With the Mid-Penn Championship game coming up Thursday (May 7th) Coach AJ Bogacyzk was kind enough to take sometime and share his experiences with the sport of lacrosse and how his team, the Cumberland Valley Eagles, have had so much success this season along with how they are preparing for the big game. Some really great things in here for players and fans alike.
Thank you AJ!
When did you first get involved with the sport of lacrosse?
I believe the first time I had witnessed lacrosse was the spring of my 7th grade year. I had seen some version of box lacrosse on TV, and it really intrigued me. I had played baseball, football, basketball, and soccer as a kid. Soccer was my go to for the longest time, but began to burn out in middle school. I heard the announcements at school that they were looking for lacrosse players during my 8th grade year and I just had to go out and try it. I've been hooked to the sport ever since.
When did you first start coaching? Where and what was your position?
I first started coaching in the fall of 2005. I had received too many concussions playing the sport, and after chatting with the neurologist we decided it was best for me to be done. That fall I called Coach Scott Shea (CV varsity coach and my former coach). Scott answered the phone and asked if I was calling about coaching before I even said a word. They had a vacancy in their JV Head Coaching position and my coaching career began in the spring of 2006.
If you could summarize your coaching philosophy in a few sentences what would it be?
The Big 3. Sportsmanship, Discipline, Hard Work. Sportsmanship - our character matters above all whether on the field or off. Discipline - without sacrifice and accountability we will never achieve our goals. Hard Work - if you are not pushing yourself beyond what you can do today, you will never become what you want to tomorrow.
What do you believe has been the key to your success this season?
TEAM. We have tremendous individuals that support each other. Every players pushes one another in practice so on gameday we are ready. On gameday, you see self-less lacrosse all over the field. What you don't see in the stat book is how important every player on our team is. Top to bottom we have talent and it helps drive our entire team forward.
What are some of the major challenges you currently face or have faced in the past?
New players and chemistry. We have a lot of young faces on our team, mixed with new players, mixed with guys that have been here for years. It is an interesting dynamic when you introduce that many new players into a team, but the team has really embraced it. I think this was evident in our one goal games. You have to get each others back in one goal games if you are going to win. We are 3-1 in one goal games, you won't be that successful in those situations if you can't trust your teammates.
Looking at this years team, what have been some of the major achievements you and your players have been able to accomplish?
This team has experienced plenty of losses over the past few years. Many of these seniors experienced the 6-11 season 2 years ago, they felt the pain of missing districts by one game last year. The focus and drive they had this off-season to be successful this year is admirable. They could have accepted these losses, but instead chose to work hard and define themselves in another way. They became a team that wanted nothing more but to win together, and they have been pretty successful with that focus.
What do you believe your teams strongest areas are?
Team defense
Team offense
Transition
Goalie
Depth of bench
What are some, if any, areas of concern for your squad?
Are they really ready to take this program to the next level? I believe the desire is in there, but will their actions prove it?
What do you believe will make your opponent a challenge on May 7th?
Hershey is a team of quality players. All over the field they have great individuals that can change the momentum of the game. A powerhouse attack putting up tons of points, midfielders that can take over a game, tremendous faceoff guys at the X, a stout defense that is tough to beat, and a goalie back there ready to make any save. I see a team that has been there for awhile, and have the experience. This is a great opportunity to face a great team that handed us a loss. We'll work on being crisper and taking advantage of our opportunities when we get them.
Any game plans for the game you care to share with us?
We need to account for all their threats on offense and be ready to help out if necessary. Offensively, I think we need to do a better job of beating players to the right spots, and work to minimize the turnovers. Collectively as a team, we need to stay out of the penalty box.
Any closing thoughts on the sport of Lacrosse here in Central PA?
It's just an absolute blast to watch the growth in our area. One aspect that I enjoy seeing, is the players that graduated from district 3, and come back to begin coaching careers. Our staff alone has 4 former district 3 lacrosse players. We need more of these coaches coming back into our systems to encourage these young men that they can get to the next level. To teach these young men how to play the game. I'm fortunate with a tremendous youth program, but we need all youth programs and high school programs to advance. I can't wait to see Central PA continue its momentum to become an even more legitimate lacrosse hotbed.
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