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I found a nice article on the Navy Lacrosse camp 9 of our young Saints attended this past week.   Seen in the photo from left to right.  Matt Washington, Cade Kelleher, Mark Ziolkowski, Connor Robinson (friend from Norfolk VA), Christian Wilson, Kenny King, Scott Elsey, Brian Walter, Bobby DiPersiis, Coach Washington.  In the foreground, David Hart.

Navy camp teaches more than just LAX skills

By Keith Mills

By 10 a.m. the temperature at the U.S. Naval Academy was 90 degrees and rising. Rick Young gathered his troops in a semi-circle and gave them their orders for the next 15 minutes.

"We're going to talk about team offense," said Young, former assistant to Bill Tierney at Princeton and now the lacrosse coach at nearby Anne Arundel Community College. "If you watch the college game, there's a lot of picking going on. Everybody has big strong athletes and they try to get an edge by picking. So we're going over how to pick and how to defend it."

Young is one of the nearly 100 guest coaches Navy's Richie Meade brings in to work with an ever-growing number of young players who not only love to play the game, but want to learn a little bit about life at the academy. "It's so much fun to see kids come here and take their hats off when they walk into the chow hall," said Meade. "Or wait until everyone's sitting down before they start eating. Or say 'yes sir' and 'no sir.' That's a form of discipline and preparation and that's what we do here at Navy. That's also what
lacrosse players do. They're disciplined, they're prepared and they're on time."

From early June to the middle of August more than 4,000 youngsters, ages 6-18,  pass through the gates of the U.S. Naval Academy to play lacrosse. Some, naturally, are from the Baltimore area. Most of the 600 in this week's camp are not.  "We have kids from Hawaii, Alaska, Tennessee, California. We even had a camper fly in all the way from Australia," said long-time Andover and North County coach Jon Appelt. "We hope here the kids take back what they learn to those areas that are not traditionally big lacrosse areas and share it with their teammates."

"How lacrosse is presented to the kids at a young age is going to stay with them for a long time," said Meade, whose teams have made the NCAA playoffs six of the last seven years, including the classic 2004 national championship game against Syracuse. "As coaches, we have a tremendous amount of influence on kids today. And we place a lot of emphasis on leadership. I equate it to D-Day. The success of the operation were the guys on the beach -- me standing next to you. They had to overcome all kinds of stuff to get the job done. They did it through leadership and they did it through caring about the guy next to them."
 Talk to Meade for five minutes and you want to enlist. About to begin his 17th year as Navy's coach, he is also a full-tenured physical education professor at the academy and an unbelievable advocate for everyone who has ever served in the military, especially his former players.

Honor. Courage. Commitment. It is more than just the Naval Academy mantra, but a way of life for Meade, who not only preaches that to his players, but to every camper who wears the blue and white practice jersey. "If we teach these kids a little about the game and how to be better young men, then we've done our job," said Meade. "We believe in fundamentals
and discipline and having the right attitude and taking care of your teammates.  All of the things that have to do with success besides throwing and catching. "We tell the kids when you walk into a room, take your hat off. We don't allow them to wear their hats backwards. We want them to be on time and we want them to treat everyone with respect. I don't know if it's the right way, but that's how we do it. We basically run this camp the way my father ran our family. He was a New York City cop and when he told us what to do, we did it." 
Growing up in the Williston Park section of Long Island, Peter Meade and his life in law enforcement made quite an impression on young Richie and his brothers, Charlie and Peter. It helped fuel Richie Meade through Mineola High in Garden City and later Nassau Community College and North Carolina. His coaching journey began in Chapel Hill as an assistant in 1979 to Willie Scroggs. He then coached at the University of Baltimore for four years, before landing in Annapolis, first as an assistant to Bryan Matthews, and then
eventually as head coach. Though he never wore the Navy uniform as a midshipman or an officer, he has always looked at coaching at the academy as an honor and a privilege.  "He is one of us," said 1969 Navy graduate Tom Hagan. "He reached out to the alumni in a variety of ways and has done a wonderful job here." Hagan is one of many former Navy players who still come back during the summer to work the camps. A former player for two years for the legendary Willis Bilderback, Hagan was on a committee to help create the Bilderback-Moore Navy Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Bilderback coached the midshipmen from 1959 to '72 and led them to nine national championships after William "Dinty" Moore, who preceded him and coached at the academy for 23 years, winning 159 games and a share of
six championships. Hagan; Jack Jackson, class of 1990 and a graduate of Archbishop Curley; Joe Schweitzer, class of '89 and a retired Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Marine
Corps; 74-year-old Don Jahn, class of '57; and Ray Finnegan, class of '75, a former
assistant coach under Meade and one of the greatest goaltenders in Navy history, were all back in Navy blue and gold. Add to that list current assistant coach Mark Goers, the team's former director of lacrosse operations, who helped Towson State reach the NCAA
Final Four in 1992, and the camp is loaded with former academy players and coaches.

