Search results for

GTL

They Just Want to Play

GTG Tour: Denver
January 11, 2013 By In Grow The Game

Editor’s Note:  Josh Acut is all for writing about positive steps that Texas Lacrosse can take to Grow The Game. Today he is reaching out to the lacrosse community to help some young Texas laxers in need.
________________________________________________________________________________

Over the years I have tried to stay true to the Grow the Game mindset.  Often, I get off track and get sucked into the petty stuff, but generally my mission remains the same.

This year I met a teacher in San Antonio, Texas who wanted to start a lacrosse team at the high school where she taught.  This teacher played both HS and Collegiate lacrosse, and really felt that her kids would love the sport of lacrosse.  Her students attend an inner city school that I can only describe as a not your typical lacrosse school.  The students are not your typical lacrosse players.  We often see pictures of inner city lacrosse programs, within lacrosse rich communities.  You hardly ever see inner city lacrosse programs in areas like this.

After a couple emails and phone calls, she put together an intro to lacrosse clinic and invited me out.  I brought around 40 sticks that Warrior/Brine Lacrosse had donated to the GTL Tour (Grow Texas Lacrosse), a lacrosse goal, and a bag of balls.  I drove into San Antonio, went through downtown, and yes… I had to call the teacher and ask, “is this the right place”?  She told me to park on the side of the street and she would help me unload the stuff and take it on to the field.  Little did I know that by field, she meant the outfield of the baseball field… During baseball practice!

We set everything up, and as soon as the bell rang, here they came.  She wasn’t joking when she said a ton of kids signed up.  There were almost 40 kids there.  There were even a couple of girls!  We taught them the basics: catching, passing, scooping, etc.  They ran some basic drills, and then we let them use what they just learned.  I forgot to mention the teacher played goalie, and that she jumped right in cage while I played defense.  The kids were excited to test themselves, but what happened next was amazing.

The one thing about “not your typical” lacrosse players is that they bring a different style of play.  They don’t do the regular roll dodge, or split dodge, or any other type of lacrosse move that you see on Youtube.  They bring their own style to the field.  They bring streetball moves to the game.  Where as Kyle Harrison has talked about incorporating basketball style moves on the lacrosse field, these kids are not incorporating those moves, they are using them naturally.  My 30 year old ankles, 31 now, almost got broke.  If their stick skills were better, I probably would have walked off in crutches.

We played for a while and the kids never grew tired, they wanted to keep playing.  That is why I am writing this.  That single concept of GTG was enshrined in that day.  These kids attend Highlands HS in San Antonio, TX.  Their coach, Mary Mattia, is working like crazy to make this happen, but like all new programs, they need help.  Unlike many new programs, they are not afraid to ask.  I was guilty of it as well, always wanting “new” equipment for new programs.  Mary just wants equipment though, she understands the cost of the game.  She asked if I knew of anyone that would donate some used equipment, and I said I do.  I would think by now I know the LAS Family and all of its readers.

The one thing that is constant amongst the LAS family is that we ALL understand the true meaning of GTG.  We all understand that helping others is just as important as helping ourselves.  I know that we all have an old piece of equipment, any piece of equipment, in our lacrosse bags, closet, cars, etc.  I am asking that you send it south to Coach Mary Mattia and the kids at Highlands HS in San Antonio, TX.  These kids want to keep playing and I know we can help them.  From sticks (NCAA Legal) to arm pads and chest protectors, anything and everything will help.

GTG Tour: Denver

Summer Lacrosse Drop: TEXAS!

B and W Sticks
August 31, 2012 By In High School, International

Two things were constant in the great state of Texas this Summer: the heat and lacrosse. Where to start… how about some international lacrosse game growing?!

Philippines Lacrosse Association In Texas

Philippines Lacrosse held its first ever Open Run Tryout and Organizational Meeting in Austin, TX at St. Stephens Episcopal. I can not thank our partners STX, South Swell, Cascade, and LacrosseAllstars.com for helping to make this happen.

philippines lacrosse banner

After LAS published the article on “The Search” (for Filipino laxers), there was an overwhelming response from all over the world, literally. We had guys from the US and Canada, as well guys in the Philipines and even Europe, all reach out to us. The amazing part is that we have had kids contact us wanting to get more involved, and that right there is why we all want to Grow the Game.

Once in Austin, we had one day of practice and then we took on the Austin Lacrosse Club. The practice was just that, practice. We had time to break the ice beforehand, so once on the field, we got straight to business, working on man down, and off ball movement. We tried to figure out our roles on the field really quickly.  Everyone understood that we needed to work real fast to get our groove, because even though our game versus Austin was a friendly, it would still set the tone for our group moving forward.

After about three hours in the Texas heat, we found our groove and called it a day.  That night a good number of us sat poolside and it was like we had been teammates for years. Trading stories and even getting in to the MLL versus LXMPRO debate, which could have gone one for days.  The next day we played the Austin Lacrosse Club.

Philippines Beach Lacrosse

I had to call in a couple players from the Dirty Birds LC, because we had only one sub.  Austin had a great group.  Many of them were transplants from the Northeast as well as Texas players, so the talent level was there for sure.  And with that said, the game began. Austin came out with two quick goals. Then another. And another. But we came back, and going into the second half we were only down by two.  The final score was 9-5, with Austin coming out with the victory… BUT we all walked away in a better place.  The game of lacrosse had just had a huge moment, and I could not have been any more excited for what the future holds.

Philippines Lacrosse

As Philippines Lacrosse works towards its FIL sanctioning, the GTG’ing will not stop.  We are sending a contingent to the Philippines in February, and are coordinating clinics at both the college and Youth-HS level. One of our main objectives is to field a Philippines Lacrosse team at the FIL World Championships in Denver 2014.

However, our key focus, is and always will be, the growth of lacrosse amongst Filipinos, and all nationalities, throughout the world.  To limit our efforts and resources to just growing lacrosse in the Philippines, would be the small piece of the big picture. The Philippines culture and its people, have spanned the globe, and we want to make sure that we introduce lacrosse to all Filipinos! Bottom Line… Our efforts are not just for our country, but for all our people.

Box Lacrosse In Texas? You Know It!

The Texas Box Lacrosse Association (TBLA), was a huge success in its inaugural season. Houston had a good season, but San Antonio came out and definitely had a great season. Joe Ernst and company have taken the leap… And in my opinion, they are well on their way to being a huge player in the Box Lacrosse world.

texas box lacrosse association

Why do I say this? Because the TBLA guys are playing true Canadian Box Lacrosse, not just “indoor”. Is it more violent… Not necessarily. Is it more physical… Definitely. Will it make you a better lacrosse player? No doubt!  #Cheers to the TBLA!

The Men’s Club Scene Keeps Brewing

Pabst Blue Ribbon Lacrosse, PBR Lite, and now Lone Star?!? Houston based Club Lacrosse is taking it to the next level for sure!  BUT don’t get it twisted, they aren’t just about their swag, Justin Rich and Co. run a tight ship and can lax it up with the best… In the country.  Troll through their website, PBRlax.com, and you’ll see what I mean.  BUT, I will say this, “the Dirty Birds LC DID beat PBR Lite!”, #cheers!

