|
Post by crusader99 on Apr 15, 2024 14:04:53 GMT -5
The men's lax program must be doing something right, given the absence of the game day results. this past giving day, 181 donors gave $240,000.00. that was more than men's hockey, basketball and football combined. the team is essentially self-funded with 40+ full pay student athletes. the program has a 100% graduation rate as well. These are objective criteria.
yes, W/Ls matter, that is why score is kept. until the program has some level of adequate resources, i would argue that it is representing the school very well.
|
|
|
Post by purplefan18 on Apr 15, 2024 14:10:59 GMT -5
The men's lax program must be doing something right, given the absence of the game day results. this past giving day, 181 donors gave $240,000.00. that was more than men's hockey, basketball and football combined. the team is essentially self-funded with 40+ full pay student athletes. the program has a 100% graduation rate as well. These are objective criteria. yes, W/Ls matter, that is why score is kept. until the program has some level of adequate resources, i would argue that it is representing the school very well. Makes it 100x worse that there's that many donors & alums who care and this is the product being put out
|
|
|
Post by Crucis#1 on Apr 15, 2024 14:15:38 GMT -5
Agree on all points of objective criteria.
Outside of scholarships, can anyone articulate the resources that are needed to elevate the level of play for this team.
|
|
|
Post by purplesader89 on Apr 15, 2024 14:30:47 GMT -5
The men's lax program must be doing something right, given the absence of the game day results. this past giving day, 181 donors gave $240,000.00. that was more than men's hockey, basketball and football combined. the team is essentially self-funded with 40+ full pay student athletes. the program has a 100% graduation rate as well. These are objective criteria. yes, W/Ls matter, that is why score is kept. until the program has some level of adequate resources, i would argue that it is representing the school very well. This is a great testament to the players for their resilience as they continue to perform in the classroom, on campus, and off-campus (volunteer work) despite the circus that goes on on Saturdays. These wins ARE something to be proud of no doubt, however, the Alumni are not funding the program to be 1-13 every year and to be on the spring magazine for volunteer work - this isn't a political campaign Not bashing this point but W/Ls matter - the student-athletes seem to be doing all the right things on that front. Just a thought.
|
|
|
Post by crusader99 on Apr 15, 2024 14:36:52 GMT -5
More scholarship money and better coaching. BU and Colgate are getting it done, so it's not geography, admission criteria or league affiliation. There is nothing unique to HC that is causing these types of results other than, perhaps, poor hiring decisions over the last 5-6 years.
|
|
|
Post by saderalum1000 on Apr 15, 2024 15:58:09 GMT -5
More scholarship money and better coaching. BU and Colgate are getting it done, so it's not geography, admission criteria or league affiliation. There is nothing unique to HC that is causing these types of results other than, perhaps, poor hiring decisions over the last 5-6 years. Couldn't agree more that Holy Cross is not chasing some unattainable goal of being a decent lacrosse team - there are multiple precedents in the Patriot League alone (I think Lafayette is a good comp as well). The reality of the situation is Holy Cross has had multiple coaches in a span of ~15 years, which I would guess is far more turnover than almost every other Division 1 lacrosse team. Not saying some of the below didn't deserve to be fired, but this is the quick history of Holy Cross lacrosse coaches: - Pascal: Fired
- Morrissey: Fired? Not sure on him
- Lattimore: Fired
- Burke: Fired
- Reppert:
These hiring decisions have a profound impact on the psychology of the team and the program (or lack thereof). Lattimore was building a program with a culture that was distinctly his, and then was fired. Burke came in, had a season and a half and was fired before he could really instill any sort of culture or program of his own, only coaching his first class of commits for about a month prior to being placed on leave. Reppert was brought in after the team had no coach for 4 months and after losing an extremely strong senior class - he essentially started from scratch. While I agree with the above posters that something needs to change, I think turning the program on its head for the 5th time in ~15 years would be a serious mistake.
The reality is Holy Cross lacrosse has never been given the chance to really build and cultivate a program and anyone who's gotten remotely close has either gotten canned or gotten himself canned. Yes, the results since Burke was fired have been terrible. However, unless you hit a homerun on a guy who can take a shattered program and turn it into something, the process to building a winning team takes time, investment, and commitment and given the demonstrated track record of hiring at HC, I'm not confident firing Reppert now would avoid this same conversation in 2 years when they new guy has the same issues.
