Hello ladies and gentlemen. The bad news is that I am having some significant issues with my host provider!! Currently, I can not simply add youtube videos to my blog post. Therefore, I must attach the link—and you my treasured audience of 3 - 5 people must click through the link. After a lengthy and somewhat contentious conversation with my provider I have been assured they will “fix the glitch.” Until that point, we have to do this the old fashioned way….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL5Ub4Wyg_c

So—here is the good news! Although you have to click through to the link on youtube—I have some pretty cool video of Rich’s lacrosse practice. They have their first game this Saturday, and they have been preparing hard for a great season. His head coach, Shannon Krause, is a bit of a hard-butt but she seems to have the kids best interest at heart. Well, after her own self interest of an undefeated season at any cost, up to and including her players health and well being. That’s just good old fashion coaching!!

So for those that don’t “get” lacrosse—here is a 10,000 foot view. There are 9 field players and one goalie per side on the playing field. The 9 field players consist of 3 attack which can not cross midfield away from the goal they are attacking, 3 midfielders which run the entire length of the field, and 3 defensemen which can not cross midfield (unless a middie stays back) away from the goal they are defending.

Rich is a middie. Yeah right!!!!! He is a defenseman through and through. Defensemen play with long poles that can be up to 72 inches in length. This gives them an advantage in terms of keeping attack from where they want to go, and in terms of getting ground balls off the surface. To put this in perspective, the poles that attack and middies use are between 32 - 36 inches long.

So here is what you will see in the video attached—which consist of 3 clips:

For the record, Rich is wearing black shorts, a mesh green penny, and has the Columbia Blue (for Hopkins of course) helmet.

The first clip is great defense applied by Rich. It’s a one on one drill in which Rich shuts down the attackmen, strips the ball from him, scoops up the groundball and essentially dominates the other kid. Parent Proud factor of 11 on a scale of 10!!!

The second clip is “steal the bacon”. The players gather in a big circle. Everyone gets a number, but 2 players get the same number. When their number is called the 2 rush a ground ball in the middle, and a gladiator like battle takes place. In lacrosse you can pretty much knock the snot out of your opponent—as long as you don’t hit him from behind, or go to the head with an elbow or stick. Rich was matched up with his good friend, Kyle. Kyle is our starting goalie—-and consequently the son of our assistant coach—Ken. You will notice a 3rd player (noticeably much smaller—apparently to everyone but Rich). This is Jason—-Kyle’s 9 year old brother! Jason is awesome, and he was begging to get in there and mix it up. Well, so what happens is—–you know what. You can see for yourself. Parent Mortified factor of 37 on a scale of 10.

The third clip is…well just see the description of clip 2. I should point out 2 final details. 1. There was audio. I had to delete it from the video as my repulsion at Rich bulldozing Jason repeatedly came out in words not suitable for this blog. 2. Kyle had to go to the clinic at school the next day because of a headache he was suffering from.

For better or worse, Rich earned his title in this video—-the Lacrosseinator!