Coaching High School Lax Gave Me So Much. It Also Took Its Toll.
Coaching high school varsity lacrosse was one of the most treasured experiences of my life — intense, beautiful, addictive. But passion without borders is expensive. I loved the game to a fault, and while it shaped me, it also consumed me in ways I didn’t understand until years later. If I ever step back on that sideline, I’ll bring the same fire… but with clearer boundaries for my time, my energy, and my future.
What Lacrosse Taught Me About Health
After decades in lacrosse as a player, coach, organizer, and leader, I realized the one person I never coached was myself. Now in my 50s and in the best health of my life, here are the lessons I wish I applied years ago, and why coaches need to take care of themselves with the same urgency they expect from their players.
Growing the Game From Zero
After years spent building lacrosse in Colombia and across South America, I’ve learned what it really takes to develop the sport in places where equipment is scarce and the game is unknown. Here are the key lessons, and how any coach can grow lacrosse in a brand-new community.
What I Wish I Knew as a First-Year Coach
My first coaching job was in 2000 with the NYU club team, full of passion, energy, and mistakes. Twenty-five years later, here are the lessons I wish I knew back then, written for every new coach stepping onto the field for the first time.
The Coach-to-Founder Blueprint
Coaches already think like founders, they just don’t realize it. Here’s how the same skills you use to lead players, build teams, and create structure can help you launch and grow any business idea you have.
Why Off-Season Goals Matter More Than the Conditioning Test
Kids should set personal, measurable goals in the off-season instead of stressing about their team’s conditioning test. When they focus on improving themselves—not chasing other people’s standards—they build real confidence and arrive at tryouts already winning.
Keep the Ball Moving: Lessons From Lacrosse That Built a Life
Success didn’t come from twelve-hour bursts of inspiration. It came from the small, stubborn reps—one more pass off the wall, one more sprint in the fog, one more pocket strung at midnight. In lacrosse and in business, progress is simple: don’t let the momentum die.
Great Coaches, Difficult Dilemma: Can Lacrosse Coaching Be a Passion without Sacrificing income?
Lacrosse coaches get into the game for the love of teaching, mentoring, and making a difference — not for spreadsheets, gear sales, or chasing invoices. But when passion doesn’t pay the bills, too many great coaches are forced to choose between staying on the field or making a living — and it shouldn’t have to be that way.
Why Water Access During Lacrosse Practice Matters More Than You Think
Should you give scheduled water breaks or let players sip throughout practice? Here's why the smartest lacrosse coaches are rethinking how they keep their teams hydrated — and how it can impact performance, health, and flow.
Why Lacrosse Players Take a Knee for Injuries: Origins, Purpose, and Best Practices
Taking a knee when a lacrosse player is injured isn't just tradition—it’s a sign of respect, safety, and awareness. This article breaks down where the practice came from, when it’s appropriate, and why it still matters in today’s game.
Stop Talking So Much: A Coach’s Guide to Not Losing the Room
It’s easy to lose your players’ attention with long-winded explanations. This post breaks down a simple 30-second rule to help lacrosse coaches stay clear, keep practices sharp, and actually get more done.
It's Not About the X’s and O’s … Until It Is
You can draw up plays all day, but most games are won by the team with better sticks and faster feet. Still, the strategy—the grind, the craft, the obsession—that’s where the soul of coaching lives.
Money To Be Made, Too Many Bodies, Not Enough Run: The Roster Size Dilemma in Travel Lacrosse
Too many players on a tournament team usually means not enough playing time for everyone. The piece breaks down the balance between development and competition, and why roster transparency is key to keeping kids growing and engaged.
The Gift of the Game: Keeping Lacrosse Players Grounded When the World Feels Like It’s Burning
Playing high school lacrosse is a gift—one that too many players take for granted until it's gone. This article explores how coaches can ground their teams by reminding them that health, freedom, and the chance to compete are fleeting privileges. Through truth, perspective, and ritual, players can learn to embrace the grind with gratitude.
Bought In: Why Glove Color Still Matters
Uniform glove color may seem like a small detail, but it signals something bigger: shared purpose. Skip the admin nightmare of custom gloves—just get everyone in black or white and watch your team start to move like one.
Time to Rethink Championship Weekend
We keep chasing prestige with cavernous NFL stadiums and leaving half the sport in the shadows. Maybe the real win is a unified, sold-out weekend that feels more like a festival and less like a spreadsheet.
Blood, Turf, and Legacy: A Middle-Aged Coach’s Look at the 2025 Lacrosse Final Four
This Memorial Day Final Four isn’t just a showdown of lacrosse powerhouses—it’s a nod to legacy, coaching culture, and the unexpected kindness that stays with you long after the final whistle. For any middle-aged coach who's walked the sideline, it's part memory lane, part masterclass.
Lacrosse: The Beautiful, Brutal, Sacred Game Your Kid Should Be Playing
Lacrosse isn’t just a sport—it’s a rite of passage. With deep roots in Native American tradition and a fast-paced, creative style of play, it builds kids who are not only fit and skilled, but thoughtful, tough, and team-minded. If you want your child to play a sport that actually means something, this is the one.
Finding the Sweet Spot: Development and Competition in Youth Lacrosse
Youth lacrosse should balance development with competition, ensuring all players enjoy equal opportunities to play and grow in recreational leagues, while progressively introducing competitive elements as they approach high school to deepen the talent pool and strengthen the sport's foundation. This approach nurtures a lifelong love for the game and prepares players for higher levels of play, ensuring the sport continues to flourish in the community.
Lacrosse Tryouts: A Comprehensive Guide for Better Outcomes
Streamlining lacrosse tryouts by reducing the number of stations and simplifying evaluation forms can make the process more efficient and focused. Assembling a diverse evaluation team and utilizing concise, targeted drills followed by scrimmages ensures a comprehensive assessment of each player's abilities.