PBR BOX lacrosse jersey

And with that said, we’ll move to the Dirty Birds Lacrosse Club.  After a successful GCLA season, winning back to back GCLA Playoff Championships, the Dirty Birds LC took a couple of weeks off.  We then hosted PBR Lite, and with both teams running pretty light rosters, the Dirty Birds were able to get the “W”!  This Summer we also put on our very first Beach Lacrosse Event.  We had four teams total, two Dirty Birds squads, Team FROG, and Team FBLAX/YOLO.  For its first year… I think everyone had a great time.  Now we know what we need to do for next Summer, and hope to make it a 6-8 team event.  #boom!

Grow Texas Lacrosse Tour!

The GTL Tour: Grow Texas Lacrosse had a great Summer!  I have to give a huge shout out to both STX Lacrosse (Greg Tate) and Warrior/Brine Lacrosse (Ken Clausen) for all their support of the GTL Tour.  Because of their support we had very successful clinics with Reagan Lacrosse (San Antonio) and also a very successful youth lacrosse clinic in Corpus Christi, TX alongside the Dirty Birds LC.

GTL REAGAN

In the biggest project to date for the GTL Tour: Grow Texas Lacrosse, we were able to work with San Antonio ISD to get lacrosse not only introduced, but actually added into their PE curriculum!  Lacrosse will be covered over a 20-25 day span in all the HS, some Middle schools, and also at the Elementary school level.  Just two weeks ago, I was lucky enough to get a chance to teach the coaches some quick fundamentals and lacrosse safety.  We’ll be working with them throughout the year to help support the coaches as we “Grow Texas Lacrosse”!!!  #GTG

And with that said…  What a Summer!  Facebook and Twitter was filled with lacrosse posts.  Not just in Texas, but all over the world!  Now it’s time for Fall Ball!  Let’s Goo!

P.S.  It’ll be worth the wait, #Chewy2020!

B and W Sticks

Peace, Love, and Lacrosse,
Chewy

The GTL Tour: Grow Texas Lacrosse

Texas SUV flag
December 13, 2011 By In Club, Training

To Everyone and Anyone Lacrosse,

The GTL Tour: Grow Texas Lacrosse was an effort that was established to help “Grow the Game” of lacrosse in Texas. The idea started as a catch phrase, which turned into a t-shirt, and in the end, the GTL Tour has become a mindset.  The “tour” is more of a movement; a movement that hopes to not only support lacrosse programs in Texas, but introduce lacrosse to outlying and underprivileged areas.  Basically, take the “No Child Left Behind” concept, make it work, and incorporate the LacrosseAllstars.com “Grow the Game” Project and you have The GTL Tour: Grow Texas Lacrosse!!

Texas SUV flag

Grow the Game. Has nothing to do with this truck.

On behalf of the GTL Tour: Grow Texas Lacrosse and all of the GTL Tour Team we are proud to announce that Warrior and Brine Lacrosse will be providing the GTL Tour with 100 brand new lacrosse sticks!!!! You can only imagine how much good this will do to not only Grow the Game, but to help introduce a sport to kids and communities that would have otherwise never had the chance to learn or play it.

When Ken Clausen from Warrior/Brine Lacrosse, who is also a pro player in Major League Lacrosse, contacted me and told me that Warrior/Brine Lacrosse wanted to do this, I was completely amazed and literally brought to tears. Now because of this, the idea I had for the GTL Tour can become a reality.

2012 will be epic.  We’ll be setting up FREE lacrosse introductory clinics thoughout the State, but if YOU need help, or know a program or area that needs/wants help, please email us at [email protected].

And with that said… The GTL Tour: Grow Texas Lacrosse 2012 campaign is launched!

“Lacrosse For All!”

Thank You,

Josh Acut

Founder, The GTL Tour: Grow Texas Lacrosse

Lacrosse Week In TEXAS! Believe It!

bigger in texas
July 12, 2011 By In High School, Pro, Youth

Editor‘s Note: Josh “Chewy” Acut has done way more than his fair share of Growing The Game, and his focus has been decidedly on the great state of Texas!  He’s been working his tail off in Corpus Christi and San Antonio to make lacrosse as popular there as it already is in areas near Dallas.  Texas lacrosse is on the rise and it’s thanks to guys like Josh who just go out and get it done every single day.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In what just might be the most exciting thing that I could do in my mission to GTL: Grow Texas Lacrosse… I am proud to say that “Lacrosse Week” is getting some big time props and legitimacy… From the Governor of Texas!

Think I’m joking?! Nope! Check out the letter that came in the mail from the Governor’s Office, it even has a fancy seal. At first, my goal was just to get “Lacrosse Day” proclamations made throughout a number of Texas cities, but then I figured why not see if the State would at least recognize the idea on “Lacrosse Week”… and as you can now guess, THEY DID!

lacrosse letter state of texas

The letter!

But this little piece of paper won’t mean anything unless we ALL spread the word and “Just Play!”.

“Lacrosse Week” is going to be the last week in July every year from here on out.  On this week, I am asking that EVERYONE get out there and lax it up! Whether it’s a pick up game, the last game of your league’s Summer LAX, or even if you just go outside and “Hit the Wall” solo… the point is to “Just Play!”

Help me out as I try to make “Lacrosse Week” the biggest lax sesh in the State.  Even if you aren’t in Texas, lax it up anyways. If you ever needed a reason to lax, which is absolutely crazy to think, let this be that reason.

Help me make “Lacrosse Week” as big as it could be.

Help Grow the Game!!!

Be part of the GTL TOUR: Grow Texas Lacrosse!!!

Bottom line… Just Play!

What is “Lacrosse Week”? Lacrosse week is our chance as lacrosse players, coaches, parents, etc to raise awareness for the sport we love. Find someone who has NEVER played and teach them how to catch, pass, and shoot. Give the LXM PRO Tour a reason to come back to Texas… because we are the ONLY state in which “Lacrosse Week” exists. Help make Texas into an official Lax state.

Peace, Love, and Laxiness,
Josh “Chewy” Acut

bigger in texas

Grow Texas Lacrosse: South Texas Summer!

Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club
June 16, 2011 By In Grow The Game, High School
Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club

The Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club

Editor’s Note: Welcome Josh “Chewy” Acut back to LAS!  He’s got some awesome news out of South Texas in the ways of Growing The Game and finishing what one starts!  Josh is doing more for the game of lacrosse than any of us realize right now… it’s well worth giving him your full, undivided attention!  Grow Texas Lacrosse!!!!!

So, Summer LAX has officially started up again down South.  The PVC goals have been replaced with real lacrosse goals, the 361LAX Men’s Club Team won the 2011 Gulf Coast Lacrosse Association Championship, the FB LAX High School Boys’ Team survived Year One and accomplished something many doubted they would, and we have officially launched the FB LAX Girls’ team… What?!?!  YUP!

Yeah, you heard that right… THE FB LAX GIRLS’ TEAM is a reality!  And that’s just the beginning.  The 361LAX Womens Team is also in the works.  But back to the FB LAX Girls Team.

With all the buzz that’s been going on about the game of lacrosse in Corpus Christi, TX, it was just a matter of time before a girls team was launched.  A couple girls had started talking about it last year, but with all our attention focused on the Boys Team and the 361LAX Mens Team, the female side was never given any of our time… ’til now!

