They’re all familiar with the phrase “practice makes perfect,” but last weekend, the Men’s Club Lacrosse Team wasn’t aiming for perfection, but rather improvement.
In what they call their Fall Ball Tournament on Saturday and Sunday, the 37-member team played teams from Marquette University, Oakland University, the University of Buffalo and the University of Michigan in efforts to not only brush up on their playing skills before the season officially begins in the spring, but to also have fun doing it.
Fall Ball, a two-month season when teams practice and compete with one another, gives players a chance to “keep in shape and keep their skills up in the off season,” said team member Mike DiGiovanni.
“We’ve been practicing since about September, working to get our offense and defense together,” the humanities and pre-law junior said. “At the tournament, which is more like an invitational because we’re playing schools from all over, there’s no prize, it’s just a good chance to get to know new teams from across the country.”
Not only was last weekend’s tournament a chance for players to practice their skills, but it was a chance for coach George Counes to see how well the team’s newest members managed on the field.
“We have a lot of young players, and this was an opportunity to see how they fared in a competitive situation,” Counes said. “You don’t get to see a lot of competition in the fall. This was like a showcase for young talent.”
Although they only beat Marquette, Counes said he was pleased with the team’s performance.
“Our players executed what needed to be done and played with heart the entire weekend,” he said. “I’ve seen a big improvement all fall and hope to keep improving and come up with some victories.
“We need to work on the caliber of our offense, but our defense is strong and much improved from the spring.”
The team played full force on the field, taking note of areas needing improvement and having fun doing it.
“We had a lot of fun, but we would have liked to have a few more wins,” said graphic design sophomore Jacob Baldwin. “This was an opportunity to see where we are now and where we need to be on offense and defense.”
To finance junior Nick Nefouse, working together was one of the team’s stronger points during the tournament. They openly communicated with one another to execute their desired plays.
“The team came out together really well,” Nefouse said. “The unity of the team is really strong. It’s not always easy bringing players together from different high schools, but it’s worked out well.”
More important than winning, however, was the team’s desire to have fun.
“The tournaments are like scrimmages, but at the same time, they’re real games,” Nefouse said. “We’re taking a lot of hacks, but we’re having fun doing it.”
Despite their losses, members of the Men’s Club Lacrosse Team held their heads high, congratulating their opponents and commenting on how well they played.
On the sidelines, the team gathered together, recalling their own plays, the ups and downs of the tournament, and simply enjoying each others company.
“These are all teams in the CCLA (Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association), and this is going to be one of the strongest conferences in the league,” Counes said. “We’re just glad to be a part of the league.”
