Transcript
Speaker: um In general, not someone that's going be screaming at you. But I think I've earned the respect from my teammates and that they know that I'm going to kind of show up and do the right things all the time. So like when I have something to say and I started speaking, um I feel like they listen and they know I'm like coming from a place that like, right, this is important. That I'm not someone that's talking every practice just to hear myself talk.
Speaker: Like I'm going save it for the moments where I like we need to figure this out. Living legends aren't loud, they're consistent. Welcome to the Captains & Coaches podcast. We explore the art and science of leadership through the lens of athletics and beyond.
Speaker: I'm your host, Texan Quilkin, and today I am joined by Sean Light, a national champion defenseman for Notre Dame lacrosse. He's also the first defenseman in history to win the Tauraton Award.
Speaker: A three-year starter for one of the best programs in the country and now a senior returning to lead a Fighting Irish squad ready to reclaim what's theirs.
Speaker: Sean's journey started with two sports, not one. Basketball taught him footwork before lacrosse ever did and that discipline, doing something outside of practice to get better every single day, is the same standard he now holds his lacrosse teammates to.
Speaker: We get into the difference between a high school captain and a college-level captain, how to call out friends without losing the friendship, why the huddle needs one voice, and how a quiet leader finds the words that matter and earns the right to say them.
Speaker: Let's hand it off to Sean Light, who helps us raise game. Ready, ready, and break. Cool. All right. Action, Sean Light, dude. Thank you very much for making the time. You got a busy schedule heading into your senior season, Team USA.
Speaker: You got a lawn on your plate, so I will want to start off with gratitude. So thank you, man, for joining me on the Captains and Coaches podcast. Yeah, first, thanks for having me. i'm really excited to be able to shed some light on my journey, answer questions, and just learn from you. so Sweet, dude. Yeah, and shout out to Coach Wellner for connecting us, man. He's he's the man. Spent a lot of time with him, so...
Speaker: you spent a hell of a lot more time than me, man. So how's the experience learning from Coach Wellner? Yeah, he's one of one. it's I've been truly blessed to kind of come into the Notre Dame locker room, um to be recruited by him and have him be my coach for the past three years.
Speaker: And he's just all my success and everything that I've learned. um He's been a huge part of that, always pushing me to be the best I can be. And we have a great relationship outside of lacrosse, which makes it that much easier to show up every day with him, do all those extra little film sessions or extra work on the side.
Speaker: um So I've been truly blessed to have him as my defensive coordinator. um I'm looking forward to another run with him. Man, that's awesome. Yeah, I was up on campus last October and attended your your your spring game and all the families were there. And yeah, I attended the game on the field. So just seeing all the families come down and all the players come together, that was an awesome experience.
Speaker: And I mean, what drew you to Notre Dame? Was it that feeling of family? I mean, they were set for a championship run that you got to be a part of. What was that initial draw? I mean, Wellner's not that too good of a salesman, is he?
Speaker: No, he's ah he is very good. he's He knows how to balance ah telling you what you want to hear, but making sure it's true. He does a really good job of meeting you at where you are as a 16 year old, um being able to be personable with your entire family. And I was easy to talk with him. My parents love talking with him. So, I mean, he is a great salesperson for Notre Dame and does a great job of recruiting. And we always tell him that.
Speaker: But at the end of the day, just saying no to Notre Dame is really hard. um Lacrosse isn't a sport where you're making millions coming out. So you want to be able to be set up for life kind of after. And that Notre Dame degree at the end of the day is kind of what drew me, um long story short.
Speaker: But there was other factors that like I wanted another sports team to be like the top team on campus. And obviously Notre Dame football is huge and being able to go support them. and things like that. I didn't want lacrosse to be like the focal point where you're walking around campus and everyone's like, oh, like that's lacrosse and that's so-and-so. Like I wanted someone else to kind of be that um top team. And I wanted to kind of be able to enjoy my four years playing lacrosse.
Speaker: Obviously I want to be the best team on campus, like winning national championships and all that, but notoriety and name wise, I wanted other people to kind of take that um celebrity status almost, if that makes sense. yeah At the end of the day I also thought I was going to be a better person leaving Notre Dame.
Speaker: That was going to challenge me academically, athletically, and just me being a young man stepping on campus as a freshman to graduating after four years. That's awesome, man. So um I'm curious.
