAREDO utilizes regional lacrosse tournaments and summer lacrosse camps as sites for intense and concentrated lacrosse officiating development. These opportunities enable officials from areas all over the country, to polish their officiating skills under the instruction of a qualified MDOC trainer.

To learn more about LAREDO and see what opportunities are available in your area, please visit http://www.uslacrosse.org/mens_div/mdoc_experience.phtml.

Apply Now for Equipment Grants

Interested in starting a lacrosse program but unable to fund it? The US Lacrosse Equipment Grant may be just the answer you’re looking for. Grants can include a full team’s worth of equipment (sticks and protective gear) and are awarded to programs within their first year of operation. Applicant programs must demonstrate a financial need and priority is given to those residing in a state or region where lacrosse opportunities are currently limited or absent.

In 2007, US Lacrosse provided 60 equipment grants to programs in 29 states. To get your program outfitted for next season, apply online now.

US Lacrosse Visits the Southern Pueblo Tribes

Native Vision will be conducting their camp June 12-14 with the Southern Pueblo Tribes in Bernalillo, New Mexico. Native Vision is a sport and life skills camp sponsored jointly by the NFL Players Association and the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health. Through the efforts of US Lacrosse, the sport of lacrosse has been added to the curriculum for this camp, which brings together young people from Native American reservations across the country.

2008 Clinicians include:
Duke Whelan –Coaches Education Level 1 Trainer, 2007 Native Vision Clinician
Joanna Kotula –Coaches Education Level 1 Trainer, 2007 Native Vision Clinician
Wendy Kridel –U-19 National Team Head Coach, 2007 Native Vision Clinician
Becky Clipp –Member of the US Women’s National Team
Christian Cook –2006 Member of the US Men’s National Team
Kathy Ayers – U-19 Team Trainer, 2007 Native Vision Trainer
Sarah Newman –Sport Development Associate
Brian Reese –Director of Sport Development

Iroquois National Team Players Attending:
Neal Powless
Gewas Schindler
Ansley Jemison
Cameron Bomberry

To learn more about Native Vision, please visit http://www.uslacrosse.org/programs/nativevision.phtml.

Youth Award Nominations Deadline Approaching

July 1 is the deadline for submitting your Youth Excellence Awards nomination forms. As the youth lacrosse season starts to come to an end, take a moment to recognize the dedicated individuals that have given youth lacrosse players the opportunity to flourish within the game.

Youth Lacrosse Excellence Awards include the Youth Girls’ Coach of the Year, the Youth Boys’ Coach of the Year, Exceptional Double-Goal Coach, Program Administrator of the Year, Outstanding Contributor to the Game and Outstanding Official/Umpire. To nominate your favorite youth lacrosse enthusiast for these or other Youth Lacrosse Excellence Awards, download a nomination form.

Winners are recognized at the Youth Lacrosse Breakfast at the 2009 US Lacrosse Convention in January.

Sportsmanship and Team Spirit at Core of Youth Festivals

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The ideals of respect, sportsmanship, connection, team spirit, trust, leadership and carrying on the traditions of the game are the core philosophy behind the annual US Lacrosse U-13 and U-15 National Youth Festivals. There are no champions crowned or MVP awards given out – the events are about the experience each player gets by participating both on and off the field.
Thousands of youth lacrosse players from all over the country, representing each of the 60 US Lacrosse chapters, participate in the festivals. The US Lacrosse BRIDGE program will also be sending a unified, national boys team to the U-15 festival. Opening ceremonies and guest speakers kick off each of the youth events.

The US Lacrosse U-13 National Youth Festival will be held June 13-15 in Warren County, Ohio. The US Lacrosse U-15 National Youth Festival will be held June 20-22 in Lake George, N.Y.

There are a few more slots at each festival left for team, so register today! For more information on the 2008 US Lacrosse National Youth Festivals, please visit www.uslacrosse.org/events.

FAMILIAR FOES MATCHED UP ONCE AGAIN IN PLAYOFFS

The premier West Division rivalry is renewed in the playoffs for the third time on Saturday when the Colorado Mammoth hosts the Calgary Roughnecks at 7 p.m.

The teams have met twice before in the National Lacrosse League postseason – both games were at Pepsi Center – and each time the victor continued on to win the league championship.

The Mammoth won two of three games against the Roughnecks this season, including a 10-9 victory on Opening Night.

“It’s been a real good rivalry over the last four years,” Mammoth coach Bob McMahon said. “We had three close, hard-fought games against (Calgary) this season and we’re anticipating a fourth.”

Roughnecks rallying
After a midseason slump had Calgary moving out of the playoff picture at 4-9, the team came together to win its last three games and grab third place in the division.

“We’ve started to play better of late,” Roughnecks general manager Kurt Silcott said. “We have a lot of leaders on this team and a lot of guys with character.”

One leader that has made a late-season impact is Josh Sanderson, acquired from Toronto at the trading deadline. Sanderson has tallied six goals and eight assists in four games since joining the Roughnecks, including four points on the power play.

He’s a quarterback, a feeder, and he sees the floor well,” Silcott said. “He’s a very knowledgeable lacrosse player. Our power plays have been better with Josh out there.”

2008 NLL Playoffs – West Division Semifinal
Calgary Roughnecks (7-9) at Colorado Mammoth (9-7)
When: Saturday, May 3 – 7 p.m.
Where: Pepsi Center – Denver
Tickets: Ticketmaster.com
TV: Altitude Sports & Entertainment
Radio: KKFN-FM 104.3
Webcast: B2 Networks

Kukura lifts Boulder past Colorado Academy

DENVER — The Boulder boys lacrosse team upset Colorado Academy 8-7 in the first round of the state playoffs Friday.

Junior Beau Kukura led the Panthers in scoring with three goals and one assist. Kukura’s biggest goal was the game-winner with just a few minutes left on the clock.

The game was tied at four goals apiece at halftime and the Panthers came out strong in the third quarter scoring three goals in a two-minute span to take a 7-4 lead. Colorado Academy rallied to tie the score before Kukura tallied the game-winner.

More Details Here!

“Underdog” Mammoth braces for playoff battle

Two years removed from the National Lacrosse League championship, the Colorado Mammoth enters Saturday’s playoff opener against Calgary in the odd position of underdog.
The label fits, even though Colorado is playing at the 18,007-seat Pepsi Center, in front of the NLL’s largest fan base, and has the higher seed: No. 2. The Mammoth is coming off an 11-6 loss at San Jose in which it was outscored 4-0 in the fourth quarter.
“We’re clearly the underdog. We’re slumping, if you will, and they are surging,” Mammoth general manager Steve Govett said of a Roughnecks team that is at nearly full strength after an injury-riddled stretch.

More Details Here!