A couple Facebook messages and BAM!  We have a group of girls that are eager to learn and willing to work!  So just like before, we (Myself and Ryan Flores) bought some sticks, one of the girls had a couple that she brought, and it started.  But seriously, what do a bunch of dudes know about Womens LAX?!  Only what we saw online, and man oh man!!!   There are just so many versions of this, and ways to do that… yada yada.  We knew we were in over our heads.

Next year they’ll be talking about the ladies!!!!!

Luckily, we do have a couple of lady laxer’s from last year that moved away but were still easy to contact, Lauren and Katie, and we used their knowledge as a starting point…. But then we introduce Erin.  Erin Rawlick from the Naval Academy.  One of the top 2010 NCAA DI Leading Scorers, 2010 Tewarraton Watch List Candidate… Basically google her and you’ll see that she’s the FB LAX Girls Team version of the 361LAX Mens Team’s Dan Gnazzo.  We don’t want to seem cocky and say we have the BEST coach possible for these girls… But the facts is that we do.

Coach Brian Schafer (FB LAX Boys Team) put me in touch with Erin, and the rest is history.  Yes, she flies planes, which is sick, but she also loves lacrosse!  And she is more than willing to help us launch the FB LAX Gurls Team.  I could go on and on about how much Erin means to this program, but then all my gushing might start discounting the biggest part of the equation… The Girls Team itself!

The couple of times that I have met with the FB LAX Girls Team, they have been so stoked and eager to learn.  So many times in the past we’ve seen kids that want to play, but not learn, but these ladies want to learn.  They are not above learning the basics, and listen to everything that they’re being told… Thank God!!  Haha!  But they’ve hit the ground running and we hope to have a small girls “league” running by the Spring, and hopefully in the next year or so enter the Texas Girls High School Lacrosse League.

So as we kick off Summer LAX 2011 with the addition of the FB LAX Girls Team, we ask… What’s Next?!?!  and my answer to that is, who knows!

Peace, Love, and Laxiness,
@ChewyFrDaBluff

P.S.
Stay tuned for news on the NEWEST team to enter the Texas High School Lacrosse League… The Smithson Valley Lacrosse Club!!!  What What?!?

The GTL Tour: Grow Texas Lacrosse!!!

A New Rivalry And The Hardest Loss

flour bluff lacrosse club texas lacrosse lax
April 19, 2011 By In High School

flour bluff lacrosse club texas lacrosse lax

Editor’s Note:  Josh “Chewy” Acut is back with another story from the never-ending sage that is GTL: Grow Texas Lacrosse.  If you don’t know who he is by now, you’ve been missing out big time!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

So this weekend, the Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club had it’s first double header of the season.  We had a rematch with St. Anthony’s and a game versus Roosevelt, both of San Antonio.

The game versus St. Anthony’s has given birth to a rivalry, Private School versus Public School, the Bro’s from the Coast versus Lax in the City… and not only did we lose to them early in the season, but after my last LacrosseAllstars.com post, one of their players  decided to comment on how they “destroyed us” in the first meeting (11-5)…  The Bluff squad did see this post, but waited till the game to express their feelings.

From the get go the trash talk was apparent on both sides, and yes the spirit of competition does leave room for a little verbal exchange, but there was a point where both myself and the St. Anthony’s coach had to verbally reprimand our own players.  Mind you, their coach is like the Grizzly Adams of lacrosse coaches, HA!  The game was VERY physical, and
it became a typical Texas Lacrosse game with a number of football like hits on both sides.  The game was very sloppy on both sides, but in the end we lost 8-1.  But even though the teams came together to shake hands you could cut the tension with a dull spoon.  So the series is now 0-2, St. Anthony’s over the Bluff…

I cannot wait to see what happens when the New Kids on the Block… aren’t the new kids anymore.  I asked the kids if there was a rivalry and the response from them all was “Hellz  Yeah!”, and with that said… “To next year’s games!”

The second game of the day was versus Roosevelt, coached by Blake Radetzky.  Blake is truly one of Flour Bluff’s biggest supporters, and over the past season has become one of my closest friends in the fraternity of lacrosse coaches.  This, in my opinion, was the one game this season that I truly knew we could win.  Not because the Roosevelt squad was not good, but because they a very young program.  The game started off great, probably the best 1st half that we had ever played.

I gotta give mad props to Aaron P!!!  He is the smallest guy on our team, and he won’t deny it, but when it was him versus a much bigger attacker, he didn’t move, stood his ground , and took the hit.  Yes, he was bowled over, but he was able to slow the attacker down long enough for our resident enforcer, Nate G., to come cleanly check the attacker and cause him to lose the ball.  At the end of the half the score was 3-2 Flour Bluff!!!!  The half time talk was short and brief, but the message was clear: protect the ball, control the clock, and no matter what… do not get down if they score.

The 2nd half started off good… but then it happened.  The straw that broke the camel’s back, or the goal that broke our spirits…the Roosevelt’s shooter was #3.  Kid was good, real good.  Took his time, let our D chase him till they got anxious, and the rest was history.  He tied it up pretty quick.  Our D finally was able to contain him, but the extra man that we had to put on him left one of theirs open, and he was able to capitalize on that.  Right then you could see how tired our guys were.

Ironman lacrosse and a double header was not a good mix.  In the end, we lost 4-7… but unlike the losses that we have had throughout the season, this one took its toll.  I saw the emotion in the eyes of our players.  This wasn’t just a loss… this was THE loss.  The game that got away from them, the game they knew they could win.  Some were too tired to let the emotion surface, while others openly showed their frustrations.  I too had to walk away and compose myself.  Seeing them hurt this bad even took its toll on me.  They deserved this win,… They needed this win…

Afterwards, one of the players dad’s said it best, “It was 12 players versus 20…”

Overall, it was a good but hard weekend.  I can say that I feel that there will be a Year Two, and that is not just because I want it, but because you can see it in the kids’ eyes also.  One more game left in the season.  The countdown to 4/20 starts now as the Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club gets ready to face TMI out of San Antonio.  This is the last game of the year.  The end of Year One.

The stage is set for a David VS Goliath lacrosse match.  The game starts at 5:30 on Wednesday April 20… the sun will set after the last whistle is blown, and I have told a couple of the players this, “Play hard, leave it all on the field, let’s go!!!”

12 Players Strong.

Grow Texas Lacrosse: Ironman Trials And Tribulations

Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club: Grow Texas Lacrosse
March 24, 2011 By In High School

Editor’s Note: Welcome Josh “Chewy” Acut back to LAS!  Josh continues to bring us great insight on growing the game in Texas, so listen up and learn from a Certified Game Grower!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club

The Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club

Been super busy down South, but gotta write about GTL’in… Growing Texas Lacrosse!

I want to start off with the fact that I am so proud of what the Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club’s boys team has done.  This past year I have written about the trials and tribulations that this group has gone through.  And honestly, the only avenue that I feel comfortable talking about this through is LacrosseAllstars.com.

As much as I hate to say it, the coffin for South Texas lacrosse has been built.  The “nail” in that coffin seems to be rearing its head.

Injuries, reversal of commitments, and the lack of sheer numbers, has caught up with us.  There was an LAS article on a college team playing ironman lacrosse, but what do you call an Ironman High School lacrosse program… Kamikazes.

Week in and week out we preach “Growing the Game” and “Never Stop”, but the hurdles are getting higher.