Speaker: No secret to athletic development. Your parents are athletes themselves. And man, I live recruiting, ah training kids, sending them off to college, taking people where they can't take themselves. I understand the coach's journey. And I'm just curious on the athlete end, what was your experience like with athletic parents?
Speaker: Because did they got to deal with parents of all kinds. And from my experience, it's the parents that do not have athletic experience that are the most overbearing and involved with the recruiting, coaching, everything high school sports.
Speaker: Yeah. um I was super fortunate that my parents supported me in whatever I wanted to do. They did not say, hey, Sean, you have to go play basketball. You have to go play soccer. You have to go do this, that. You have to go work out at this time every day.
Speaker: like They weren't the parents that were going to tell me exactly what I had to do, but anything that I wanted to put my time and energy into, like they were going to support me. um so From a young age, I was always outside playing sports, whatever it was, hanging out with friends, and just being active.
Speaker: um My parents growing up lived an active lifestyle. They continue to live an active lifestyle. So was just something that was around me and something I wanted to be a part of. I didn't want to be the kid inside playing video games, watching TV, um all those things. I wanted to be outside being active playing sports.
Speaker: um And I was fortunate enough to be athletic and be bigger than most kids kind of growing up. So I was fortunate enough to be better than most kids at a young age. So kind of just gave me that drive to want to see how good I could get. And I think that's really what motivated me to continue to want to work on my own and my parents not have to say, Sean, go work out today, go do this.
Speaker: um And they make the joke, like if I didn't want to play a sport, like they say they wanted to push me to the sport. But anything I wanted to put my time and energy into that I was passionate about, They were going to support me with it and not um be the parents that were like, Sean, you have to do this, have to do that.
Speaker: They were going to kind of let me do my thing and they were going to guide me when I needed guidance, but really let me do my own thing and just support me throughout the early ages of playing sports. Yeah. And then in that early ages of playing sport, you can't help but be in a position where your parents are mentoring you.
Speaker: But now you're entering into your senior year, you're returning as captain, you're returning to the team, you're in this mentorship role. So what are some of the lessons that you recall, whether they're hard lessons or easy lessons from growing up, that you're now in this mentorship role position you're handing down to your teammates?
Speaker: Yeah, I think my parents just always taught me whatever I do, like do it to the best of my ability. Don't kind of have one foot in, one foot out and kind of like see what's going to happen. Like if I say I want to go do something, go try it as the best you can and see what happens. If you don't succeed, like you can't say, oh, it's I didn't try. Like you tried. You got to learn from it.
Speaker: And yeah. get back up and try to do it again. So I think that was a big lesson, like anything I'm going to do go full speed at it and try it. Um, and then something else is just like being consistent. Um, you can't just show up one day, give 110% in the next two days, be like, all right, I'm good. Then show up again.
Speaker: They just taught me like little, um, little tasks or doing little things every day is more important than doing one day and doing it for a super long time. Um, So just being more consistent with it. And I think that has been a huge lesson for me that I've really taken to the point I'm at now, or just trying to do something athletic every day, something to push myself every day, whether I can get out for an hour, do footwork, lift, whatever it is, or if I can only get out for 10 minutes to do the ladder, go do wall ball for a little bit, watch 10 minutes of film, just trying to do something to better myself every day um is something that they taught me and I think has paid dividends to help me get to this point.
Speaker: Yeah, every ounce counts. Every moment waking up early that adds to your discipline. it's like a small bank account. And you're you're running camps now, which is awesome.
Speaker: And Greenlight NIL, you get the opportunity to not reserve any of your experience. You're able to put it out there early. What have you learned now transitioning into coach role? So it's not just mentoring and leading your teammates.
Speaker: Now you've got to tell all these whippersnappers what to do. Yeah. um It's funny because i started When I started this, my like my training stuff, I started it as a high school kid, just trying to make some money on the side, like trying to figure out what I wanted to do. And then I really realized that I really enjoyed teaching kids and passing on lessons that I've learned to them. And then once I kind of grew it and really going back to that last one, like not being one foot in one foot that's kind of how I started it, trying to just make some money on the side. And once I put both feet in and really said, hey, I want to grow this and make this a business, like a true business.
Speaker: um it was all because I really enjoyed meeting new people and being able to spread the game. We've seen how much lacrosse has grown over the past couple of years. And that's always kind of been a goal of mine to help continue to grow it.