Why? "Why not," said Hagan. "You see these kids. They just love to play the game. It's all about giving back to the program and the school. What else would I be doing?" Not patrolling the many fields around the academy in 100-degree heat for one thing, and staying in dorms at Dahlgren Hall for another. Three of the 10 Navy camps are overnight camps, and the players and coaches sleep in the same bunks as the midshipmen during the school ear.   That is part of the lure. A big reason why 14-year-old Ryan Morris came all
the way from New Orleans to take part in this week's camp. "I wanted to see what it was like," he said. "I couldn't wait for this," said 13-year-old Matt Hunter of Tampa, Fla.
"I'm  really just learning the game and I've always wanted to see the Naval Academy.
What a better time to do that than at their lacrosse camp." The Navy camp is divided into four age divisions: Submarines (elementary school), Destroyers and Battleships (middle school and young high school) and Aircraft Carriers (high school). Team names include the USS New Jersey,  Lincoln and Intrepid. It's all part of Meade's plan to run the camp like
an aircraft carrier. "I've been on an aircraft carrier," said Meade. "Everybody has a job,
everybody has a role. They have to launch the planes, so somebody has to move the planes. They need fuel so somebody has to pump the fuel into the planes. Fuel at this camp are balls and water. They have weapons on an aircraft carrier. Here, our weapons are security. Parents need to know their kids are safe and everything we do is in support of the players and coaches." There are two sessions of instruction during the day and games at night.
 "This is actually as  much a camp for young coaches as it is the players," said Meade. "Every single moment is a teaching opportunity. That's No. 1. No. 2 is every kid is here to learn. And you don't have to be a great player. In fact, there aren't necessarily a lot of great players. We don't put stock in where you are. We put a lot of stock in where you're going." "The single most important thing we do is fundamentals," Appelt added. "Coach
Meade is one of the few coaches in the country who runs a camp and still stresses the little things." Appelt and Paul Shea have been working with the Navy lacrosse coach
since Matthews took over for coach Dick Szlaza in 1983. When Meade replaced
Matthews in 1995, the two long-time Anne Arundel County high school coaches were
asked back. And they're still here.  Shea played for Appelt at old Andover High School in 1971. When Appelt left in 1976 to join Szlaza's staff at Navy, Shea took the job. Three years later Appelt returned to Andover to assist Shea and the two coached together
through 1992 when both retired from coaching at North County. Appelt, whose son Garth
helped Loyola-Blakefield win back-to-back MSA A Conference championships in 1986 and '87 before playing at Virginia, still teaches at the school and will start his 42nd year in late August. "It has been very rewarding," said Appelt, who was named the national lacrosse  high school Man of the Year in 1998. "Lacrosse has enabled me to become a
better coach, be a better teacher and I've been able to develop friendships that have stayed with me my entire life."  Friendships with guys like Young, who played and coached at CortlandState in New York, the same school that produced such outstanding college coaches as Tony Seaman, Bill Tierney and Dave Urick, as well as Bob and Larry Quinn, who
are also members of a growing Navy camp coaching staff.  Bob Quinn played at Herkimer Community College and then Penn State while Larry Quinn, who lives now in the Parkton section of Baltimore County, helped Johns Hopkins win two straight national championships under coach Don Zimmerman in 1984 and '85. He is also a two-time winner of the Lt. Raymond Enners Award as the nation's top player, and the Ensign C. Markland Kelly Award as the nation's best goaltender. In 2000, he was inducted into the National Lacrosse
Hall of Fame.  "This is a real good camp," said Quinn, whose son Nolan will be a freshman
this year at Loyola-Blakefield. "There's a lot of good instruction and a lot
of good teaching."  "For those of us not actively coaching on a day-to-day basis anymore,"
said Shea, "this is fantastic. And it's all about the people. The sport is not about winning and losing. It's about the relationships you make, the people you meet. There's nowhere else I'd rather be." 

