Editor’s Note: Please join us in welcoming Larken Kemp to the LAS family! Larken will be writing about Brown University Lacrosse this year with an insider’s perspective… he’s on the team! Alex Jones started the tradition, and now Larken Kemp is picking it up. Welcome to another Spring of Brown State Blogging!

Photo Credit: Greg Vasil

The book of Brown Lacrosse in the year 2014 is standard in that it had peaks and valleys, ranked wins, and humbling blow out losses. 14 games, that’s all the chances you are guaranteed in this sport, only heightening the importance of each and every one. Kirk Herbstreit weekly states the beauty of college football in that each and every Saturday can make or break a season, one missed tackle, interception, or untimely fumble can end a season/career.

The parity of conferences such as the SEC and Pac-12 multiply the importance of every opportunity to compete. Sure maybe I am a bit biased, but as someone who played football I will tell you that lacrosse takes that element and multiplies it exponentially.

Brown State Lacrosse, 2014 from Zach Caldwell on Vimeo.

Why? Because Lacrosse is not simply a test of athletic ability (are you faster, stronger, meaner) but rather it combines a mental factor with the necessity to gel and mesh as a unit. The beauty of college lacrosse is that the “little guy” can and will succeed more than the “brand name” schools as long as their units (offensive, defense, EMO, Downers) can evolve from six talented players to one scary-to-play-against entity. Isolation lacrosse can win you summer tournaments, but will undoubtedly lose you college games.

Where is this rant headed? I guess what I am trying to get at is that although this season did not end where we had hoped (the Ivy League tournament and beyond), I truly felt like we made huge strides both defensively and offensively to reach our team goals.

One goal here or there, a caused turnover, or a face-off win, and maybe I am watching tape on our next opponent instead of writing blogs and cleaning out my locker.

Season Recap

The 2014 chapter ended this past Saturday with a 12-8 victory over conference rival Dartmouth on Senior Day at Stevenson Field leaving our season record at 8-6 while 2-4 in the conference – good for fifth.

There were flashes of what this team could have been in a huge win over Princeton at home and retaining the Ocean State Cup this past Tuesday in a big in-state victory over a ranked Bryant team. The fact of the matter is that its wasn’t going to be easy seeing as there are currently four Ivy League teams ranked in the top fifteen of the polls. Thus for us to reach our goals of receiving a bid to the Ivy League tourney and beyond we were going to have to play nearly flawless lacrosse in our conference games.

While it may be cliché for any team that got sent home early to say that we were right there, it certainly felt that way tied 6-6 headed into OT with a ranked Yale team, or tied late with Penn. In reality that’s why you go to Brown, you take the challenge in knowing that conference games are going to be an absolute battle, there are no cupcakes and I don’t think anyone in our locker room would have it any other way.

Individual seasons that should be mentioned were Jack Kelly in goal, Dylan Molloy/Kylor Bellistri/Sam Hurster at attack, and Tommy Capone at the face-off X.

Next on to Senior Day and what it means.

One Last Hurrah!

Senior Day is a time to honor and recollect the careers and more importantly people that make up the Brown Lacrosse Class of 2014. However as I stood there applauding and cheering on some of my best friends and teammates in the wonderful ceremony prior to there final collegiate game, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of the moment in another light.

I only have three more shots to head into battle, hopefully accomplish individual goals, and be part of something bigger than myself: “a team.”

Looking Ahead

My college career is already one-fourth of the way over and I feel like I stepped on to College Hill a week ago. For me it stressed the importance of every practice, skill session, lift, and run to make yourself better so that when the 2015 season rolls around you will be ready to go. In reality you have to play every year like it’s “next year” because in the way too near future there will be a cubicle instead of a season to look forward to. The hypothetical cupboard will not be bare next year as we return much of our scoring and defense combined with the return of prolific scorers Blynn and Piroli from injury. I literally can’t wait for February 22nd.

The academic school year is beginning to wind down with the team focused on our studies and succeeding on our final exams. The summer months will be spent fine tuning our skills and focused on coming back in the best shape possible.

On a personal level I have to get surgery for a torn meniscus I suffered about halfway through the season that, although didn’t keep me out of competition, was a nagging annoyance, so I am excited to get back to 100%. Guess that’s a wrap for the 2014 season and this rendition of Brown State Blogging.

GO Bruno!