At this point in the season underclassmen (sophomores & freshmen) have 57 of the team's 91 goals on the year (63%), and the defense is anchored by a core of younger guys. There is no instant gratification and things actually are looking up (all things considered).
|
|
|
Post by purplehaze on Apr 15, 2024 17:04:30 GMT -5
Our facility is very deficient- no bathrooms for fans (unless you to sprint to the Luth) - no locker room for either team to huddle at the half (I don’t believe the teams head to the Luth). How this remains the case is hard to imagine
|
|
|
Post by purplefan18 on Apr 15, 2024 17:23:22 GMT -5
Our facility is very deficient- no bathrooms for fans (unless you to sprint to the Luth) - no locker room for either team to huddle at the half (I don’t believe the teams head to the Luth). How this remains the case is hard to imagine The facility is Luth - state of the art and top of the line in the Patriot League. There's 4 stadiums in the Patriot League dedicated to Lacrosse (Holy Cross, BU, Loyola, Lehigh). BU/Loyola don't have football teams, and Fr. K is about as good as Lehigh's stadium. I say the facility is Luth because that's 90% of what you show a recruit. A bathroom under the bleachers isn't going to lure a 5-star in, a field with no football lines might.
|
|
|
Post by bfoley82 on Apr 15, 2024 19:09:16 GMT -5
Maybe hiring Division I assistants as head coaches isn't working out for this program? Jim Morrissey - Hobart assistant (was an assistant for Adam Pascal, and elevated to head coach after Pascal was fired) Judd Latimore - Penn assistant Peter Burke - An assistant under Latimore (was an assistant at Emmanuel College prior to coming to HC) JL Reppert - Maryland assistant Go hire Bill Mason from Bowdoin or Casey D'Annolfo from Tufts (if you can pull him away from there). Bowdoin and Tufts are better gigs when compared to Holy Cross.
|
|
|
Post by bfoley82 on Apr 15, 2024 19:17:25 GMT -5
Our facility is very deficient- no bathrooms for fans (unless you to sprint to the Luth) - no locker room for either team to huddle at the half (I don’t believe the teams head to the Luth). How this remains the case is hard to imagine The facility is Luth - state of the art and top of the line in the Patriot League. There's 4 stadiums in the Patriot League dedicated to Lacrosse (Holy Cross, BU, Loyola, Lehigh). BU/Loyola don't have football teams, and Fr. K is about as good as Lehigh's stadium. I say the facility is Luth because that's 90% of what you show a recruit. A bathroom under the bleachers isn't going to lure a 5-star in, a field with no football lines might. I wouldn't consider Fr. K dedicated to Lacrosse as it is more of a football practice field that is used for Men's and Women's Lacrosse in the spring. BU and Loyola use their lax facility for soccer games in the fall. Lehigh actually has a lax only field that is used by the lacrosse programs.
|
|
|
Post by longsuffering on Apr 15, 2024 19:39:15 GMT -5
I am not a fan of so much emphasis on fields, stadiums, courts, rinks, arenas. There is so much more to a college team. Judging a program based on which school is lucky enough to have an alumnus who knows he can't take it (his money) with him but he can plaster his name on a stadium, seems shallow.
I agree with the post that says the facility is the indoor/outdoor Luth sports complex with all it's resources and any perceived shortcomings. Holy Cross addresses improvements to it's physical plant, including athletic facilities every year and it's not cheap. I support the decisions made by leadership after all factors are considered.
|
|
|
Post by bfoley82 on Apr 15, 2024 19:47:02 GMT -5
I am not a fan of so much emphasis on fields, stadiums, courts, rinks, arenas. There is so much more to a college team. Judging a program based on which school is lucky enough to have an alumnus who knows he can't take it (his money) with him but he can plaster his name on a stadium, seems shallow. I agree with the post that says the facility is the indoor/outdoor Luth sports complex with all it's resources and any perceived shortcomings. Holy Cross addresses improvements to its physical plant, including athletic facilities every year and it's not cheap. I support the decisions made by leadership after all factors are considered. I know many lacrosse coaches don't like to practice indoors during the winter/preseason and having to walk 1/4 of a mile to the lacrosse field can't be helpful in 30 degree weather in January. Especially since the Holy Cross indoor facility is 30 yards shorter than a full field.
|
|
|
Post by Crucis#1 on Apr 15, 2024 20:07:56 GMT -5
Hoping that the conversion of Smith Soccer Stadium to a Field Turf Pitch occurs in this decade. Lax and Soccer will move into the expanded stadium and have access to the locker room and bathroom facilities planned for the new softball stadium.
Three years ago the plan was unveiled. The next Capital Campaign should have funds allocated for construction.