Lucas Hine scored the winning goal with 37 seconds left, and goalie Bryan Walter made a pair of saves in the final moments to lock up Seton Catholic Central's come-from-behind 14-13 Section 4 Conference lacrosse victory over Chenango Valley on Saturday afternoon. With the win, SCC moved into 1^st place of their Division by 2 games and remain undefeated on the season thus far.

The host Saints trailed by three in the final minute of the third quarter, but Leo Moran and Hine scored goals 35 seconds apart to cut the deficit to one.

An illegal stick violation gave CV (10-2) a man-up situation for three minutes at the beginning of the fourth quarter , but it couldn't convert. SCC’s man down unit played outstanding in not letting  in even one goal during the 3 minute penalty and went even about 2 minutes in when CV was flagged."The whole defense, we studied the film from the last time we played them," Saints coach Travis Eckler said. "Yesterday in practice, we ran their man-up all day. We kind of knew what was coming."

Joey Slavik had three goals and five assists for SCC (12-0), while Jesse Wood had three goals and two assists-- the last helper setting up the winner in "lay-up" fashion, Eckler said.

Slavik scored his 95^th point of the season and is averaging about 8 points per game. Teammate Wood joined the 300 point career  club earlier in the week.Cam Fedish had three goals and an assist for CV (10-2), which has not lost to a team other than SCC this season.

SCC g-a: Joey Slavik 3-5, Jesse Wood 3-2, Nate Williams 2-0, Mike O'Brian 1-2, Leo Moran 3-0, Lucas Hine 2-0. CV Bakker 2-2,  Pedroso 1-2,  Ferry 2-0, Fedish 3-1, Krukowski 1-0,  Lopez 1-0,  Maerkl 1-1,  Rhodes 2-0. Goalie saves: Bryan Walter (SCC) 15, Marcus D'Angelo (CV) 15. GBs: SCC, 42-24. Shots: CV, 43-30. EMOs: SCC 2-7, CV 1-3. Faceoffs: SCC 16-14

From the Press and Sun Bulletin:

Joe Slavik had five goals Saturday as visiting Seton Catholic Central edged Chenango Valley, 18-17, in a Section 4 Conference boys lacrosse game.

The game was tied at 14-14 entering the fourth quarter, and Chenango Valley (7-1) scored 8 seconds into the period on a Devin Ferry goal, assisted by Kyle Bakker.

Seton CC (8-0) responded with consecutive goals from Slavik, Mike O'Brien and Nate Williams to take a 17-15 lead with 6:24 remaining.

The Warriors cut their deficit to one 12 seconds later.

The Saints regained a two-goal cushion with 4:33 left only to see CV score again in the next minute.

Their best chance came with 37 seconds left when CV's Erik Krukowski took a shot that hit the post with 37 seconds left and Malik Pedroso's shot off the rebound was stopped by Saints goalie Brian Walters.

O'Brien and Jesse Wood each had four goals for the Saints. Lucas Hine add three more.

SCC 14, OWEGO 12

Seton CC 3 3 6 2 -- 14   Owego 4 3 2 2 – 12

Seton came from behind with a six-goal, third-quarter outburst at Owego.

Abel Tadesse made his varsity debut in goal a memorable one with enough saves to preserve the victory.

The Saints turned a 7-6 halftime deficit into a 12-9 lead to begin the final quarter, with Joey Slavik contributing two goals and an assist (2 & 2). "Time of possession," Indians coach Brian Kinney said of the turnaround. "They just controlled faceoffs and pulled away."  Of Slavik, who finished with five goals and two assists, Kinney said, "He was the difference in the game."

Jesse Wood and Mike O'Brien added three goals apiece for Seton CC. Taylor Harris poured in six goals for the Indians (5-1).

SCC goals-assists: Lucas Hine 2-0; Joey Slavik 5-2; Jesse Wood 3-2; Mike O'Brien 3-0; Leo Moran 1-0.  Owego g-a: Joe Terenzi 1-1; Taylor Harris 6-0; Parker Evans 3-3; Mike Spadine 1-2; Stanley Gregg 0-1; Tyler Ford 1-1.Shots: SCC, 25-24. Ground balls: OFA, 41-39. Faceoffs: OFA, 14-13. Man-up: SCC 2-for-5, OFA 3-for-4.  Goalie saves: Abel Tadesse (SCC) 8; Dan Baileys (O) 15.

Mary Armstrong's fifth goal of the contest was scored 18 seconds into sudden-death overtime Wednesday and gave Seton Catholic Central's girls a 12-11 Section 4 Lacrosse Conference lacrosse victory at Johnson City.