P.S. I apologize for the somewhat serious tone of this post, but I guess that’s what happens when you are forced to watch your conference, and the NCAA tournaments from the confines of your couch.

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Editor’s Note: Please join us in welcoming Larken Kemp to the LAS family! Larken will be writing about Brown University Lacrosse this year with an insider’s perspective… he’s on the team! Alex Jones started the tradition, and now Larken Kemp is picking it up. Welcome to another Spring of Brown State Blogging!

Photo Credit: Greg Vasil

Seeing as this is my first contribution to the established legacy of Brown State Blogging, left behind by Alex Jones (Midfielder Class of 2013), it seems fitting to begin by touching on who I am before turning to my theme of the post, which is finding an identity, Brown Lacrosse, an inside look at this year’s captains, as well as some updates on the season thus far.

Who Am I?

A freshman at Brown this year, I am the third and probably last (if my bench press #’s don’t increase) of the Greenwich, CT defenseman pipeline, the others being Senior Captain Phil Pierce and the incumbent team Mayor Will Swindell. My entire life I wanted to be a hockey player. Lucky for me lacrosse provides the same grind-it-out mentality and slash-first-ask-questions-later type speed.

Prior to my switch to the long pole my sophomore year of high school at Phillips Academy I was the prototypical “wow, this kid is unbelievably mediocre” midfielder. Some characteristics of which can still be seen in my game, most noticeably my “changeup” of a shot, as it is so frequently put. As Kylor Bellistri (Sophomore attack man) would tell you, “hit the point, Kemp.” On that fitting note, what has been going on in the world of Brown State Lacrosse?

The Season So Far

“End line, that one!” The motto this year has been work. We are a team that has worked, and as reinforced this past Saturday, we are a team that quite simply has too work. This preseason and fall was total competition, every day, every lift/run, and every groundball. Gone are the household names of Ferguson, Ford, and Del Prince from the defensive end as well as a stable of threats from the offensive midfield (often noted by Coach Tiffany might I add).

https://vimeo.com/83980723

But isn’t that the beauty of NCAA sports? It is a constant cycle of rebuild and reload as each year is an opportunity for fresh faces to step up and seize opportunities. The prototypical example being Alabama football: Ingram, Richardson, Lacy, Henry, and that’s just the running back position over the past four years. Coach Roy and the strength and conditioning program since our first day of marine testing in September have instilled an attitude one which translates from the squat racks to in between the lines in the ground ball war.

Without a doubt every man in our locker room can trust the one across or next to him and that in the long run will pay off come end of April early May. Brown Lacrosse, for Coach Tiffany’s entire tenure, has lived and breathed on the words “Expect Nothing, Earn Everything” – a mantra that this year seems relevant more than ever.

It all boils down too doing your individual job, or making your assignment, so to speak. That is not say that the hypothetical cupboard is bare, as this team looks towards Ivy League play and the hunt for the playoffs. Forging our identity, we will be led out front by our four senior captains, Pete Vivonetto, Sam Hurster, Dan Mellynchuck, and Phil Pierce.

Oh Captain, My Captain

Here is an inside look at this years four captains:

Pete Vivonetto (#30) is known off the field as a full time lifeguard, part time math tutor, and for his Jim Carey like impression ability. Dry shirt in the weight room sold separately, Pete’s presence in the middle of the defense cannot be over looked. A vocal leader, Viv’s impassioned personality leaks into all aspects of life. From NHL Arcade, Chicken Carberry’s at Joes (Restaurant), and guitar solos, Pete puts his heart and soul into all activities. The Vince Wilfork of the Brown Defense. Kid bleeds Brown State.

Sam Hurster (#2) is the flash in the pan. The only offensive player of the four, his presence and poise helps dictate pace on the attack. Born in the gateway to the West, Sam can be found reliving Cardinals’ World Series wins, and winning best-dressed senior superlatives. Time and room, in tight, or on the run, Sam sets an example in all things offense and will help lead a young but multi-pronged attack headed into 2014.

Dan Mellynchuck (#21) is the textbook all-star utility player. When bored of leading a short stick defensive midfield for three years, he can be found scoring overtime winners over top five teams. A last second senior season switch to long pole? Sure, why not. Dan does it all. Just don’t touch his Television on the third floor of the lacrosse house, sensitive subject.