We started with a couple dozen, then had a roster of 17, and now we actually are living game to game on whether or not we can even come up with 10 players.  To some it’s hard to believe, but trust me, this is our reality.

I just want the kids to know that we’ll fight for them to the end, we’ll “Never Stop” supporting them, and I am so proud of what they are trying to do as they “Grow the Game”.

This group of kids has made every minute of work, every ounce of stress, and every drop of sweat, worth it.  And though there is always a chance that the next game is the last, I want them to know how proud I am of them, how proud the coaches and staff are of them, how proud their parents and friends are of them, and how proud the lacrosse community is of them.

This is not a swan song, and I hope that my next piece is about how they made the playoffs, but I just want to make sure that I say what needs to be said before it’s too late.

The next Kyle Harrison is in South Texas.  The next Chazz Woodson is here also.  And yes, the next Brett Hughes and Connor Martin are here with board shorts and lax sticks… So stick around because this is not the end of the story… This is just the beginning.

Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club: Grow Texas Lacrosse

Brett Hughes with Josh and his son, a future Texas Lacrosse Player.

Peace, Love, and Laxiness,
Josh “Chewy” Acut

FB Lax… The hard work will pay off, it is paying off, and I promise you this, what you started… will “Never Stop.”

FBISD, Thank You for providing us with our first home.  The hot summer days on the soccer fields behind the high school is where this all began and one day I hope that this becomes the permanent home of the Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club.

Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club: Grow Texas Lacrosse

Grow Texas Lacrosse: GTL361 Recap & Update

Josh Acut Flour Bluff Lacrosse GTL 361
February 15, 2011 By In Grow The Game, High School

Editor’s Note: Welcome Josh “Chewy” Acut back to LAS!  Josh has been making unbelievable strides down in South Texas spreading the game of lacrosse.  He’s been organizing a men’s club, a HS club, a push for lacrosse overall in South Texas and has even been recruited to start up a new team about 2 hours away from where he currently lives.  This guy Grows the Game like it’s his job… it probably should be his job actually!  He’s just that good!!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Josh Acut Flour Bluff Lacrosse GTL 361

Josh running off the field, always with a smile on his face!

So…  What a BUSY couple of weeks!  With GTL361: The Bluff VS San Antonio happening and trying to get everything lined up for the Mens Team GCLA (Gulf Coast Lacrosse Association) season things have been pretty hectic down South.

The Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club’s High School Team had their first game at GTL361, and they played Central Catholic High School out of San Antonio, TX.  They ended up losing by a bit more then I care to mention (11-1), but the kids played hard, played fast, and played with a ton of heart.  They also only had one sub!!!  Central Catholic is a GREAT program, well established, well coached, and played with a lot of class.  Some might look at the score and beg to differ, but the kids played and that was the score, no one gave up and no one ran up the score. *Lone Goal from FB LAX cam from Bryston S.*

This past weekend the Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club’s High School team faced off VS Madison Lacrosse. This game was really close till the end of the 3rd quarter with Flour Bluff only being down 3-1.  The big kicker is that in this game, the FB LAX squad had NO subs!  Due to injury, safety concerns over driving conditions, and dual-sport athletes, we were limited to only 10 players.  Coaches Stephen Charlebois and Brian Schafer did a good job in rotating the players and in using timeouts wisely.  The Players themselves played a VERY physical game so between fatigue and some penalties late in the 2nd half, the Madison Lacrosse Club was able to take advantage and secure a hard fought 6-1 victory.  *Lone goal came from Nathan G. with HUGE hits coming from Ian M., Chris B., and Austin G.*

Overall its been a good start of the season for the boys and we could not be any prouder!  Their heads are up and they keep on workin’!

On the Mens team side…

GTL361 featured the 1st time the Flour Bluff Lacrosse Clubs Mens team has paired up with the Corpus Christi Mens Lacrosse team, in what proved a very successful plan because we beat the San Antonio Los Luchadores Lacrosse Club 6-5… Or 6-4.

Josh Acut Flour Bluff Lacrosse GTL 361

Love the uniforms, Chewy! Very nice!

This win prompted a decision to merge the FB Lax and CC Lax Mens team, to form the 361LAX Mens Lacrosse Team.  This team will be competing in the GCLA, the GTL Tour, and any other competitive lacrosse events in the Texas area.

Josh Acut Flour Bluff Lacrosse GTL 361

A little bit of game action.

So there you go… The past two weeks of lacrosse happenings down South.

Thank you STX, Lacrosse the Nations, Goodwill Industries, AND LacrosseAllstars.com for helping to make GTL361 a success!

Peace, Love, and Laxiness to all!

Chewy’s Out!

#Project_MLL_Texas!!!

Comment Of The Week!

LAS_Comment of the Week
February 12, 2011 By In Site News

In this week’s Lax All Stars Comment of the Week we’re honoring the winner of Wednesday’s Hot Pot Caption Contest. Hot Pot readers were asked to devise a caption for this photo:

Louisiana Lacrosse Coach

Certified Game Grower

The winning caption, chosen by Brunelle based on what made him ROFLOL (that’s Rolling On The Floor Laughing Out Loud people, get with the lingo), goes to Ryan H. for his classy Jersey Shore reference.

Lacrosse Photo Caption Contest Winner 2.11.11

Instant Classiccc! #GTL

Editor’s note: Yo, Ryan H! Hit us at [email protected] with your mailing address! You just won yourself something special no one else has ever received.

Another Editor’s note: You know what this winning comment reminds me of? A satire article we wrote for fun last March. Some did not see the humor in it, but I still LOL like Pauly D when I think about it! Linkage: Club Lax Takes A Trip To The Jersey Shore
____________________________________________________________________________________________

HONORABLE MENTION

On a serious note, our honorable mention goes out to a player from Southern Florida who commented on Connor Wilson’s breaking news article about Coach Rory Whipple leaving FSC to become the first head lacrosse coach at University of Tampa.

Real talk.

Too much slander going on in that comments section and not enough real talk. We were glad to see this player step up and tell it like it truthfully is for his former lacrosse coach.

People hating people is despicable. To truly understand a situation, you have to look at it from the 30-thousand foot view. Consider all the factors.
____________________________________________________________________________________________

BONUS: CAPTION CONTEST RUNNERS UP!

And now a few the comments that almost won the caption contest to help lighten the mood!

Con Bro recently spent some quality time in THE Baton Rouge.

MG just dogging 412.

Another instant classic.

What a brown noser.

Go to YouTube, find this commercial, compare!

Keep up the great conversations everyone!

Grow Texas Lacrosse: GTL361

Texas SUV flag
January 19, 2011 By In Featured, Grow The Game

Editor’s note:  Josh Acut and the Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club have some big news to announce.  I’ll let Josh do the explaining below, but LaxAllStars.com wanted to give a special shoutout to these guys for doing such a great job and keeping such a positive attitude.  Keep up the fantastic work, fellas!!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sometimes “Growing the Game” means more than just growing the sport of lacrosse.  We’ve been really busy in South Texas getting the Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club’s High School Team ready for their first game EVER, on January 29th, in Corpus Christi, TX.  With that being said, I figured we’d turn a simple lacrosse game into a FULL FLEDGED event, the GTL361!

