Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. The National Lacrosse League unveiled the Panther City Lacrosse Club out of Fort Worth, Texas, as its 14th franchise. A press release issued by the league detailed the origins of the unique team name, its logo and colors. Panther City LC will debut in 2021-22.
We are Fort Worth. We are Panther City! pic.twitter.com/q1qFN4tKmR
— Panther City Lacrosse Club (@PantherCityLax) November 17, 2020
"Every time I look at it, I think about what this logo is going to mean to our fans and community, and when I look at those eyes, I really feel bad for the other teams in the @NLL!" @BobHamley, our GM & VP of Operations pic.twitter.com/gLG4qfMdPv
— Panther City Lacrosse Club (@PantherCityLax) November 17, 2020
It’s pic.twitter.com/J9YfC5Kde2
— Panther City Lacrosse Club (@PantherCityLax) November 17, 2020
2. The Premier Lacrosse League unveiled its Method Man Capsule apparel line and vlog, the league’s latest collaboration with the rapper and actor of Wu-Tang Clan fame. Clifford Smith Jr. aka Method Man played lacrosse at Hempstead High School in New York and rekindled his connection to the sport over the summer by writing and recording the PLL Championship Series anthem, “Boom.”
3. Athletes Unlimited, the innovative multi-sport professional league that added women’s lacrosse last month, announced the launch of its Futures Program for elite middle- and high school-aged girls’ lacrosse players in the U.S.
4. Salisbury men’s lacrosse, always loaded, will be especially brimming with talent in 2021 thanks to the additional year of NCAA eligibility granted to spring sports athletes. Paul Ohanian caught up with Sea Gulls coach Jim Berkman and returning players who were eager to get back on the field after the COVID-19 pandemic cut short a season in which Salisbury was off to a 7-0 start.
5. National Geographic published an in-depth feature in its History & Culture section on the Iroquois’ quest to compete in Olympic lacrosse and their long struggle for recognition.
WHAT WE’RE READING
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How to train the right way while ramping up for your return to the field, sponsored content by Athletic Republic.
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The NCAA graduation success rate report. The four-class average for Division I men’s lacrosse rose from 89 to 91 percent, while Division I women’s lacrosse held steady at 97 percent.
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Major League Lacrosse’s story about Boston Cannons midfielder Kyle Jackson, “a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Native American” who connected with his Indigenous identity through lacrosse. Jackson is Ojibwe from the Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Sarnia, Ontario.
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How Wes Berg has used his good fortune to help provide opportunities for others, a Lacrosse All Stars story.
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An, ahem, well-done Q&A with Princeton’s Gaby Hamburger by the Daily Princetonian. (Hat tip to Kenny DeJohn for the dad joke. Come for the bad pun; stay for the interesting interview that touches on the gap-year phenomenon that gutted the Tigers’ roster.)
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
Kyle Harrison slow motion on a skateboard? Set to the original “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater” video game anthem “Ace of Spades?” Yes please.
Music got me. pic.twitter.com/RZptQbXsDh
— Kyle Harrison (@KyleHarrison18) November 17, 2020
Wondering what World Lacrosse’s new 6-on-6 Olympic discipline looks like? Lax Sports Network cut highlights of every goal in the exhibition a year ago between Team USA and the WPLL All-Stars.
Want to see what the @worldlaxsport "Lacrosse Sixes" Olympic discipline looks like in action? Here's every goal scored in last November's @USAWLax vs @prowomenslax game played under those rules (except with a :45 second shot clock instead of :30) from the LSN broadcast. pic.twitter.com/hfeGIRQQxB
— Lax Sports Network (@LaxSportsNet) November 17, 2020
WHAT’S ON TAP
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A story on Toby Burgdorf’s emergence as one of the preeminent goalies in college lacrosse after biding his time behind current PLL pro Tate Boyce.
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The latest in the IWLCA’s popular “Behind the Whistle” series with meaningful first-person perspectives of college women’s lacrosse coaches.