Last but not least there is Phil Pierce (#32) the quiet leader as he leads by example both in the weight room and on the field. As a freshman this year, I have seen Phil battle back from serious injuries as he looks to resume his role as the unquestioned leader and only returning starter on close defense. His hobbies include highlight tape viewing, Hubba’s fantasizing (restaurant in our hometown), and Brady Cheddar Williams (midfielder class of 2014) chiding. A literal caused turnover in disguise, everyone should expect big things out of Phil in 2014.

Looking Forward!

I struggle with where to begin on how to update the reader on our season thus far. Sports, perhaps more than any other avenue in life, is a series of ups and downs, the case in point being the Women’s hockey Olympic gold medal game. The season began with a razor like focus as we went down to Quinnipiac University, and while fighting through adversity and getting a Jim Craig like performance from Jack Kelly in-between the pipes, where we drove home with the 13-6 proverbial revenge win after they beat us last year.

Nothing was perfect but the offensive third quarter performance had Coach Boyle fist-pumping like he was on the turf at Homewood (flashbacks), and gave us unbelievable confidence in their ability to sling the rock and distribute to the open shooter. Big shout out to Tim Jacob’s alley (team joke), gratitude for the three goals all left-handed and from eighteen. Huge performances from Sam I AM Hurster and Ivy League Rookie of the Week Dylan Malloy at attack made the defenses job that much less stressful.

Our most recent result, this one a deflating 15-2 shellacking in our home opener leaves a taste in my mouth that is hard to write about. I could write a million excuses and provide answers for why and how but I would like to simply end on the word “opportunity.” Olympians have to wait every four years to get back on the ice, track, or field. Luckily the Brown Lacrosse team only has to wait four days as the Hartford Hawks come to Stevenson on Wednesday. Go Bears!

Thanks for reading!

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Editor’s Note: Welcome Alex Jones of the Brown University Men’s Lacrosse team back to LAS!  Alex has been writing about playing lacrosse at Brown this season via Brown State Blogging, and things were going well… until he was hit with a major injury.  Alex talks about how he (and you!) can make the best of a bad situation and there is a big Brown update at the bottom!

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Well hello there readers!  It has been a while since my last post on this fine Lax All Stars Blog. I’ll begin by apologizing for my recent absence.  I can’t imagine my feeble attempts at cleverness and witty writing were missed by many of you, but I secretly hope they were.  Either way, I’m back, and a lot of stuff has happened since I wrote last.  These were some pretty significant things, both in my world, and the Brown lacrosse world.

To start with, although you wouldn’t know it just reading from home, I’m actually writing this post (with the aid of “Cool Jazz” Pandora, as always) from the comfort of our ”home” at 444 Brook St while the rest of the team is out on the field practicing.

No, I didn’t finally act on the urge to skip practice and enjoy a beautiful sunny day.

Actually, via an incredibly bad stroke of luck, I managed to incur a pretty serious injury during our game against Harvard. What is it you ask? Brace yourself for a cringe: I tore my Achilles.  That’s right you read that correctly, my achilles went boom.

Aside from a broken finger during my high school football glory days, this has been my first significant injury, let alone my first really serious injury. And while I joke about it, it certainly has been a difficult ordeal. As an athlete, especially in college, it is easy to define yourself by the sport you play and your performance on the field. And to have that taken away is a weird feeling.

Playing a sport almost becomes a job, in which your performance is judged and measured among your peers and your contribution to your team. Wins, losses, strength, agility, and natural ability can all constitute and contribute to one’s confidence in themselves and those they are surrounded by for hours on end everyday during practice and lift times.

A person’s sport of choice can be such a pervasive part of their lives; it often dictates social groups, housing assignments and even day-to-day language. Call me a jock or whatever you like, but I bought into this way of life, allowing lacrosse to be a defining part of my life, and I enjoy it because being an athlete is such an integral part of who I am.

So what becomes of a person when this lifestyle is suddenly taken away?

It has not been easy.  However, through adversity, you gain a level of perspective that you otherwise probably would not have gained. For one, I am learning not to take things for granted. I always thought that was a cliché phrase, but I now know it to be very true. I don’t think I totally took being healthy for granted, but after being relegated to the sideline on a pair of crutches, you gain a sense of appreciation that can only come from not being able to physically participate in something you care about deeply.

Another thing I am slowly learning is that positivity is a necessity, and not a convenience. Staying positive helps with everything, from the sometimes small day-to-day inconveniences, to the long-term ramifications that a significant injury often brings.

