Cortland Men’s lacrosse is gearing up for a spring season that doesn’t quite look like it has the past two decades.
The team is now under the guidance of their dynamic new head coach, Lelan Rogers. He has an impressive track record and is looking to continue that by taking over the new role. He has his own rules and obligations that the men must follow to be a part of the team, and that starts with their preparation.
The team’s preparation involves a combination of individual conditioning and personalized skill development. On the lacrosse field, players are not only pushing their physical limits in intense conditioning drills, but they are also tuning their craft with a focus on individual skills. Men on the team are practicing their game through precision moves, sharpening shooting accuracy, and perfecting their passing and catching.
“This offseason was a very important and action-packed winter,” Johnny Bowen said. Bowen, a five game starter for the Dragons notched an assist vs Oswego in their 22-5 rout of Lakers in late April.
Bowen continues, “In preparation for the season, I met with my trainer three times a week while also getting some live reps against some of my buddies from home to get ready for some live-action lacrosse. Another important part of my off-season training was rehab with a local athletic trainer to get my body right and in preparation for a healthy season. Lastly, once a week I meet with a specialist to work on my mental health which is very important as an athlete.”
But, that is not all because anticipation is abundant as team practices adapt more into team preparation. Coach Rogers has introduced along different offensive and defensive schematics throughout the spring as well.
“This offseason I made sure to get ready for this season,” Dino Bowen said. “After completing my first season with the Red Dragons I had to make sure I came back better than last year. At least twice a week my brother Johnny would go to the field and get some live reps with a couple of buddies who also play at the collegiate level. With a new coach, I also took mental reps by going over all the new defensive schemes and play calls once a week with my brother.”
The team hasn’t forgotten about their dreadful loss to SUNY Geneseo last year in the SUNYAC Championship. Multiple players on the team have the picture on their phone lock screen of the scoreboard when they lost last year as motivation.
“We lost to Geneseo for the first time in a few years in the championship, so I feel that everyone on the team is a little extra motivated this year,” Travis Wagner said. “Last year was a huge letdown for all of us that had bigger goals than a SUNYAC championship, such as the National Championship. Nothing will be given this year.”
Cortland Men’s lacrosse is in the middle of an exciting preseason as they prepare for the upcoming spring season with a fresh start under a new head coach. By the looks of the teams’ determination and attitude toward this upcoming season, it’s safe to say that the team will be out there playing with a vengeance.