Freshmen and transfer player evaluations begin tonight at 7:30.

The biggest challenge of this event has been coordinating rides for the players. The field is not within walking distance of the dorms. Some players can’t attend tonight and will have to rely on their Tuesday performance. So where we might have started with 55 new guys, we know that amount is attending tonight due to various reasons.

That will make it easier for the staff to judge a smaller group tonight. It will be harder Tuesday when the returners and the incoming players that missed tonight take the field.

There are between 22 and 24 returning players depending upon what happens this semester. As such we are looking to add 18-20 players from this group. Fourteen of those players have been bumped to the top of the list thanks to a number of factors. Now we just have to wait and see if the players on the bubble arrive and who steps up to fill the remaining 4-6 roster spots. Having a committed recruiting class arrive next fall will make things so make easier on the nerves.

For a while during the summer I thought that close to 8 weeks of fall ball was going to be too long. However since Monday is turning into a tricky night due to evening classes, I am thankful for the extra time. Every coach thinks every practice is of paramount importance but now that I know Monday is a red flag I can adjust our fall curriculum accordingly. In other words, Ground Balls Monday will likely be shifted to Thursday.

As promised, the incoming player evaluation schedule looks something like this:

7:30-7:40 three man full field passing
7:40-7:50 dynamic stretching
7:50-8:10 star passing (two groups)
8:10-8:30 diamond 1v1 (two groups)
8:30-8:45 stationary 4v3 (two groups)
8:45-8:50 water break
8:50-9:30 West Genny 3v2 drill

We decided to shy away from 6 on 6 work because it is too easy to hide on the field when five other guys are out there with you. Also, there’s no time to waste installing a basic offense and defense for the sake of having everyone on the same page for tryouts.

Ultimately, in settled offense you want to create a 5 on 4, then a 4 on 3, then a 3 on 2, then a 2 on 1, then a 1 on 1 with the goalie. Working through unsettled situations is the focus of the last fifty minutes of evaluations. You have to be able to score in transition because the opportunities are becoming few and far between. If you are a player than can’t generate one more look or can’t finish a one on one, you’re not going to be an impact player for any team at any level. So we figured if you can’t do it in a training session against fellow freshmen you’re not going to get it done in a game against juniors and seniors.

I gave them a bit of advice that I had heard this summer before the first game at the Maverik Showtime Camp. I told them to do what they do and only that. Feeders feed. Dodges dodge. Shooters shoot. Trying to do something beyond the realm of your capabilities is going to hurt yourself and the team.

2011 Gloves: Better Pictures

Brine King Superlight

Warrior Wrath

Looking at something like this for the boys. With an obvious lacrosse twist.

As we mentioned last week, these are made by Vermont Originals. I met one of their owner/founders at the convention in January. He must have been inspired by the soup Nazi from Seinfeld because it was one of the worst moment’s of customer service of all time.

But the hats are so luxurious.

They also don’t have an email address posted on their website which further infuriated me.

But the hats are so luxurious.

SIR?!

Couldn’t have been in a better position to make this call.

Pick the Best Entrance

Kyle Devitte in real life.

Nick Cage in Face Off.

Fast forward to 1:40 for the unreal level of dove use.

Farley on Letterman

Fast forward to 0:40

Notes

Rising junior from Cali commits to UNC

In other UNC news, Butch Davis, you better be next

Team Illinois summer gear, we’ll start talking to those boys shortly

Twitter made us nervous at first too, this article will help

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