Speaker: And I want to continue to grow it in underserved communities, like me being an African-American lacrosse player, like you don't see a ton of them. Like it's obviously a predominantly white sport. um So trying to grow this game in areas that don't, it's not a typical sport where kids are playing basketball or football most of the most of the time. Um,
Speaker: Just I wanted to help teach the game to kids, like help them find a passion for it, want to be playing it, to quit other sports and say, hey, lacrosse can be my thing and I can make it. um Yes, it's not the same thing as the NBA, NFL, MLB, like those things. But like it's something you love, something you can be passionate about and something that when you put the time in, you're going to see um great results just like any other sport.
Speaker: So I really just found a passion for meeting people, teaching the game and trying to help grow the game in the in my area. Yeah. and it I mean, it is a tough sport to pick up for the first time, especially as a kid. We got a lot combined. We got to know where our feet are be where our feet are.
Speaker: And there's a stick. So what would be your guidance or what's what's the coach's hat that you put on when coaches ah kids, they have a hard time picking it up quickly? like What's that mentorship role that you wear there?
Speaker: I would say early in my quote unquote coaching days, it was definitely frustrating because i had to learn how to teach it for someone who like wasn't necessarily understanding it. For me, like it was just a ton of reps and like I naturally was able to kind of pick up on it, but everyone can't. So early on, I was trying to find ways to teach it besides and just like see the ball and catch it soft hands. So I was just trying to find other ways to explain it, to be able to show it.
Speaker: and help kids you might not understand the one way, but have multiple ways to teach it. um So there's definitely a part of my journey where like patience and trying to think outside the box on how to teach certain things was.
Speaker: um But I think just understanding where your end goal is. Your goal is to help kids fall in love with the sport. So whether they can like without being able to catch and throw, they're never going to fall in love with the sport.
Speaker: So really being okay with taking it slow and doing all of the boring minute tasks of just like trying pick up ground ball, throw a pass, those types of things.
Speaker: I found a way just to be patient. And I honestly, like I got looked at other ways to teach how to throw, how to catch compared to just seeing the ball in like your typical ways of teaching it just so I could try to spread it to as many kids as I could because not everyone's going to learn the same way.
Speaker: No. Yeah, I mean, especially with kids, if the last moment that they have is exhausting and it's fun, that's what they're going to tell their parents when they get picked up and going into there.
Speaker: Funny is I just wrapped up a four-day camp here in Texas, 80 kids, 100 freaking degrees. And we gave away big prizes at the end. And one of the coaches, our defensive coordinator, he brought Sean Light autograph gloves as one of the prizes for our MVP of the camp. And I'm like, dude, what a crazy coincidence. I get to talk to him in an hour. Yeah.
Speaker: But yeah, man, they the whole purpose is all about the experience, allowing them the opportunity to fall in love with sport because there's not as much touch points as baseball, football, and basketball. You can't always watch it on TV where the other sports are always on. So love that you cant connected that is, okay, let's just have a positive feeling that we handed off and then they'll connect the stick to the feeling.
Speaker: And then here we go. We got a lacrosse player for life. Yeah. And to point about like the touch points, like baseball, basketball, you can kind of see whenever lacrosse, you necessarily can't. I feel like lacrosse though, it's easier to be in touch with some of the highest level players because of how much smaller of community is.
Speaker: So like, yes, you're not able to watch lacrosse as easily as some of these other sports, but it's easier to get in touch with like me or the PLL l players, guys who are playing at a high level.
Speaker: because it's just like ah such a smaller community and everyone at the top of the game wants younger kids to play it and pick it up and continue to grow it. So I feel like there's more of a personal connection that you can build in the lacrosse world than you can in other sports.
Speaker: Yeah, that that is a but valuable piece. um Speaking of other sports, man, you grew up playing basketball and I teach a lot of kids that are coming from football to the sport of lacrosse and i always joke that I speak football.
Speaker: So I aim to take their their position in football and translate it into whatever we need for lacrosse. Did you start to see the parallels between basketball and lacrosse or lacrosse and basketball when you started to play both sports?
Speaker: Yeah, a ton of parallel. And I'm i'm not going to sit here and say when I started playing, when I was playing both of them in fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth grade, like, did I really realize it? No. I think I really started to figure it out in high school when I was just doing those two sports.
