The world of lacrosse is a fascinating sport to cover. Two of Cortland’s finest, T.J. Pilewski and Ryan Cullen explain the ins and outs of their preparation for this lacrosse season.
Lacrosse provides athletes such as T.J. and Ryan with a profound sense of team-building skills, full-body workouts, high-intensity training, enduring loss and experiencing wins. Lacrosse is also a great way to learn discipline and work toward endurance.
At the moment Cortland’s club lacrosse team does not have any particular rival but this does not limit their competitive spirit nor that of their competitors.
Last season they were ranked among the top teams in the league, ranking 8th out of 20 over the past several years. This season the team plans to work harder and faster so that they can finish in the top three. “We still have a lot of work to do,” says T.J. Making sure that they are where they need to be is a big part of their strategy this semester.
Throughout the semester, the team will meet and practice according to the team they are facing that week. They average a minimum of two practices a week. Cortland’s club lacrosse team keeps the dedication and effort to take that number one spot in the league. Ryan says, “The best way to practice is always hard, intense workouts and sport-specific training.”
The team maintains great communication with the school. This enables the lacrosse team to have such luxuries as going to play teams in events such as the Beltway Bash in Maryland. Having these clear communications with the school allows the members to get excited and pumped up for these games. “The thought of us going to Maryland to play my favorite sport is what I have always dreamed of,” T.J. says.
Cortland provides multiple facilities and training areas to prepare the club lacrosse team. It can be very tough to acquire these facilities as Cortland has many athletic teams who also need to use the same facilities.
In their division, they are a team that is well-balanced in all aspects of the game. They are fearless and well-disciplined and show no sense of fatigue in their demeanor and abilities. Not only are they practicing harder than ever, but they are also taking the correct steps for a healthy season. T.J. says, “It was hard a couple of years when I first started playing because we had so many players who were injured, which made us have to adjust our playing efforts unconventionally.”
In regards to their eating habits, the players are keen on maintaining a well-balanced and protein-heavy diet. The athletes have mentioned that Cortland’s dining food on campus can make it hard to meet these dietary expectations. This is not due to a lack of protein-rich options but quality protein-rich options.