We have one of the most established High School teams in the Central Texas area, Central Catholic High School (San Antonio), coming in to play the FB Lacrosse Club’s HS Squad, and we have the San Antonio Mens Lacrosse Club, lead by Billy Tauzin, who coached the France National Lacrosse Team, coming in for a rematch of GTL210.  What really adds to GTL361 is that we will be partnering up with both Goodwill Industries of South Texas to have a HUGE clothing drive and also Lacrosse the Nations in which proceeds from all admission/merchandise sales will go to them in their efforts to Grow the Game beyond our borders.

GTL361 grow texas lacrosse lax flyer

Nice flyer work!

We wanted to partner up with Goodwill Industries of South Texas because they give back year round and not only do they hold clothing drives, but they have a very successful Youth Mentor/Outreach program.  They will have a number of donation boxes at GTL361, but we have pushed that this event is not the only time that you can donate… You can donate ALL YEAR LONG.  So any time you ask yourself, do I even wear/need this anymore…  Donate it to Goodwill!  Did you know that OVER 90% of all money that they collect through sales and donations goes straight back into their community programs… I didn’t either until I went through their website and really did my homework on them.

Lacrosse the Nations was an easy organization to pick as a group that we wanted to work with.  I met with Brett Hughes a couple months back in Austin, TX, and he is truly dedicated to giving back, growing the game, and helping programs like ours succeed.  The GTL Tour is not the biggest lacrosse movement in the nation (GTL361 will only be our 2nd event) and the Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club is barely off the ground, but it is NEVER too early to start giving back.

And finally, STX Lacrosse will also be sending us some goodies, but I have to say THANK YOU to them because through the US Lacrosse Equipment Grant, they are OUR equipment supplier.  But let’s not forget Riddell/Onyx Lacrosse for sending us helmets to protect our heads… yeah the helmets are SICK and pictures will be coming soon.  Thank You to BOTH companies for giving us the means to supply the High School team with the protection they need.

January 29th will be a HUGE deal for us AND for our supporters.  I truly believe that after GTL361, Corpus Christi/South, Texas will embrace the “Fastest Game on Two Feet” and that lacrosse will be permanently etched into the sports culture in the South.

It’s Countdown Time…. Let’s Go!!!! GTL: Grow Texas Lacrosse!

Texas SUV flag

Grow the Game. Has nothing to do with this truck.

*Disclaimer-  The Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club’s Mens and HS Teams are not affiliated with Flour Bluff Independent School District.  Any questions or comments regarding the Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club can be sent to [email protected] or [email protected].

Fireside Chat with Josh “Chewy” Acut and Ismael Sanchez

flour bluff lacrosse club texas lacrosse lax
December 29, 2010 By In High School, Interviews

Editor’s Note: Muamer Razic interviews Josh “Chewy” Acut and Ismael Sanchez in the newest installment of our Fire Side Chat Series.  Josh and Ismael are two of the major driving forces behind the Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club in Corpus Christi, TX.  Muamer is starting the Spartans Lacrosse Team at his high school in Bowling Green, KY.  These guys are both building up new teams in some of the frontiers of American lacrosse.  Let the conversation begin!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What made you decide to start FB LAX?

Chewy:  I was a freshman in college, and some guys from Houston introduced me to the game. Then, 10 years later I saw some highlights on ESPN and decided to start a club. I called up some buddies of mine, and bought 6 sticks so I could the get kids interested. It blew up from there, I saw all the kids come out and it made me want to make it more formal.

Ismael:  Well all credit is due to Chewy.  Josh had the idea to “try something new”  and he got me out there to play, and I ended up quitting dodge ball because I loved it.  I had much love for the sport, and when I tried it I decided to actually grow it with him. I jumped in to play and loved it. Prideful. Making history.

flour bluff lacrosse club texas lacrosse lax

What was your inspiration?

Chewy:  I saw some Kyle Harrison highlights on TV and went on YouTube to find some more clips of him and those were probably my biggest motivations.

Ismael:  Josh was really mine; when I went and played I just saw what these guys were putting out and how the game really could be. I had so much fun and it really inspired me. It completely blew my mind. Getting out there with the guys learning how to play and it was so captivating for me.

Can you give us your lax background?

Chewy:  I’ve never played before, but then when I got interested in the game I started to learn how to play. If it would have been around back then I would have really gone all out.

Ismael:  Went one time and got hooked If it would have been here when I was growing up then I would have played my entire life.

What has been the biggest obstacle in this journey of yours and how have you overcome it?

Chewy:  Man, keeping the kids motivated is tough and it’s probably been the hardest thing to do. There aren’t a lot of programs here so they don’t see competition and they don’t see “the light at the end of the tunnel” I know it seems kind of weird, but I bribe them haha, I have small giveaways to keep them excited.

Ismael:  I would have to say motivation as well. We give them so much and all we ask of them is to play the game. I don’t think they’ve 100% fallen in love with it. Some of them have and some haven’t. I think once they start coming together as a team it’ll go great. I think once they play their first game the motivation will be there for them.

How are you growing your fan-base?

Chewy: I don’t think we have a fan-base other than family members, wives and girlfriends. We’ve tried get people to come out and show support but it’s tough. We get a lot on Facebook and Twitter. There’s some people here that say we’re doing a great job but they have yet to come out. We’re on TV and radio and you’d think people would come out and watch, but nothing.

Ismael:  We just use Facebook, Twitter, Local News Channels, and word of mouth. We just try to spread the word as much as we can. Just using all of the resources that are available to us.

What are 3 goals for your lax club?  What are you hoping to achieve?

Chewy: My top 3 goals are for the club to become a school based team within the next 5 years, for the men’s team to have a feeder program with the local university, and I want the GTL tour to take off and to get really publicized.

Ismael:Mine would have to be that the club grows and flourishes and that is is sustainable on its own, I would really like our club to be more community based.  I do a lot of volunteer work so I would love if we could give back to the community as well.  We’re asking them to support us so we should support them.  Then it would have to be that there is a means to an end, that we do get the schools to back us, I’d live to see lacrosse throught schools here in Texas. I really want this to be influential.

How is lacrosse  in Texas? How is it different, and how has it grown?

Chewy:  It’s weird. The people are either willing to teach and grow the game, or they just want to be the only laxer in Texas, I know I’ve met some people that don’t want to grow the game because they wanna be the only teams here.. Lacrosse in Texas is the red headed stepchild of all sports. The main sports here are Football, Basketball, and even Swimming?!?! There is not much support.

Ismael:  People here don’t know what it is. FYI, Texas is the biggest football state in the US. We lost a lot of our players to football. Everyone needs a run through about what it is. It’s not very existent. It’s non-existent unless you’re looking for it. You have some clubs but people don’t know that they are around.

How’s your schedule looking for 2011?

Chewy:  It’s crazy! The high-school team is playing every week, and the men’s team is playing 1 game every 2 weeks. Between my family, work, and lacrosse, my life is so busy.

Ismael:  I’m always busy between work and lacrosse. It takes a lot. The games for the HS are going to be great, the men’s league is gonna add a little stress. I do a lot of events here in TX so I am also very busy. Very Busy!!! a lot of sports activities along with the regular things of life. I actually use a calender now.

Can you describe your coaching style?

Chewy:  I am very hands-on. I’ll get in there and show the kids what to do. I can’t just tell them, I like to show them. I even get into the passing, cradling, and shooting drills with them.