Speaker: And, you know, I'd be playing lacrosse with club in the fall. i would go to basketball in the winter and then back to lacrosse spring and summer. And I just found that so many of the things that I was doing in basketball, like it translated right over to lacrosse.
Speaker: um There's always that worry when you don't necessarily touch a stick every day for three or four months, you're going to have to figure stuff out again. But I found that my footwork was super similar, um closing out the guys in basketball and approaching guys in lacrosse, same footwork. You're trying to close that gap as much as you can.
Speaker: That's you're getting your hand up, like lacrosse, you're getting your stick out, picks and things like that. Navigating them are so similar. So I think in high school, I started to realize the overlap and how much it was helping me. But I won't sit here and say I realized it in middle school when I was. when i was I don't think kids realize a lot of things in middle school. Yeah.
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Speaker: Within the sports, you're talented at both. Did the the politics of sports try to pull you from one or the other? Because challenges here in Texas, you get the big bad football wolf that says, hey, you're not playing lacrosse.
Speaker: Or if you do play lacrosse, you're not going to start on my team. So we've got to teach them navigate that. i I don't think I was really pulled. I think I played at a high level for lacrosse for club basketball. I didn't play it as high of a level.
Speaker: um So like that balance was fine when it was basketball season. I was in basketball when I was in lacrosse. I was lacrosse. And I think my coaches understood that. um I would say the biggest thing tug of war fight that there was was like in the winter with clubs. Sometimes I would have to go play a basketball game Saturday and then Sunday we'd have practices. And like my coach would expect me to be there.
Speaker: Some Sundays I would be there, some I wouldn't. And it just becomes a lot playing seven days a week. Yeah. I love for both. It's just a lot. Um, so that was probably the most poll that I had, ah for both. But I think all of my coaches were, um, understanding and wanted me to be playing both sports and saw the benefit of it.
Speaker: So I was never told like, Hey, you got to quit lacrosse to play basketball. You got to quit basketball to play lacrosse. Um, both, both sports were kind of supportive of me doing both. Um, and at the end of the day, like i ended up quitting AAU basketball after my freshman year of high school, i think, um, and just did club lacrosse and then high school basketball.
Speaker: Um, Like club lacrosse, high school lacrosse. and high school basketball. So like there was less friction with it. But I was never told like, Hey, you got to quit this sport to play the other one. And if I did, I don't know what I would have done because at the time basketball was like my love and that's all I did. And to think if I was told you have to pick one, like would I pick basketball and like, would Sean Light be here on the lacrosse field? Like, I don't know. So I was definitely fortunate enough that I didn't have to make a decision.
Speaker: But I'm also happy because without basketball, I don't think I'd be the lacrosse player that I am. And that's that it's interesting. Do you feel and this is any sport because club soccer, club basketball, a club lacrosse is starting to get to this level.
Speaker: And a lot of club travel, they're selling this fear of if you don't start now or you don't join this travel team, agnostic of the sport, you're going to be left behind. You've played with the greats.
Speaker: You are one of the greatest. You just won the Torton Award. like What do you say those fear-based leadership that people are trying to pull these kids into single-sport directions early?
Speaker: Yeah, I would say on the when you're when you're young, there is no reason to have to specialize on one. I always say that basketball and lacrosse were a great balance for me because I played lacrosse nine months out of the year and I had eight to nine months out of year and had three to four months of basketball to kind of take my mind off of it.
Speaker: Not really. i didn't honestly, I didn't really touch my stick during those three, four months. um I was really just focused on basketball. So I would say I never burned out because of that. I wasn't playing 12 months, 12 months out of the year. I wasn't playing seven days a week for 365 days a year. Like I had time to put it down and not think about it and be a kid and hang out with different teammates and different families and things like that.
Speaker: um So I wasn't just living and breathing lacrosse 24 seven. So I think playing multiple sports is super important to kind of, keep you from burning out but also there's a ton of crossover with whatever sport you're playing whether it's basketball in my case or you're gonna go play soccer football baseball baseball is a little tougher with lacrosse but like yeah um all these things like there's so much crossover um and you just learn so many different life lessons from different sports being able to balance two sports three sports um helps you be organized helps you be able to communicate um different things that pop up and staying on top of it.