|
|
|
Post by longsuffering on Apr 15, 2024 23:24:02 GMT -5
I am not a fan of so much emphasis on fields, stadiums, courts, rinks, arenas. There is so much more to a college team. Judging a program based on which school is lucky enough to have an alumnus who knows he can't take it (his money) with him but he can plaster his name on a stadium, seems shallow. I agree with the post that says the facility is the indoor/outdoor Luth sports complex with all it's resources and any perceived shortcomings. Holy Cross addresses improvements to its physical plant, including athletic facilities every year and it's not cheap. I support the decisions made by leadership after all factors are considered. I know many lacrosse coaches don't like to practice indoors during the winter/preseason and having to walk 1/4 of a mile to the lacrosse field can't be helpful in 30 degree weather in January. Especially since the Holy Cross indoor facility is 30 yards shorter than a full field. There's nothing wrong with your viewpoint and it's understandable, but I've noticed you tend to judge schools and athletic programs by the level of amenities for media and how modern and convenient the facilities are. But the essence of college sports is students actually playing the game. Northeastern's baseball field is one town away in Brookline and they share it with Brookline High School and summer town leagues, but it's an excellent facility and the Huskies are 27-8 this season and 44-16 last season with an NCAA appearance. Neighborhood resident Babe Ruth used to play catch there when he pitched for the Red Sox. Pristine, expensive state of the art facilities on campus used a few months of the year is not the only sensible way to go.
|
|
|
Post by bfoley82 on Apr 16, 2024 10:37:13 GMT -5
I know many lacrosse coaches don't like to practice indoors during the winter/preseason and having to walk 1/4 of a mile to the lacrosse field can't be helpful in 30 degree weather in January. Especially since the Holy Cross indoor facility is 30 yards shorter than a full field. There's nothing wrong with your viewpoint and it's understandable, but I've noticed you tend to judge schools and athletic programs by the level of amenities for media and how modern and convenient the facilities are. But the essence of college sports is students actually playing the game. Northeastern's baseball field is one town away in Brookline and they share it with Brookline High School and summer town leagues, but it's an excellent facility and the Huskies are 27-8 this season and 44-16 last season with an NCAA appearance. Neighborhood resident Babe Ruth used to play catch there when he pitched for the Red Sox. Pristine, expensive state of the art facilities on campus used a few months of the year is not the only sensible way to go. Northeastern's baseball facility is shared with Northeastern soccer programs which has on site locker rooms for the teams, multiple press boxes due to the soccer setup, but is absolutely terrible to cover a game as there is only on street parking available and if I remember correctly you needed a permit to park in that neighborhood.
|
|
|
Post by longsuffering on Apr 16, 2024 16:02:57 GMT -5
The rough and tumble of real life that colleges spend millions to insulate student athletes from as tuition and fees are a run away freight train barreling towards six figures per year.
I wonder if Parsons field is the same Brookline Park that Tom Brady would occasionally throw the football in when he lived in Brookline? Imagine one park being where two G.O.A.T.s, Babe Ruth and Tom Brady played catch. And probably a few actual goats grazed during Colonial times.
|
|
|
Post by timholycross on Apr 17, 2024 8:53:36 GMT -5
It would have been Parsons, Downes or Skyline if the GOAT wanted to work out on a turf field. The latter two are closer to where he lived; and, of course, he could have snuck on a level part of The Country Club if he wanted to.
|
|
|
Post by hclaxdad24 on Apr 18, 2024 13:42:57 GMT -5
Enough is enough, it is time for a change. The program needs a new coach. There never seems to be a change in the offense or the defense year after year. Reppert is not the answer. These kids need a fresh start and the program deserves better.
|
|
|
Post by matunuck on Apr 18, 2024 17:06:50 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by bfoley82 on Apr 20, 2024 11:02:50 GMT -5
Field is going to be an absolute mess with the rain this morning and two games being played on it.
|
|
|
Post by purplehaze on Apr 20, 2024 13:22:41 GMT -5
Watched a bit of the W lax game and the field held up very well - this natural grass surface has been amazing since being installed
|
|
|
Post by bfoley82 on Apr 20, 2024 17:05:57 GMT -5
Watched a bit of the W lax game and the field held up very well - this natural grass surface has been amazing since being installed 18-8 loss today and were down 15-5 heading to the fourth. Holy Cross finishes the PL season 0-8
|
|
|
Post by Crucis#1 on Apr 20, 2024 20:37:02 GMT -5
Watched a bit of the W lax game and the field held up very well - this natural grass surface has been amazing since being installed I was at Fitton this afternoon. There were no apparent issues regarding footing or playability with the field throughout the game today. Nice to have a video board to see replays of the goals being scored. Width of field did not seemed to be a concern regarding the game. Hope this was the first of an annual event for both Lax teams at Fitton. Nice crowd in attendance.
|
|
|
Post by timholycross on Apr 21, 2024 7:16:47 GMT -5
Watched a bit of the W lax game and the field held up very well - this natural grass surface has been amazing since being installed The drainage technology, for lack of a better description; has improved considerably. It used to be that the fields were crowned, in some cases dramatically (made certain aspects of refereeing on those fields very challenging); now they seem to be very flat.
|
|
|
Post by rgs318 on Apr 21, 2024 7:55:45 GMT -5
I remember that when we had a "turtleback" field installed at Bergen Catholic it took some time to settle and for the players to get used to the slopes. It was, however, necessary for proper drainage at that time. Now, from what I read, the feed can be much more level and still get good drainage.
|
|