Ismael: Not everyone starts out as a superstar so I get really excited when I see new things. I read the US lax mags and show it to the kids. The us lacrosse mobile app? I’m excited for that. When I see new stuff I get excited and want to show it to the guys. Safety is very important to me. Fundamentals are important.

Anything you’d like to tell the LAS readers?

Chewy:  Yeah, I want them to show support to you, or anyone trying to Grow the Game.  Everyone can help out in someway, wether it be with advice, scrimmages or whatever, I’m sure if everyone who reads this article helps you out, it will do a lot of good. LAS was set up for people to voice their opinion and spread some love of the sport of lacrosse. You’re using it to really Grow the Game and LAS is letting you spread your story because you are truly doing what their website it about. You’re  not trying to sell anything; you are truly trying to Grow the Game from the ground up.

Ismael:  We are really trying to get the state up to speed with lacrosse. I want everyone to realize that lacrosse is growing and that we have put our stamp here.

How committed are your players?

Chewy: It’s definitely a 50-50 split. 50% are really committed, and the others are thinking it’s going to be like a Summer league.

Ismael:  Our HS team is committed, mens league; some are committed. Other guys are committed when they have time. We don’t get mad because school is important. We’re not gonna pull them away from their studies. Most of our guys are committed. It’s about a 50-50 split with committed players and busy players.

Describe a day of practice/conditioning for FB LAX.

Chewy:  Well they get to the field, get their gear on, do some chill cradling drills, do some passing drills, man down drills (a lot), and then scrimmage. We drill for about 2 hours and I’d say it goes pretty well.

Ismael:  We start out stretching (very important), take them on some runs (cradling runs), run some drills (passing, man balls, ground balls) if we have new guys then we help them out as well, take them to the wall and teach them and give them the run down. Towards the end of practice we get in actual scrimmages, practices end whenever it gets tough to see the ball. Then we all get in a huddle and talk about how the practice went, what we did good, what we need to improve. Encouragement time.

Which version of GTL do you prefer? Gym-Tan-Laundry, or Grow-Texas-Lacrosse?

Chewy: GROW TEXAS LACROSSE! We have a purpose. Our goal is to create high-school programs. You may want to look like the situation, but our situation is for real! We are working on expanding the game in more of Texas.

Ismael: GROW TEXAS LACROSSE! I don’t tan, go to the gym, or tan. And all I do Is lax for that! Lacrosse is my workout and tan!

grow texas lacrosse lax flour bluff corpus christi

GTL210: Just Play

Just play!
December 21, 2010 By In High School

Editor’s Note: Welcome Josh “Chewy” Acut back to the Lax Network.  Josh is one of the major forces behind a Grass Roots effort in Corpus Christi, Texas, to grow the game of lacrosse.  Every time we check in with him he has more good news and fantastic lacrosse ideas.  He keeps a positive attitude, never gives up and if there were more people like Josh out there growing the game, lacrosse would already be more popular than baseball!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

GTL this, GTL that…  Three letters that are eternally etched into our vocabulary, but OUR “GTL” means a lot more than just “Gym, Tan, Laundry”, OURS stands for Grow Texas Lacrosse.

What was supposed to just be a t-shirt has become a tour, a mindset, and a mission.

This past weekend, the San Antonio Los Luchadores Lacrosse Club and the Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club came together for GTL210: Just Play.  ”Just Play” because that is all we wanted to do.  No crazy entrance fees, no rules and regs, just get two teams, from two different cities, to come together to play lacrosse.  Then we added in a Girls LAX clinic with Katie Burton Carroll (Georgetown)… which was pretty cool in and of  itself.  Oh yeah, STX lacrosse was there too showing off the NEW 2011 line-up!  All in all, it was a BLAST!

This game was the Flour Bluff Mens team’s 1st time to ever really play together (against someone else), and the SA Lax Club were gracious hosts.  They could have easily beaten the tar out of us, and yes, they did win the 1st game.   But they also took time to show us what we needed to do in certain situations and how to do things a little differently, that could affect our game big-time.  Their instruction while playing meant a lot to us, and showed that they wanted us to get better also.

In the end, it was a great weekend!  The Men’s team from Corpus Christi got to play some real lacrosse, the High School girls lax’ers from San Antonio got a treat with a spectacular girls clinic, and WE all were able to “Just Play”!  January 29th will be GTL361: Battle in the Bluff, it’s also the same weekend as the very 1st OFFICIAL High School Lacrosse game in Corpus Christi, TX!  Big things planned for 2011, stay tuned for more!!!

“Don’t be mad at the LAX that I got, I’m just, I’m just Chewy from the Bluff!”

Hot Pot Of Lax: Shirts Optional

rick-ross-summer-jam1-390x365
December 9, 2010 By In Hot Pot

Start your Thursday off with Rolling Stone’s Jams of the Year.

There’s a debate about undershirts beginning to heat up on this website and I don’t really like it.

If and when 412 comes out with a post about this topic tomorrow, I hope he did his homework. Some great players like to expose their guns.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

THE COOKER

- Remember the Gym Tan Lax tanks? 412 Lax & the masterminds behind GTL have teamed up to give away 1 tank per 50 new fans 412 Lax gets throughout the month of December. That could mean a lotta FREE TANKS!

- And that’s not it. 412 is also giving away a Nike dyed chrome head if 20 more people by his t-shirt by Monday. Do it to it!

- HeadWrapz strikes again with a Washington Stealth Goalie Helmet | Sweet Sweet Lax

- New segment on The Spoon Feed: Girl Of The Day

- Last night, I went and watched Antoine Walker’s NBA D-League debut. It was fun to watch him play, and for being out of the game for the past 2 years, he did look solid (other than the 3-pointer he air balled in the 2nd quarter).

- The 50 Most Embarrassing Athlete/Coach Photos | BleacherReport

- Lacrosse Evolution Announces Winter Clinics for 2011

- USILA Awards for Contributions to Collegiate Lacrosse | LaxPower

- US Lacrosse Names Ann Kit Carpenetti Director of Game Administration | LaxMagazine

- And finally, I leave you with the best Holiday Gift Guide you ever did see.

NKOTB: Trouble In Paradise?

154206_459373211990_586071990_6058323_7044591_n
December 8, 2010 By In High School

Editor’s Note: Welcome back Josh Acut! He has another update on the South Texas/Flour Bluff LC team’s progress!  Some road bumps are expected.  It’s how you bounce back!
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

So over the past couple of months it seemed like all was good and the Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club’s High School Team would be good to go and launch this Spring.  I was the biggest supporter, often times preaching to the kids that anything we believed in, we could make happen.

We were all tested these past three-four weeks when we realized that not only were we running low on money, but we were running low on committed players. Now please remember that down in South Texas, lacrosse isn’t the “Fastest Sport on Two Feet”, it isn’t anything but a random page on Facebook, random tweets on Twitter, and a sport that in most eyes is considered… oblivious.

After tryouts, meetings, scrimmages, etc, we have thirteen high school players.  The draw was no longer there, the “love” that some had shown in the past had waned, and in the end, 13 remain.  For these 13, we have pulled resources, we have asked of them more than any coach would.  We ask them to be ready for the worst.  We ask them to practice harder than they have in the past, knowing that they are between a rock and a very hard wall.

Nice helmet sticker! Great idea to Grow the Game!