Speaker: So I think playing multiple sports helps you with your lacrosse game, but it also helps you just in the grand scheme of life. Yeah. I want to spend some time with Notre Dame and in the locker room. So you stepped into that team. They were primed for a big run.
Speaker: What was it like stepping into that first fall ball experience with the team? You were committed. They knew you were coming, but now we're on campus. like What was the locker room like? Did leaders lead? Like, what did your gauge in that first experience on campus?
Speaker: Yeah, I walked into a great place. I walked into multiple captains who understood that what they were doing. A couple were like, was their second time around being a captain. They had just come off a national championship, so they understood kind of what it took.
Speaker: So I came in at a great time. I came in at a time where One of the starting defensemen was graduating and Chris fake. So I knew that there was an opening. um And honestly, i kind of say like selfishly, i really focused on myself trying not to drown, making sure that I was picking up on the defensive schemes, all the different nuances that they taught.
Speaker: um And i was really focused on just trying to learn everything as quickly as I can could to be able to play my game, to keep incorporating these new things I was learning, to show like like prove to the coaches, like i I was capable of being on this field and helping our team.
Speaker: And I was not necessarily a vocal leader. i think I put my head down and kind of just did the work um and To an extent, you could say like I was just trying to lead by example, like people saw how I worked and things like that.
Speaker: And I think that might have spoken volumes because people always say I was mature for my age as a freshman with how I went about carrying myself and handling my business and things like that. But I was not someone who came in a locker room, demanded attention and um was getting on guys when they made mistakes. If I saw something, I would like speak up, but I wasn't necessarily speaking up to the whole team.
Speaker: speaking up in front of the coaches to the team and things like that. I was more of a quiet guy and I still am a quiet guy. That's something I'm trying to work on um knowing when it is to kind of get up in front of the team and say something. And if a practice isn't going the right way or whatever, but I stepped onto the campus and really just focused on learning as quickly as I could.
Speaker: I'm in playing to the highest level I could play to. Mm-hmm. Man, would did any captain step in and try to help you understand the defense? Did the coaches, were they helpful? How much work went on outside of the designated practice that you committed to that first year?
Speaker: Yeah, I was fortunate of going in like the summer going into my freshman year. Marco Napolitano um and Chris Collin kind of watched film with me um to help me understand the defense before I even got there.
Speaker: So I kind of had an idea of what was happening, idea of what was going to be coming at me. So that helped. So when I got to campus, it wasn't just fresh Everything was completely new. Like I had, I've seen it before. i kind of understood what was going on. So when I was in a drill or in 66, like I had an idea.
Speaker: So that was something that we did before I even got the campus that helped me kind of have a quicker transition to be able to step on the field and understand it and hold my own. Is that something you do now with the incoming dudes?
Speaker: It is. The past two years, Schwitzenberg and I have done film with some of the younger guys. um And then we're trying to do it this summer a little bit. We have not had a chance to do it yet, but I think there's a day on the schedule in the next couple of days that we're going to get on a call and do it. It was a little tougher with both of us having an internship.
Speaker: and all that, but it is something that we try to do, and we'll do the first week or two before lacrosse even starts on campus, i'm trying to help guys get up to speed. Yeah. What are some of the fun team building, cohesive stuff that y'all did your freshman year that you try to hold on to here? Because you got the the strength and conditioning.
Speaker: In my opinion, that's the best form of shared suffering. But there's also stuff outside of campus that y'all do to to come together as a team. What are some fun stuff that from freshman year that you aim to hold on to now?
Speaker: Yeah, I think the two day ones that kind of stick out to me is we do a talent show. It gives people a chance to kind of show off their hidden talents. um I mean, some are good, some are terrible. Some people try to sing because it's easy and it's just not a talent.
Speaker: ah But it's it's fun. It's just a way to kind of let loose and Kind of show a good personality, show your fun side, like outside of lacrosse, outside of school and things like that. So that's always a good one. And then karaoke is another one we do on bus rides.
Speaker: So that's obviously later in the year. yeah But those are the two things that we enjoy to do um that are just fun. Kind of gets to see your funny side, gets to see who's got a talent and all that. So those are two that I enjoy.
Speaker: Yeah, we used to save karaoke for the wins only. You got earn it. um what What was your talent that first year? um I was one of those kids I did singing. I did it with Carter Williams. ah We sang J. Cole song. What do we sing?