Staying positive for me means saying “I’ll come back on day one in just as, if not better, shape than I was when I got hurt.”  This thought keeps me going now and will continue to help me along as I go through the rehabilitation process. Do I want to believe that statement? Of course, and I believe it wholeheartedly. But what is more important than anything, is that I need to believe it, in order to stay positive over the long-term process.

I can’t sit here and say I haven’t had times of negativity. It’s hard not to. But those times can’t be allowed to grow and eclipse the positivity, because it will only serve as a hindrance to the healing process.

If this all sounds extremely dramatic, believe me, I know. I realize it’s only “sports” and I’m not on my deathbed or anything along those legitimately serious lines. But you’ll have to give me a break because I’m just a college kid who really loves to play lacrosse and run around and be active.

Now to answer the Achilles tear Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

“Oh my god! How bad did it hurt!?” – It actually didn’t hurt at all, I was more confused than anything else. According to our trainer, and the on-the-field physician, my body apparently responded to the injury by saying, “Holy Hezbollah this is bad, let’s pump this poor kid full of endorphins so it doesn’t hurt for a while.”  Thank you very much, body.

“How Did it Happen?” – After playing defense the first possession of the game, our goalie Will Round made a save and I broke out to try to figure out what the clear was. I couldn’t hear what the coaches were saying (which I never can) and began to back pedal to assess what was going on. I was then told to cut back to hole to try to get the ball. I threw my left leg back to stop my backwards momentum and cut forward simultaneously.

Because my ankle/leg was fully flexed, and the cut happened so quickly, my calf contracted in that very instant, and my Achilles tendon did not. Since your calf is a strong muscle, it is capable of pulling your tendon apart, and that’s exactly what happened. The sudden and violent release of tension gave me the sensation that someone had come from behind and kicked me in the back of the ankle, but it never hurt.

After realizing that there was no one around who could have kicked me, I realized something was wrong. If my step had been slightly different, the muscles would have contracted together like they always do, and nothing would have happened. Terrible, awful luck.

“How bad does it hurt right now!?”– Not at all, I do my best to stay off of it, hence the crutches!

“When will you be able to play again?” – The rehab process takes a long time. Typically it is six months until you are fully cleared for 100% activity, but with aggressive rehab a young guy, such as myself, could conceivably cut down that timeline. I’ll be in the orthopedic boot for a while (aka forever) and will be on crutches for the next few weeks or so. From there you just do exercises to strengthen the ligament and get it back to normal.

On a lighter note, the crutches have proven to be a great ice breaker with the ladies (not that it matters much as I manage to mess up anyway), but it is a much appreciated silver lining.  And while I’m here, I might as well dispense some advice. If you are  close with, or if you see someone injured, on crutches or what have you, don’t say “That Sucks.” It is an obnoxious thing to say.

Say “I’m sorry”, or “get better soon”, or something along those lines. It “sucks” to wake up early for a test, it “sucks” when the cafeteria runs out of ketchup or when your xbox breaks. Being on crutches for a major injury is a little bit past the point of “sucking”, so please keep that in mind and be sympathetic to our crutched brethren.

Now for a quick Brown State Men’s Lacrosse season update:

The Brown Bears Men’s Lacrosse team is currently sitting on a 4-6 record with a 1-2 league record. This past weekend, the guys pulled off a great win against the UPenn Quakers. Captain Rob Schlesinger buried the go-ahead goal with 11 seconds left in a classic “Don’t Shoot! Don’t Shoot! Yea! Nice Shot!!” type of goal.

We Bears now stare down IVY League rival Yale, who is 5-4 overall and 2-2 in the Ivy, on our home turf under the lights on Friday night. Beating Yale is crucial for our Ivy and NCAA tournament hopes, and it is crucial to Yale as well, so stay turned for a tough game, and my coverage of it. If we win, I’ll write about it, if we lose, I won’t. So hopefully you’ll all hear from me very soon!

Thanks for reading.

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Editor’s Note:  In this week’s installment of Brown State Blogging, Alex Jones talks about the start of the Brown University Men’s Lacrosse season, but he also covers a really cool and interesting topic: Getting to Know the Game – The Iroquois Nationals!  And don’t miss Brown practicing in the snow as they prep for UMass!
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Hello readers, I’ll start off this post by asking two very simple and VERY cliché questions:

– What does lacrosse mean to you? and,

– Why do you play the game?