Taylor Farrell led all scorers with 7 points (3G/4A) and Amanda Fierle contributed a hat trick plus one (4G/0A) to account for an even dozen SCC goals. The Saints move to 3-0 on the season after opening with wins over Forks (11-6) and Owego in its first two games.

A goal by JC's Molly Brink with eight seconds remaining in regulation tied the game at 9 and prompted overtime-- two three-minute periods. Gina Edwards put JC ahead in the first extra session.

In the second, Armstrong scored twice in the first 30 seconds before Edwards tied it at 11-11, forcing sudden death . "The game should have been over before overtime, but our goalie was so zoned in," JC coach Joe Schieve said of Katey Keller, who was credited with 19 saves.

SETON CC 12, JC 11 Seton CC 7 2 0 2 1 -- 12 Johnson City 6 3 1 1 0 – 11 Seton CC goals-assists: T. Farrell 3-4; M. Armstrong 5-1; A. Fierle 4-0. Johnson City g-a: Renee Lamont 1-0; Sophia Ponizhaylo 1-0; Molly Brink 4-0; Edlyn Castro 2-0; Gina Edwards 3-0. Shots: SCC, 36-19. Ground balls: SCC, 19-11. Faceoffs: JC, 14-11. Goalie saves: E. Edwards (SCC) 8; Katey Keller (JC) 19.

SETON CC 11, CF 6: Mary Armstrong scored six goals and added an assist as Seton Catholic Central won at Chenango Forks in the opener for both teams. Courtney Casterlin and Amber Villecco scored two goals apiece for Forks.

April 5th: JV started the season with a dominating 12-0 win over JC.   Spring break travels left the younger Saints team very shorthanded, but the team looked very sharp in all aspects of the game.

April 8th: The Saints found themselves shorthanded once again against a huge squad from Owego.  With only 2 subs on the bench to start the game, the Saints proved solid skills and sound decision making can beat a much larger team.  The Saints prevailed 11-7.

Great week Saints !!!!

C.W.

We had a great turnout on March 13th for the St. Patrick's 4 Mile run.  Twenty-one Saints lacrosse players (and one alum) participated in the run.  Nate Williams was the fastest active Saint.  Nice job Nate.

Parents and Players,

Registration is now open for all three Saints Youth Lacrosse teams (8 and Under – 2^nd grade and below, 10 and Under – 3^rd and 4^th grade, 12 and Under – 5^th and 6^th grade).  Just click on the link below to register.

Please feel free to forward this e-mail to any and all boys and girls enrolled in the Broome County Catholic Schools that might interested in playing lacrosse this spring.  Practices should start around the first week of April (depending on weather), games start at the end of April and the season wraps-up around the first week of June.

For folks new to lacrosse, this is a recreational league with a primary focus on exposing the kids to the game of lacrosse, teaching them about teamwork and good sportsmanship!  We will supply each player with a helmet, shoulder pads, arm pads, gloves and a jersey.  Each player will have to provide their own lacrosse stick, mouthpiece, athletic cup and cleats.  The time commitment is usually 2 or 3 times a week (1 ½ hours per practice/game).

No experience is required!!!  Kids pick up the game very fast!

Please feel free to call me on my cell (760-2977) or shoot me an e-mail [jburtis@vapc.us] if you have any questions.  Thanks!

The 2010 Season is quickly approaching.  Here are some key dates:

1.  Feb 8th - we will start to add indoor conditioning to the after school workout routine.  Players need to bring running shoes.  We will be running hallway, stairs, etc...  in addition to the normal pushup/situp workout.

2. March 1st - Tryouts / CAPT workouts begin at the Edge Indoor sports complex on Old Vestal Rod.

3. March 8th - Official Start of the season.  Varsity and JV Boys will be practicing from 3:30 - 5:30 at the Edge Indoor facility on Old Vestal Road.  Transportation will be provided for all players to the facility, but not home.  Players will need to arrange transportation home from the Edge.

4. March 22nd: Modified lacrosse starts (traditions field / across from Blind Tiger pub)

5.  March 23rd:  Saints Varsity first game - away Oneonta. 

6. March 26th: Saints first home game (CV) 

David and Mary Lou Cherinko of Binghamton were the winners of the 50/50 raffle announced Saturday evening.  The raffle successfully raised $2,000 for the Seton Boys Lacrosse program.

A big "Thank You" to all that made the raffle a great success.  

John Burtis