SHORTY STRENGTH

FROM LAXMAGAZINE.COM

by Matt Abbott, as told to Corey McLaughlin | LaxMagazine.com | Twitter

How Team USA, Chesapeake Bayhawks short-stick middie Matt Abbott puts the brakes on downhill dodgers

WHAT I DO

Live, Work in 'Cuse

I live in Syracuse, N.Y. It's where I grew up and where I was raised. I'm an investment advisor for Armory Capital Management. We're an independent advisory firm, mostly personal wealth management. I went to SU for finance and accounting and got my master's in finance from there as well, so I'm putting the degree to good use. I volunteered [coaching] at Colgate part-time in the spring. My brother is an assistant there so I go out two to three nights per week depending on my work and lacrosse schedule. It's about 35 miles away from Syracuse, but it takes an hour to get there because it's all county roads. Half the season is in winter, so you're driving through the snow. When you have night practices, it's easy, because I do work, go to practice and come home. But later in the season they'll have 4:30 p.m. practices, so I'll have to go into work early and get all my work done.

(MORE AFTER THE JUMP)

Stay Diverse

I played a lot of other sports growing up, hockey being one of them. Now, kids are lacrosse-focused. It's lacrosse 24/7, which is fine, but also don't limit yourself. Other sports, like hockey, can teach the same skills that you'll use on a lacrosse field. My versatility is my best strength as a lacrosse player. Being able to play effectively on both ends of the field defines who I am as a player today.

Be The Human Clear

I like the nickname. At Syracuse, my sophomore year is when it started, when I started filling that transition/versatile role. I don't know when [ESPN analyst Quint Kessenich] first said it, but it kind of stuck. I could think of worse nicknames.

My Lacrosse Family

I was pretty much born with a lacrosse stick. Both my father, Tom, and grandfather, Larry, played lacrosse at Syracuse [father from 1975-1978 and grandfather from 1951-1952]. My older brother, Mike, actually had a lacrosse stick waiting for him in his crib at home when he was born. My dad has been a college lacrosse official for more than 30 years, so ever since I can remember I would go to games with him and ball boy or play catch at the tailgates. As far as organized lacrosse goes, I started playing in the FM Youth Lacrosse League when I was about 5 years old. My dad is still a Division I official and in the MLL, too. He doesn't ref my games, but I think he would be biased against me anyway.

My Growth Spurt

I wasn't as tall as a kid. I grew late. My freshman year of high school, I was 5-foot-7, 130 pounds (now 6-foot-1, 175 pounds). I was a little guy. I played soccer up until my sophomore year, and more hockey when I was young. I stopped playing after my freshman year. Then I focused on lacrosse. Growing up, it was golf, hockey, soccer, baseball — anything to stay outside and stay active.

My Worldview

The style of game in international play is different. In MLL, you have the shot clock and more transition built in there. International is a lot more settled because of the lack of shot clock and lack of counts anywhere on the field. Possession is key. You still want to spark transition but in the MLL if you have a turnover, you know you're getting it back a minute later. Whereas [in international], if you turn it over, you might not see the ball for 4-5 minutes at a time. That's different.