I understand these are very loaded questions, and I would assume they would elicit a very wide variety of answers. But I think in the end, it just boils down to the moments when you have the most fun playing. Which further boils down to what you are the best at doing, because we all know almost everyone loves what they are good at.

It’s different for everyone though, and after getting to know my teammates pretty well on the field, I think I have a good grasp of what they love about the game.  For midfielder George Sherman, I think he loves using his high lacrosse IQ, slick stick and blinding “Greenwich Grin” to distract and outsmart defenders for goals.  Sophomore attackman Sam Hurster enjoys those moments when he gets to display his crisp stick-skills and newly learned box-lacrosse techniques and sees spectators quietly whisper on the sideline, “whoa, that kid must have totally played in Canada last summer! And what uber sick calf/flow combo!”

For defensemen Sam Ford and Roger Ferguson, I would imagine it’s the feeling they get when they cruise down the field in transition, ignoring all open offensive players along the way, in order to (un)necessarily shoot what they call a “Biiig Choppa”(high bounce shot). Sophomore net-minder Will (Jimmy) Round has explained in vivid detail that he plays for that moment when the pure, unadulterated confidence courses through his veins like a glorious flood, elevating him to a level of goalie play never before seen, where in his heart he truly believes that he is likened to brick wall of absolute shot stopping power. Those were, of course, all his words, and none of mine.

As for myself, seeing that my strength as a lacrosse player lies in my legs (much) more so than in my stick, I play for the moments when I get a chance to get all the way up to speed with the ball, hearing the wind whistle through the helmet, along with my heart racing in my chest.  And if I get an assist?  Great.  A goal?  Even better, as it would probably bring my overall shooting percentage up to a resounding 0.00012%. That is, however, just what I think the game is all about. As the Brown Men’s Team learned on the night of February 17th, for the Native Americans who created the game we all hold so dear, the game of lacrosse is about so much more than most people know about.

Coach Tiffany, in honor of his hometown of Lafayette, New York, and the Native Americans he grew up with, scheduled our third and final scrimmage against the Iroquois National team. The night before, Oren Lyons, who is one of the head chiefs of the Onondaga Nation, spoke to a room full of lacrosse players and other interested listeners in a University sponsored event. Mr. Lyons, being an 83-year-old man, has seen a lot in his day, and knows the game of lacrosse well.

His soft-spoken, stream-of-consciousness speaking style captivated the audience and inspired us to take full advantage of his question and answer session after his speech. He explained that lacrosse in the Native American lands is known as a “medicine game”, meaning they play for the benefit and good fortune of whatever or whomever is decided on by the elders of the tribe. The game, as a result, takes on a very spiritual essence, of which I’m sure very few modern players are even remotely aware of.

What was perhaps even more interesting than the origin of the game were the anecdotes Mr. Lyons shared with us about playing lacrosse back in his day. He played under conditions that modern lacrosse players could not imagine, like goalies playing without helmets, and sticks taking a year to be made. In one story, Mr. Lyons, being a goal-keeper, explained that he played against a shooter from a rival Native American team who had apparently accidently killed two goalies by hitting them in the head and throat with shots. Why this particular player was not instantly banned from the game for life is a mystery, but Mr. Lyons, ever the brave
goalie, stepped into the crease, only to take an outside blast to the chest breaking two of his ribs. He miraculously finished the match, but not surprisingly admitted he was “not every effective”.

It was an interesting and much appreciated experience to hear Mr. Lyons speak about lacrosse, but that was not his only message to us on that night. Coming from a Native American tribe, Mr. Lyons and the rest of the Onondaga community are very connected with, and conscious of the earth and it’s health. Mr. Lyons spoke to us about global warming, and the effects he has seen, mainly that for the first time he can remember, there was barely any snow in the Northeast in February.

He implored us to be aware of the changing environment, and make changes in our lives to help preserve the earth. He drew an analogy between humans and animals in the wild, simply stating “There is no mercy in nature”, meaning that if you do not
adapt or change to adverse conditions, then you will soon face the consequences of it. And trust me, when an 83 year old Native American man at a podium is basically saying Adapt or Die, you listen. It was very interesting to see a person so simply and
forcefully address such a hotly debated topic like Global Warming in a very real, non-political way.

