Fireside Chat with FSU’s Robert Lee. Crystal Ball Challenge week 834.

3-0.

In your own building.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

We checked in with Robert Lee, a senior out of Great Falls, Virginia, who just happens to be the top middie on the top team in the SELC.

Florida State recently returned from an extended stay in California in which they went 2-2 with wins over LMU and Cal Poly and losses to Chapman and Texas.

Guess where they are playing Florida this year.

412: How long have you been playing and what got you into the game?

RL: My dad played lacrosse in college and put a fiddle stick in my hand as soon as I could walk.  It wasn’t until my town formed a league when I was in second grade that I was first formally introduced to lacrosse.

412: What were some of the other programs you were considering and what made you choose Florida State?

RL: Coming out of High School I really had no idea what I wanted to do in terms of college lax.  I played for Madlax and participated in the STX shootout, Top 205, etc. but the offers I received were from mostly small Northern Div. II. and III schools.  So I also applied to big state schools just to have as many options as possible, one of which being FSU.

I first met Coach Harkins in Maryland when he was in town for a business trip and he advised me to visit Tallahassee to see more of what FSU had to offer.  After visiting the campus and seeing the facilities that the Lax team has it was pretty much a done deal.  The weather and the girls did not hurt either.

412: Coming from Virginia, what were your expectations of MCLA lacrosse? Have you noticed a change in the level of play since arriving in Florida?

RL: Coming out of high school, I had no idea exactly what MCLA lacrosse was going to be like.

Lacrosse in Florida has improved exponentially since I have been here.  Of course it still has a long way to go before it is anywhere near the lax in Baltimore or Long Island but it is going in the right direction.

The fact that teams can play year round will do nothing but help it grow.  There are more than enough athletes in the state it’s really just a matter of getting coaches with more knowledge to teach them how to play the game.

412: What kind of impact has FSU lacrosse had on Tallahassee youth and high school lacrosse?

RL: In terms of youth lacrosse in the state of Florida it has always been a couple private schools in South Florida and a few in the Orlando area that have dominated the High School level.  Many of those elite players play on the Florida Possums travel team.  There is a strong push in North Florida to compete with those schools.

Thanks to Coach Harkins and several other coaches in the Tallahassee area there is now a Possums team run out of the Tallahassee area during the summer.  Many of the Coaches of these teams are FSU players.  FSU also hosts a summer camp in June and a team tournament in July.

412: What 2010 stick are you using and have you noticed a difference since last year?

RL: I have been using the Revo X6, which is a lot different from the Proton I used to use.  Coming from the Proton I think it is a lot easier to hold on to the ball but picking up grounds balls took some time getting used to with the thinner head

412: Describe a typical practice week at FSU.

RL: Since we are fortunate enough to have our own field in the spring, we are able to determine our practice schedule. Before we start playing games, our practices are Monday through Friday 5:45 to 8 at night.  Once the season starts we stick to that schedule as much as possible but on nights before games we have a lighter “pregame” practice.

Our practices are run like that of a varsity program.  Coach Harkins and Coach Waesche have every drill timed down to the minute.  Their goal is to keep us moving as much as possible and make sure we are working hard for the whole two hours that we are on the field.

412: FSU went 2-2 this past week in California. How does the team get back on track?

RL: Obviously, this past week did not go as well as we would have hoped.  We played four great teams and I want to thank them for hosting us.  In terms of getting back on track we just need to refocus and rededicate ourselves to the goals that we set at the beginning of the season which were to win the SELC and a national championship.

It was a good test for us to play four games in a week because if we are to win a championship we will have to do just that.  As long as we work a little harder every day we will be fine.

412: You play Florida to end the year but is there another rivalry game FSU circled on their calender this year?

RL: The Florida game is always the biggest regular season game of the year and this year it is even more important.  It is senior day and it will be the first time that the we get to play in Doak Campbell Stadium.  Also, it is right before the spring football game so it will be a record crowd for an FSU lacrosse game.

Our California trip was circled on our calender and even though it did not go as well as we would have hoped it definitely showed us that we are going to need to work harder to compete for a championship.  For me, I always look forward to the VT game since I am from Virginia.

412: A lot of people are curious about the new Warrior helmet. What are your thoughts?

RL: I am a fan of the Trojan helmet.  I really did not notice any difference switching from the CPX to the Trojan.   They are a little smaller so this one goon on the team whose head is too big still wears his CPX.

412: What are your plans after graduation?

RL: Not sure yet. I decided I am going to take Golf for Business this summer as my last class and graduate in August so I have a little more time to try and figure it out.

___________________________

Golf for Business?

Playing in Doak Campbell?

Florida State seems like a decent place to attend school and lax.

Good luck to Robert and the Seminoles as they face Stanford on Sunday.

Trying to make moves for first place this weekend.

Hardest game to pick: Loyola vs. Arizona

Arizona plays Colorado State tough then losses to San Diego.

Biggest game of the weekend: Florida vs. Virginia Tech

The winner of this game will prove themselves worthy to challenge FSU for the South Eastern title. Virginia Tech has only played three games but didn’t recently lose to UCSB by 5 a la Florida.

Lock: Syracuse over Hopkins

Hopkins midfield is in for a long afternoon.

New Warrior Head

Unsure on the legitimacy of this commercial.

At least it isn’t a blatant thievery of a horror film.

Birds on the Wires from Jarbas Agnelli on Vimeo.

Notes

Lacrosse players are becoming synonymous with criminal activity

Northwestern girls lacrosse stick trick video, better than MP

Good hustle Boston Bruins