The men’s lacrosse team has great expectations for the 2013 season after finishing the 2012 season with the best record in school history.
“The intensity level has been great,” said senior captain Kyle Calabro. “Practices have gone really well and if we keep practicing relentlessly and our work ethic stays high, we should do great this year.”
Calabro thinks he team worked hard through the off-season with time between the fall ball season and the spring. He said players have a great attitude and show determination to perform just as well as last season.
“Everybody hit the wall, and the weight room, sprinting. Just doing things to better themselves for the season,” said Calabro.
Junior Paul Stewart is happy to have depth within the team this year and looks for every player, first years included, to step up and give it their all.
“Our team is pretty young, so as long as we group together as a team, I think we will do really well this season,” he said. “We have a little bit more depth at certain positions, so a lot more people will be able to get a lot more time, getting more people on the field. Where as in the past we had one or two key guys, everyone is going to have to step up and play this year.”
Players and coaches agree that working as one unit is what will keep the team focused and driven.
“I’m excited about the effort that the guys are putting in. They seem to be training hard, and we’re having some fun. So we are having a pretty good five days so far,” said men’s lacrosse head coach Jim Ricardo.
Through winter break and the off-season, the team worked hard training to become better prepared for the season.
“Working out, playing wall ball, and shooting drills, so that when we pick up in January as we did” said Ricardo “We’re hoping it’s a continuum and not an off-season per say.”
Ricardo said the challenge is matching the team’s very best level of play.
“We lost one of the all time best players when Lee Blair graduated. So we have to replace our quarterback on offense, a guy who averaged about 62 points per season. That’s a lot of points to replace,” Ricardo said. “But we’re very fortunate to have six of the 10 starters returning, so we want to build around that.
The team works hard practicing and preparing for the season to start as they travel to Austin, TX to play their first game against Centenary College on March 3, and another game in Austin against Southwestern University on March 6.
The Cougars have their first home game on March 13 against Hood College at 4 p.m.