CONNECTICUT CARDINALS - DICK'S SPORTING GOODS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS RISING STARS TEAM PREVIEW
(December 23, 2008)
Location: Southeast and Central Connecticut
Coaches: Rick McCarthy, Chris Landry, Will Parker
Established: 2005
Color: Red
Qualified at: Beach Blast Lacrosse Tournament - rising stars division
by Danielle Findley
Heading into the Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions, the Connecticut Cardinals hope their fundamental style of play will lead to victory in Florida.
“We’re a midfield-dominated team, and we are very strong on defense,” says coach Rick McCarthy. “We stress the basics; we don’t do anything tricky.”
The players believe McCarthy and fellow coach Will Parker’s experience as assistant coaches with the Wesleyan University men’s lacrosse team can increase their lacrosse acumen.
“They help us out a lot in the sense that they have an advanced knowledge of the game,” says midfielder Albert Bove (St. Bernard School).
Bove’s teammates also think the experience of their coaches can help refine their basic lacrosse skills.
“They’ve helped me develop as a player,” says attackman Brian Fisher (Ellington H.S.). “Some of the [passing and catching] drills they use have helped me out a lot.”
When it came time to decide where the team would be playing this year, it became apparent that the Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions was where the team wanted to be.
“We participated in the Beach Blast to qualify, and I did some investigating and heard a lot of great things about the [national championship],” says McCarthy. “The kids are really excited and we have a large group of parents that will be coming as well.”
Heading into the national championship, the team is getting ready to face some stiff competition.
“I expect to play some really good teams and really good players,” says Fisher. “We have had a couple of practices [to prepare].”
As the team heads down to Florida, the players know what they want to accomplish and how they plan on getting there.
“We want to go in and win by making sure our defense is solid and our offense reinforces the defense,” says Bove.
The Connecticut Cardinals will face the Tampa Tribe, the Black Dog Lacrosse Club (Surrey, British Columbia), and Team Georgia (Suwanee, Ga.) in the Highlander Sport pool in Toyota Pool Play. Click here for the complete tournament schedule.
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