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Matt Landis signing with Under Armour
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Matt Landis: From Pelham To UA

I want to take a moment – in the off season in particular – to recognize Matt Landis, the Tewaaraton finalist defenseman from Notre Dame.

Matt Landis signs with Under Armour

We need more role models like Matt in the lacrosse world for a lot of reasons.  He was the top defensive player in the nation, starting in all 15 games for the Irish in 2016. He picked up 31 ground balls and led the team with 18 caused turnovers.  Matt is the 5th defensive player to be a Tewaaraton finalist but he is the first defensive player ever to be chosen as an Under Armour athlete.

I feel obligated to offer a BIG congratulations to any lacrosse player that joins the ranks of Tom Brady, Steph Curry, Jordan Spieth and Lindsay Vonn.  Our sport is truly gaining international recognition.

Matt Landis playing hockey
Matt Landis playing hockey for Pelham Memorial High School

I mentioned the “off season” of lacrosse because I would be willing to bet Matt Landis didn’t have time to even look at his lacrosse stick in the off season.  We never want to let our skills go dormant but we do want to play other sports at a high level to complement our lacrosse game and make us well rounded athletes.  Matt wrote the book on competing in many sports at a high level. Parents, students, coaches, athletic directors, lax-bros of all ages, please take notes.

In addition to four seasons of lacrosse at Pelham High School, Matt was a superstar on their football and hockey teams. He earned 3rd team All-New York State linebacker during his junior year, he was All League Westchester County his Sophomore and Junior year, he was the football team’s defensive MVP as a sophomore and a junior, he played 4 seasons of hockey, he earned first team all-state (Division II) accolades as a junior and senior, he was two time hockey team captain, he received the 2012 Russ Simons Sportsmanship Award, he was a three-time Westchester County All-League, he was Pelham Memorial’s 2012 Athlete of the Year, he was an honor roll student, a member of the National Science Honor Society and he graduated with a 3.410 GPA.

Something tells me Matt’s schedule was not limited to a hectic, year-round travel lacrosse team.  In fact, I know it wasn’t because he didn’t start playing organized lacrosse until 9thgrade.  Think about that for a minute.

We’re quodophiles here at CaseyPowell.com, and all I can think of is that Matt Landis has been in touch with Ralph Waldo Emerson.

“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”

– CP

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