After getting to know the Iroquois and the origin of the game, we got the unique chance to actually play Native Americans in their own game on our home-turf. The Iroquois were a great team that thrived on unpredictability. They were creative and slick, and were not afraid to take chances and go for the home-run pass. This did not always work into their favor, as they had several turnovers, but when they connected on their chances, we were both the victims and gracious spectators of some stellar lacrosse. The Iroquois executed one fast break that so far has been the coolest play I’ve seen all year.

Off of a faceoff, the short stick created a 4v3 fast break, drew the man, lefty backhand flipped it to the point man who quick-stick-
behind-the-back dumped it to the low attackman, then quickly dished it across for the easy crease dump. It happened so fast no one really knew what to do but clap. We eventually went on to a victory, but throughout the game and after, a deep mutual respect resonated on both ends, and we of course went on to take advantage of a photo opportunity and piles of pizza.

Changing gears though, we had our first real game this past weekend at Quinnipiac, where we pulled out a 12-7 victory. The game was exciting, and while sloppy at times on both ends, it also featured some electric transitional play and hard-fought competition. Freshman Nick Piroli, who I call the Silent Assassin, because I’ve heard him speak four times this year total, could not have asked for a better collegiate opener, scoring three goals on some pinpoint shooting. Dan O’Brien, who decided not to play with the team last season made a triumphant comeback, putting up five points and shooting two for two. Dan is further proving the case that taking a year off of lacrosse and not practicing actually can make you even better at it.

While those two were the predominant point scorers, the two game balls, assigned by Coach Tiffany, went to Tommy Capone and Clay DelPrince for their efforts at the faceoff ‘X’ and defensive end, respectively. Clay had the game-changing play of the game, where he checked a Quinnipiac player’s stick out of his hands at the top of the box, picked it up for a straight fastbreak, made everyone think he was going to bring the ruckus on the run, then at the last second dished it to the point man who then made the final look to Dan O’Brien for the low shot and goal. Needless to say I totally lost my mind.

Building on that momentum, we held a healthy lead for most of the game, eventually closing it out for the much needed first win.

Next Sunday it is on to UMASS at home, which will be a game that will define our season early. After their hot start, to earn a victory against them would definitely have some people talking about us, and what college lacrosse player doesn’t want
that? A post will come soon after that game with some game details!

HUGE thanks to Brown University student photographer, Sam Rubinroit!!!!

So what does lacrosse mean to YOU?  Seems like a great opportunity to get the conversation going!

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Editor’s Note:  Alex Jones, a junior midfielder at Brown University will be blogging with LAS all Spring, providing an exciting and intriguing look inside the Brown University Men’s Lacrosse Program.  If you want to know why the series is called Brown State Blogging make sure to check out Alex’s first post!  This week we’ve got a Spring Check-In – where Alex tackles the “The House”.
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Here in Providence, Rhode Island, lacrosse is a winter/spring sport, in that order.  At Brown, in strict accordance with Ivy League rule, official practice does not start until February 1st, and it’s safe to assume that the weather will fall anywhere between “God forsakenly” and “I don’t know why I do this to myself” cold.

The weather was so bad in 2011 that the first day of practice took place inside, seeing as there was too much snow to plow off the field. Consistent snowfall and freezing temperatures rendered the field an almost completely unusable ice skating rink, which made practice slightly more difficult, to say the least.  Orange Maverik lacrosse balls were also commonly used in practice to contrast with the high snow banks that seem to perpetually surround the field.

So February 1, 2012 was bound to be a nightmare, right? A miserable combination of icy winds, gray skies and frozen rain, right?

Actually, this year on day one we found ourselves breaking a solid sweat in nothing but shorts and a t-shirt, enjoying the sunshine and blue skies of Providence, which is nothing short of completely outrageous. The weather is most often “inconvenient” or “inconsistent”, and that was just the truth for the Brown Lacrosse team, so trust me, no one was complaining this year.

So how do we find ourselves in the early season, beyond just the weather?  In shape, and looking good!

Armed with a running packet, a lifting regimen and the fear of Coach Tiffany’s pure wrath in the back of our minds, all the guys on the team worked diligently over break and came back in great shape. Now, it’s time to maintain and build upon our strength and stamina, while taking in a wealth of information concerning our old and new schemes. The focus has taken a shift from the physical aspect of the game to the thinking aspect, it’s time to get smart, and we have to do so in short order.

Our first game against Quinnipiac is fast approaching on the 26th of February and we couldn’t be more excited. Our overall schedule also has people excited in the Brown State family, with Providence, Bryant, Penn, Harvard, and Yale all being night games.