The deadline for our dues was fast approaching and myself, the Board, and the coaching staff had to decide whether or not to send the money in for the year. The kids want this.  They have expressed the desire to learn, work hard, and grow.  Because of this we have decided to move forward and launch the High School team.

Some will question this move.  Some will say that we are setting these kids up to fail.  Some will bet against us… and to those… we feel the same.  We, the kids and the staff, understand that we will be up against all odds.  With only 13, we have no room for injury, no room for quitting, and we must expect the worst.

With that said, the kids have gone back to the basics, no more YouTube… strict practices going over and over the fundamentals.  They know that they cannot afford to be fancy; they must learn to do the most fundamental of lacrosse skills faster and better than the other teams.  As you read this, and hope that there is a Cinderella season in the making, understand that we know that this season might have a bad ending.  We understand that we will have to work that much harder than the other teams just to get to a competitive level.

So all of that is to say, now it’s time to go to work and have some fun!!!

To the kids on the Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club’s High School team and to ALL other High School teams…  I met Brett Hughes this past weekend and he said it best… “Play with Passion”.

Stay tuned for more!!

In Latin Wednesday Means Lacrosse Drop

NY Tech CW Post lacrosse
November 17, 2010 By In College, Gear, Grow The Game, International

I’ve never hated Wednesday. At this point in the week my hate is already gone. I try to spend it all on Mondays and special Tuesdays.  By Wednesday, I’m thinking about the weekend.  In college, Wednesday was often game day in the Spring, so there’s that as well.  Like Martha Stewart says, “it’s a good thing”.

US Indoor Team 18-man Roster

The 18 man roster for the US Indoor Lacross Team has been released. The roster lists 18 of the 23 spots that will make up the US Team for the World Indoor Championships that will be played in Prague later this winter as well as the pool of players still under consideration for the final 5 spots.  Erik Miller is the goalie and everything is once again good with the box world.  Lots of Salisbury love on the indoor team.  And Hotaling from Naz is in the pool.  D3 shout out!

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lax Video Fail

Maybe the D just needs to lay body a bit more, huh?

______________________________________________________________________________________

Lax Video Win

Paul Rabil loves the swim dodge.  No one questions that.  See what it is like for the big man.  Great work by IL with helmet cam out in Hawaii. Almost as good as the UCONN helmet cam!  We’ll see more and more of this.  I guarrrrrrr-an-TEE it!

______________________________________________________________________________________

Non-Lax Video: Win – Cats

Are these alligators even serious?  It’s a cat.  See Tumbas?  Cats ARE awesome.

________________________________________________________________________________________

The BIG Three

Adelphi, CW Post (’09 & ’10 National Champs) and NY Tech are called the Big 3.  If you’re asking, “why?” you probably didn’t grow up on Long Island.  But that’s ok.  Really!  The reason is that all 3 schools are located within 10 miles of each other, they are hotbed heavy schools and at one point or another they have each been THE program in Division 2 lacrosse.

Post and Tech doing battle in the 2000s.

Matt Schomburg, an STX rep and graduate of Adelphi, organized the alumni event and I was all set to get out there when disaster struck and I couldn’t make it.  Needless to say, I was really bummed.  I now have a valid license so I can make it out there next time!  Of course, the LIRR would be running funky on a weekend where I really needed it!

Sandy Kapatos (Adelphi), Tom Postel (CW Post) and Jack Kaley (NY Tech) all came back for the event to coach their own alumni teams, which were made up of alumni that were at least 30 years old.

IL covered the Big Three Tournament and Adelphi, NY Tech and CW Post alums alike all seemed to have a great time.  It looks like this event will be back next year and I’m truly excited to hear that so I can be there!  Gordon Purdie (now the head coach at Adelphi) was even in attendance!  He’s an Australian lacrosse legend and someone I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.  I’d love to see him play again.  At 50 years old (or something like that) he still flys around like a 20 year old.  Energizer laxer.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Maverik, Haverford and New Uniforms

Yesterday Maverik sent out a Press Release about teaming up with Haverford, a Division 3 school out of the Centennial Conference.  The Black Squirrels morphed into a real contender last year and they are now one of the vaunted D3 bastions of academic and lacrosse excellence.  With all white Maverik gloves they need new uniforms and an upgrade to their helmets.  I REALLY hope they don’t go with all white lids.  Let’s help them out!

Not a BAD effort but not great.

The shorts are a bit basketball-y for me.  The helmets are ok and I like the logo decal on the side.  They can keep that!  My uniform suggestions are just a little more… striking.  I think that’s the word.

Black Squirrel logo the shorts & sleeve of jersey.

Haverford kept their helmets simple with red and black only.  They even kept the black facemasks.  I always liked this look but I think the helmets I’ve come up with are a big improvement.  The best logo for the helmet would be the white outline only of a black squirrel.

The helmet would be shiny black. The visor and mohawk would be flat black.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Grow The Game

Chris Weed is representing out in Chi-town.  Sick lid, sick T, sick lax!

Chitown's finest. Growing the Game!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Grow Texas Lacrosse

We got a great flyer from the Flour Bluff Lacrosse Club touting the first Grow Texas Lacrosse event.  Check it out!

Grow. Texas. Lacrosse!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Futuristic Lacrosse Uniforms

Sometimes all a good lacrosse uniform needs is a little design inspiration… and we don’t even have to leave the world of sport!  I could see either of these units (flanking the Thailand jersey) making great club unis! The NEXT Thailand uniform is going to VERY special. But that’s all we can legally say right now!

I'm just looking for a little inspiration here! Very nice.

BONUS: Weekend Lacrosse Drop

all grey makes me want to sell out on GBs.
November 13, 2010 By In College, Gear, Pro, Training

With all the tech improvements we’ve been making, I haven’t really been able to post much.  Needless to say, it’s probably made me an unbearable person to be around.  Apologies to Rachel for that!  Now I’m all sorts of backed up with lacrosse overload and need to purge.  We’ll all feel better after this, I promise.

Growing the Game

Growing the Game.  It’s our theme.  If there’s lacrosse out there, we want to talk about it.

Down in South Texas the game of lacrosse is growing like gangbusters.  Josh Acut, who writes for LAS, is one of the guys spearheading the effort and he recently informed me (and I’m sure some of you reading!) of an upcoming event called GTL.  No, not Gym Tan Lax this time (although that does come up later) but Grow Texas Lacrosse.

There will be an event on December 11th in San Antonio.  So far a couple of MCLA teams and men’s club teams are going.  A high school all-star team or two may participate as well.  LAS is definitely trying to get down there to cover this one.  If you’re interested in going, I say go for it!  Reach out to Josh and see the lacrosse frontier:  South Texas.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sideline Gear for Coaches

Team LaxPrax, a youth team out of New Jersey got these shirts for the coaching staff.  These dads might be bigger gear heads than their kids!  Is that even possible?  Neon can go oh so wrong but this is working nicely!

The black is slimming.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Skill Building

For anyone (read: everyone) looking to get better and keep their skills sharp, the shooting over the cage drill is great.  It  forces you to shoot high to high and most importantly, it forces you to do so over hand.  A downward motion is simply required to make this shot work.  I like to place two cages next to each other about 10 feet in front of the target goal and have the kids shoot from 8-10 yards out on the run or as a catch and shoot scenario with planted feet.  But the way the D1 guys do it at Mount St. Mary’s works too.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

GREAT Division 3 NCAA Highlights

SUNY Potsdam plays in the Div. 3 SUNYAC League, which is made up of many of the State University of New York schools.  Here’s a nice 3 minute highlight tape from 2009-2010 of what they like to call “North Country lacrosse”.  Nice work, fellas!

