Down the Alley

 

July 2024

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It’s great to be back. After a long hiatus, all lacrosse michigan will resume its coverage of this great game. You see, I retired back in June. After 7 full seasons as a teacher, and 40 years of working for a living, it was time to kick back and relax. Now I can devote more time to taking photographs and entertain you all with some witty prose. It may not come on a Monday (Monday Morning Mumbo) – the articles may hit on a Wednesday, or Friday or whenever - hence the new title. At any rate, I’m back and I’m full of opinions and information!

 

A New Landscape

It is good to see some new blood making news in high school lacrosse. For many years, the teams that had success were Catholic Central, Brother Rice and Hartland. They were staples in the Division I semi-finals. They still are, for sure, but it’s nice to see programs like Lake Orion, Clarkston, Rockford, and Grandville playing in important games.

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Over in D II, the usual suspects seem to be ALWAYS there. Detroit Country Day, Forest Hills Central, East Grand Rapids and Forest Hills East, so it’s great that schools like Lowell and Grand Rapids Catholic Central pushed their way into the late rounds – Lowell in ’23 and GRCC in ’22 and ’23.

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The game is growing, to be sure, it seems to have bounced back a bit from the COVID plandemic, and I pray that it continues to do so.

 

Concordia Says Adios

This is difficult to write, for sure. I had and still have a personal stake in the lacrosse programs at Concordia Ann Arbor. My daughter played there, and I’ve made a number of friends and very strong acquaintances through the years. But, due to some financial mismanagement and a weak attempt to try to stay open, the athletic department will shut down after the 2025 school year.

 

That means that a highly successful lacrosse program is being shut down. The women won a WHAC title back in 2021 and the men’s program has been outstanding the last few years, winning WHAC titles in 2022 and 2023, earning bids to the NAIA National Championship tournament. My heart goes out to the coaching staffs and players who gave their all to make the programs the best they can be. Hopefully, the final seasons will be successful, and everyone plays their best – for the game.

 

6x6 Goalie Camp Celebrates its 8th Season

The best lacrosse camp going, the 6x6 Goalie Summer Camp will celebrate its eighth season this July at Hope College. The camp is sold out and will feature twenty-eight staff members, the largest in its history. My daughter started there as a student and has been on the staff for the last few years and it’s overwhelming to see the growth that she has made as a player and teacher.

 

And for the other students who have attended and learned over the years, they have made incredible strides as well. So many goalies are advancing to the next level and becoming impact players in college. And, more importantly, the students are becoming aware of the importance of mental health, communication, developing a friend base and being resources for those who are struggling. We see too many athletes, in all sports, who are becoming pressured, being treated negatively and unfortunately, taking their own lives. 6x6 and Goalies Matter are working to break the stigma of mental health and trying to prevent these tragedies. Later this month, I will have plenty of pictures to share on alm – stay tuned.

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