Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. On the eve of Sept. 1, college lacrosse coaches are urging patience from the class of 2022 — rising high school juniors whose recruitment can start Tuesday.
The IWLCA’s Division I legislation committee issued several recruiting reminders for the class of 2022 after the coaches association came up short in its effort to get the NCAA to push back the Sept. 1 contact date. The social media post intimated that there would not be the same volume of commitments we’ve come to expect out of the gate. An NCAA dead period that started at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic remains in effect through Sept. 30.
“Without in-person evaluations this spring and summer, many coaches will need to see players compete in the future,” the IWLCA committee stated.
Continuing on the path to the Sept. 1 contact date, some helpful thoughts from the IWLCA Division I Legislation Committee... pic.twitter.com/BqfnL80tWo
— IWLCA (@IWLCA) August 29, 2020
High Point men’s lacrosse, meanwhile, cited its track record with previous recruits who committed late in their senior year of high school or as post-grads.
“As a matter of fact,” the coaching staff tweeted, “we are still actively recruiting the 2021 class and will continue recruiting that class well into the spring.”
— High Point Lacrosse (@HPUMensLax) August 30, 2020
2. Former Maryland men’s lacrosse players and identical twin brothers Harry and Thomas Alford wrote “How Student-Athletes Can Honor Dr. King’s Legacy and Manifest Change in this Country.” The article is replicable for almost any sports organization looking to combat racial injustice.
3. What does the new normal look like? We compiled sights and sounds from social media as some college lacrosse teams reported to campuses across the country.
4. Athletes Unlimited, the multi-sport startup reportedly set to absorb professional women’s lacrosse in 2021, debuted its innovative softball league this weekend on ESPNU. There were several signs of AU’s commitment to lacrosse, including a Sportico article that likened its media-driven strategy to the Premier Lacrosse League and an appearance by U.S. national team player Michelle Tumolo in a thread of tweets with “legends in our sports world” showing support for the softball athletes leading up to the weekend.
Let’s goooo! Can’t wait to watch tomorrow on ESPN2! https://t.co/jE3n8rSg05
— Michelle Tumolo (@MTumolo35) August 28, 2020
AU has not made its plans for lacrosse public, but it does feature a photo of Sydney Pirreca on its website and includes the sport among those “on our radar.”
WHAT WE’RE READING
-
Kyle Devitte’s reflection on the short but electrifying career of Peet Pollion.
-
How a special bond between the Furman men’s lacrosse team and a young fan has continued despite the discontinuation of the program.
-
About Brendan Gleason’s journey to professional lacrosse, including his 11th-hour addition to the Redwoods roster before the PLL Championship Series.
-
A troubling story out of the Hamptons, where former Bucknell and Virginia lacrosse player Charlie Streep was charged with two felonies related to a road rage incident.
-
Letters to the editor in response to the Los Angeles Times’ article on the Iroquois Nationals and how lacrosse is a vehicle for the Haudenosaunee Confederacy to implement its sovereignty.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
Prospective student-athletes don’t need to get on Ohio State’s campus to get an up-close and personal look at the Buckeyes’ lavish lacrosse facilities. Sophomore attackman and content creator Mitchell Pehlke produced a slick video that could lure a few more teammates to Columbus.
Best facilities in the country! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/YmxbH6NhKD
— Mitchell Pehlke (@MitchellPehlke) August 30, 2020
Courtesy of Powell Lacrosse, vintage highlights of Towson men’s lacrosse coach Shawn Nadelen laying some lumber during his time with the Chesapeake Bayhawks, Philadelphia Wings and U.S. national team.
Shawn Nadalen was one of the best defenders in pro lacrosse for almost a decade.
— Powell Lacrosse (@powelllacrosse) August 28, 2020
He was an All-American for @jhumenslacrosse before going on to win 3 @MLL_Lacrosse Championships. Now he’s doing great things as head coach of @Towson_MLAX
Powell Lacrosse salutes @CoachNadelen! pic.twitter.com/ygN3tM1cx8
US Lacrosse CEO Steve Stenersen talking about racism and the “old boy network” in lacrosse in the latest episode of “Overtime” on Lax Sports Network.
"It's one thing to see kind of clear examples of racism on the field when a player says something to another player that's obvious. But some of the perpetuation of the old boy network, how do we bust that, relative to race?
— Lax Sports Network (@LaxSportsNet) August 28, 2020
-@uslacrosseceo on the latest episode of "Overtime" pic.twitter.com/0oQy7kgk0K