Think they’ll give Cortland a run for their money in 2011?  When one team in a conference leads the way, others often follow.  Could Potsdam be the Stevenson, Tufts or Haverford of the SUNYAC?  Or will that title remain with Geneseo?  So many D3 questions…

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Looking Good in Grey

Last week I mentioned how good looking all grey practice shorts and reversibles would look.  I had heard BYU was taking this approach and after I sent them an email, Victoria Harris of allamericanshots.com delivered the goods. BYU looks just as good as I thought they would.  Maybe better.  It’s just so… what’s the word?  Blue collar.  Without being camo.  Well done Cougars!  And if you’re in the Utah area (Provo specifically.  cue Ocean’s 11 joke…) then get Victoria to shoot your games.  She does great work!

all grey makes me want to sell out on GBs.

The grey uniforms are ALMOST as good as the photo itself.

lunch pail. I sit on steel girders and eat my lunch out of a pail. blue collar.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lacrosse in Thailand Getting More and More Exposure

A sports show in Thailand covered the Thailand Lacrosse Association‘s first game against Hong Kong.  Nice to get this kind of attention during the earliest stages of development.  The crowd isn’t huge, but it looks like it was raining.  At the same time, whenever anything happens the crowd makes some good noise.  Thailand just loves sports, I guess!  My only real question is this:  Can we please get that girl a bigger microphone?  I mean, really.  At around the 4:40 mark, some dude from Baaaaaahston drops knowledge.  ”And I like… violence.”  Great quote, guy!  I wish I could speak Thai but I have no idea what the girl is saying. Sorry.  I’ll work on that.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Quick Video Highlight – BTB at 10 Years Old

19 seconds of innocuous youth ball.  3 seconds of behind the back silk.  Quick hitter. Worth it.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Great Stuff via the Mail #1

Guess what else I received in the mail this week?  Yeah, these rad Gym Tan Lax tanks from Florida Lacrosse.  These are the originals, the real GTLs and I couldn’t be happier.  I’ll be a lax bro and a hipster at the same time.  And you said it couldn’t be done!

WHY IS IT WINTER IN NYC ALREADY!?!?! I need a vacation so I can wear these outdoors.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Stuff via the Mail #2

I also got a DVD from Chris Fox (our sole Canadian LAS contributor!) called Rugburn Lacrosse.  It’s a highlight video of the 2009 NLL season and has feature sections as well on players like Casey Powell and Brodie Merrill.  The passing sequences are crisp and impressive and the video clearly shows you how important changing angles is on shots, especially in close.  Good stuff for field and box players alike to know how to do!  I’m a field guy by nature but I’d recommend this to anyone!  Great action and you can buy Rugburn Lacrosse for $24.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Future of Lacrosse Gear – Materials

Finally, what if sneakers influenced lacrosse gloves?  If they did, I’d definitely buy any of these potential combinations.  Manufacturers have it easy…  just copy the sneaker trends!

Metallic is doable. That's basically chrome. Yeah, I said it.

This grey and green synthetic combo screams lacrosse glove.

Gingham. What did you call me? Gingham.

Sweet Sweet Fridays!

September 10, 2010 By In Gear, Lifestyle

It’s Friday. Take a moment and thank The Man for a solid 4-day week full of [insert best thing that happened to you this week].  Editor’s note: For us that’d probably be Buffalo Trace bourbon. Drop yours in the comments section!

And what’s a Friday without something sweet? Here’s this week’s top swag from Sweet Sweet Lax. Make sure you check in with SSL each and every day. And while you’re at it, LIKE it on Facebook too. All the Florida Gator players like it, we think.

1) GTL Tanks spotted in the wild

Note to players: Make sure you read that #MarketingTip!

2) Nixon Gunship Collection

We know one guy who is drooling over this.

3) Nike Pro Combat Football Unis

So hot right now.

4) Did We Mention The Hokie Domes?

Duke Duke Duke…

5) STX Assault Gloves, Sweet Sweet Lax Edition

Give us 2 more color zones and we’d have myself the ultimate mit!

And now, a very important recommendation…

Eat like a Warrior Product Manager TODAY!

Best Of The Spoon Feed

August 6, 2010 By In Lifestyle

LaxAllStars Spoon Feed

Summertime and the living’s easy on the Lax All Stars network.  What better time to dive into another edition of the ever popular Best of the Spoon Feed.

For the post-college laxer summer is the time for BBQ’s, summer league, summer tourneys, swimming pools and sunburns, but there are hidden dangers around every turn.  When you reach a certain age and those fresh memories of college life start to fade away, the new car smell starts to fade from your body.  Body parts you didn’t know existed start to hurt and you spend an inordinate amount of time worrying about the affects of eye strain and stiff lower backs. Life becomes much more complicated than deciding whether or not to shoot for the corner or off-stick hip.

But the most obvious signal that I’m not 20 and guzzling bag-o-wine in my parent’s basement is the crippling hangover that strikes after any night out on the town.  It used to be that I’d bounce back like Popeye, but not anymore.

Case in point: Last night I was able to trick myself into enjoying a soda or two like it was 2003 all over again.  Thirsty Thursday just like the old days.  The old days which included clever arguments like “Monday is the new Sunday” and “Tuesday is dollar beer night”, “Wednesday is halftime” and “Thursday is the ‘real’ start of the weekend bro.”  Indeed.

Fast forward to 2010. Take one part hot tub, 5ish parts Gin and Tonic, and some delicious burgers supplied by Mitchy B. aka “W1LDF1RE” and you have a recipe for a Friday morning filled with blinding headaches and regret.  They say that you’re only as old as you feel and that would make me one of the Golden Girls today.

Not the sassy one either, but the old(er) one.


Yeah that’s about right.

Thankfully I’ve got a fountain of youth to brighten my day over on the Spoon Feed.

Here’s what you missed this week.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Honorable Mention

#1 Alabama Crimson Tide Mockups


#2 Billboard near LeBron’s Bath Township house conveys a tough message


_________________________________________________________________________________

5. Celebrate the premiere of Jersey Shore by purchasing your own GTL Tank

_________________________________________________________________________________

4. YouTube parody of “The Social Network” – For you nerds out there.

A YouTube-themed parody of the forthcoming “The Social Network” movie about Facebook. Written and co-directed by Jeff Loveness, a Jimmy Kimmel Live intern. To fully appreciate, watch the original. (via boingboing.net)

_________________________________________________________________________________

3. Ali sees “Rocky II:” The Greatest as movie critic

_________________________________________________________________________________

2. Stop Trying to Be a Mad Man – Yes, all of you.

_________________________________________________________________________________

1. Where’s the Future? Will Ferrell’s Tour of Tech That Never Took

_________________________________________________________________________________

And one last thought….

Get used to it, the Epic Sax Guy is the new rickroll

And this only the beginning. Check out the rest of The Spoon Feed and see what else you missed.

_________________________________________________________________________________
Got a question or news tip? Want your team covered?
Email the author of this post at [email protected]