But enough with the season preview… there will be more on that later.  It’s time to get to the (more) fun stuff.

A big, blue house sits near the corner of Brook St and Cushing St in Providence, a very short 5 min walk from the center of Brown’s campus. On this house you’ll find old disheveled Christmas lights, a worn in couch, a deflated Frosty the Snowman blowup cartoon, and usually, a very fat squirrel digging tirelessly through the trash.  All of it screams, “this house is probably filled with degenerate athletes”, but in reality friends, it actually is a house filled with degenerate athletes.

I have the great privilege of living in this “home” at 444 Brook with eight other team mates, all of whom are juniors, except for our two Senior Captains. We of course, aren’t really all that bad, but we definitely have a lot of fun together and so far it’s been a great experience.

Let’s get to know the Men of the house shall we?  These will also be some of the guys appearing in later posts, and playing on the field, so you should know who they are.

Starting on the bottom floor, you have yours truly, closest to the door. After a lengthy and downright terrifying summer residential housing scandal, (I forgot to sign the lease last spring, like a fool) I found myself in the overall least desirable room in the house (which in actuality isn’t bad at all). If you ever need to get into the house, my window is the one you would knock on.

Moving along, you’ll find junior defenseman Sam Ford sporting grizzled facial hair, and “resting”, a unique form of napping he created, which consists solely of laying in bed and staring at the wall, while of course keeping your mind totally at ease. Going up the stairs and to the left you’ll find none other than junior midfielder Shane McHugh, the keeper of the Xbox Live Account, and an avid hoodrat rap enthusiast. Listen to “North Memphis” by Project Pat to get a strong sense of what Shane likes to bring to the table.

In the adjoining room, you’ll find our strong, admirable, stalwart Senior captain Robert “Bubbie” Schlesinger, listening to his Country Pandora playlist, watching “Roadhouse” for the 13th time on AMC, laughing hysterically and finishing his third of seven bags of Jack Link’s beef jerky.  Out through Rob’s room, and down the hall, you’ll find fellow Senior Captain Parker Brown’s room… it’s locked of course, because if the sun is out, Parker is on his grind getting work done, displaying his trademark cheesy smile and indirectly making sure you feel guilty about all the things you haven’t done that day.  Right across the hall, you’ll find midfielder George Sherman waiting eagerly for a call back from JP Goldclay Sachs, and devising the most effective way to avoid ever getting caught on defense in a game.

On the third and final floor of the house, you’ll see junior Johnny Depeters’ room. With the biggest room in the house, sporting all the latest entertainment technology, Johnny has accepted the responsibility of the designated hangout room.  While freshman on the team are watching the game, Johnny is likely off doing work, or arranging great outfits for future themed events, his favorite of course, being the Cat in the Hat. Across from there you’ll see Marc White in his room, which has been deemed “Sharc Island”, given that it is so immaculately clean that it looks like it’s a totally uninhabited place.

Marc will likely be playing a Taylor Swift/Avicii mashup, formulating his senior thesis of why Florence, Italy is the greatest place on earth, and convincing Coach Tiffany in a very well written email that shooters do, in fact, need to shoot. Last but not least in the third room on the third floor you’ll find none other than junior long-stick midfielder Roger Ferguson. Roger, with his charming sense of humor, will probably be laughing hysterically at an oddball joke, then subsequently struggle to regain his breath as he tells you through a labored wheeze that he is “in shape, for suuuure”.

I of course also have to include our 10th unofficial roommate Clay DelPrince, who lives a stone’s throw away from the house. Hailing from Buffalo, NY, Clay is one of the smartest among us as a pre-med student, but to this day can’t provide me a good scientific explanation for why he says “fuyre” and “tuyred” instead of fire and tired in his upstate New York accent.

Well there you have it readers, a small taste of what life is like in the Brown U lacrosse house. In my next post, I’ll include a lacrosse update, as well as interviews with some of the players, and some musical suggestions to give you an idea of some of the things we like to listen to. Thanks for reading!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJOkLqEFNls

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Editor’s note: Alex Jones, a junior midfielder for Brown University, will be writing for Lacrosse All Stars this spring about Brown State Lacrosse. He’ll be covering both on and off the field activities, and will give you an inside look into the Brown University Men’s Lacrosse Program. He starts off with an intro post that spans last year and this fall, and covers the seven words lacrosse players dread hearing most.
____________________________________________________________________________

“We are just NOT in good shape”

These seven words, when combined in just the right order, let a player know he is in trouble after they come out of the Head Coach’s
mouth.  Whether true or false, right or wrong, appropriate or otherwise, a player on any team knows the consequences of these words and it will no doubt send a chill down his spine, and a phantom ache into his legs.

As a sophomore midfielder on the Brown University Lacrosse team during the 2011 season, I heard these exact words after our team
barely squeaked out a win against our cross town rivals at Providence College.  We battled all game, and eventually won 6-4, but a late game collapse almost doomed our team as we sucked wind and nearly fell apart mentally.  These near, and sometimes actual, collapses unfortunately characterized our season in 2011.

But after Coach Tiffany addressed the issue out loud on the short bus ride home, on what should have been a happy and relieving trip back to campus to enjoy a weekend night, things turned relatively somber.

Why?  Because we knew change was coming – and we knew it wouldn’t be an easy one.  And believe me readers, that change certainly did come this fall to the Brown Men’s Lacrosse team.  Coach Tiffany’s main point of this, my junior fall, was to reinstate our team motto and mantra of “Brown State”. As a Brown lacrosse player, we hear this phrase almost a lot, but a person not familiar with it might have no idea what I’m talking about.

The term Brown State comes from an old joke that Brown was the easiest of the Ivy League schools.  As most people aren’t as familiar with Brown as the other Ivies like the Big Three, they were more inclined to believe it was an easier school, and derogatorily view it like they might a state school, for example.  Hence the “State” term.  As athletes are always looking for a theme or an idea to rally around, We use the term Brown State to try to incorporate an edge into our play.  Most people who know about Brown know that the University has the mentality of “Yea, we know we’re kind of weird, but we like it that way”.

And believe me we do; students here are some of the most talented, intelligent, creative, and downright weird kind of people that I will likely ever be surrounded by in my life, but I, like almost all other students at Brown absolutely love it that way.  But with that being said, there are no brownie points given in lacrosse for appreciating your school, or trying to embody the culture of your school on the field.

And this is why while we’re on the field we want to separate ourselves from the ultra-liberal persona attached to Brown, and try to play with the blue-collar intensity that old-school State universities had.  Of course, everyone associated with our lacrosse program has
a different interpretation of what Brown State means, but no matter what that interpretation is or was, we all knew that we had gotten away from it last spring, leading to a very forgettable season to say the least.

So how do you go about reinstating this mentality?  Well, there are a lot of ways I could imagine doing it.  But as a team, we went with good ol’ fashioned military workouts.  Thats right, about a week after classes had begun, at 7:15AM, at our very first team workout event, the military made their presence known on our Berylson fields in the form of United States Marine Corps Captain Randy Parks and his crew of officers.

Our team has relatively strong ties to the military as former captain Charlie Kenney ’09 now serves as a sniper in the Marines, and current captain Rob Sleschinger will enter the Marine Corps when he graduates this spring. (Many of the guys on the team are also very well versed in Call of Duty – Modern Warfare 3 strategy which, as everyone knows, essentially makes them five star field generals – but that is besides the point.)  Their goal was to kick us into shape, and they definitely did just that.  Long sprints, carrying and overhead pressing heavy ammunition boxes, and a drill consisting of “maneuvering under fire” (running + crawling), carrying a buddy, and of course throwing an extremely dangerous live grenade, i.e an old tennis ball.

The workout was difficult, but the main benefit from it was the team building aspect. Coach Tiffany often tells us, “your only fear should be that your teammate can not depend on you”, and during these various workouts throughout the fall season, these words really resonated with the team. As dumb as it may sound, we all got the sense that morning that we were actually carrying an “injured” buddy who actually needed our help.  Sound stupid?  It might be, but thats why we all compete; to go through tough times with your teammates and to learn to count on each other.  Ultimately, it makes you a tighter, more cohesive team, and through that workout, and the tough practices and morning runs to follow after that military morning, I think our team established a great chemistry and high sense of morale.

This has probably been the highest point in my time here at Brown, and we are all excited about it.  Now we enter spring with a heightened sense of pride, and the knowledge that we will work hard and do whatever it takes to win games.

To end with, make sure to check out our awesome video (below), made by Caz Rubacky, summarizing what we did in the fall. And make sure to check back later on Lax All Stars for more blog posts about the Brown lacrosse team.

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