Speaker: Remember done like No Role Models? J. Cole? It was definitely a J. Cole song. And then freshman year karaoke, I did a Bruno Mars song. That's what I like.
Speaker: With the dance. No, did not dance, no. we We were on a bus. i was yeah No, no dance. Just singing. Man, that that's hilarious. What were some of the other highlights of the talent? did anybody Was anybody a stand-up comedian? like Who was really like hidden talent that shocked the team?
Speaker: Um... Gavin Burles, my class, was actually somewhat good of a singer. He did a Noah Kahn song. He was actually decent. um Someone did it like did a long-winded joke and like chirped one of the seniors at that point. um And it was like funny for the freshman because he went at the senior.
Speaker: i don't know if all the seniors loved it, but it was like actually funny. ah i don't like I don't remember what the full joke was, but it's one of those things that's like a long two-minute setup, and then at the end, he like delivered a punchline to it.
Speaker: That was a good one. trying to think. Freshman, it feels so long ago. ah Last year I wasn't there because I was aware of Team USA. So like that first weekend is when they do it. So i wasn't I wasn't there, so I didn't get to see all of them, which is unfortunate. But I mean, they they said it all went smoothly and it was fun. so Yeah.
Speaker: And now stepping into your later years when you get these new freshmen, these transfers in, How do you test them? Do you you mark up on them? Do you say, hey, we're going to meet at 5 a.m. in the weight room or on the field?
Speaker: Like, what's your test to see if these guys got what it takes? And if they don't at the time, that you can then mentor them? Yeah, I think the first week, it's honestly seeing what they're willing to do on their own um without being pushed. There are guys the past couple years that you've seen just out on the field shooting. You see them out running when they don't need to be running. So you can kind of get a feel for who's doing what.
Speaker: I'm not a guy who's going to be up at 5 a.m. to work out, so I'm not pulling guys out to 5 a.m. to work out. um But if there are guys that I'm like, all right, like, yeah, they're doing the work and all that, I'll go up to them and go, hey, let's go get some reps in here. If it's a defender, I'll be like, all right, let's – I'll take time and, like, let's teach you a few things that are going to be important these first couple of weeks.
Speaker: um Fortunately, we have – I have not – seen a freshman or under like a transfer come in who's like not willing to put the work in, which has been good. So I haven't had to get on anyone and be like, hey, like we got to step this up here.
Speaker: I think most kids who are coming to Notre Dame know what they're coming into, that they all have their goals and aspirations to play. And they know that they're not just going to be able to roll out of bed and show up and start playing.
Speaker: So they all come in with a good mindset that they got to put the work in. and I think all like all the position groups, the kind of the older guys on that group do a good job early on like saying, hey, when you want to go get reps, like shoot us a text and we're going to be out here with you guys.
Speaker: If we're coming out, we're going shoot you a text and drag you along with us and those types of things. But I have not had to like say, hey, like I haven't seen you work out once. like What are you doing? We got to get going. I think all the kids who come in understand what they have to do.
Speaker: Yeah. And I interviewed Coach Wellner a while back, and his big thing was peer leadership. And that that's one of the most difficult things, because you've got to call people out for not holding a standard, but then you've still got to be buddies.
Speaker: So what are some challenges when you then stepped up into a captain role for calling out your friends, but then still being, I've got my arm around them the next minute?
Speaker: What were some challenges you faced? Yeah, I think it goes to like the talent show goes to just hanging out in the fall and all those things off the field, like building a relationship with the guys to know that like at this point, the rising sophomores and juniors, like we're all super close. We understand where we're coming from. But this fall, like making sure we're with the freshman that, yeah, you're a freshman, I'm a senior. But like there is no difference between who we are. Like we're going to be best friends. We're to do everything we can to get to know each other. because once we start practice, second, third week, like we're going be getting on each other. We're going to be expecting the most out of each other. Like if I see you slacking, I'm gonna say something and we want you to know it's coming from a place that is just wanting the best for the team, wanting the best for you.
Speaker: And we want to create a environment that if I'm ever slacking, a freshman could be like hey, Sean, like you didn't do that right. Or, Sean, you cut a cone or Sean, you didn't do, you didn't finish this drill out. Like,
Speaker: We want it to be all five classes can kind of get on each other and call each other out. And we all know it's coming from a place that we care about the success of our overall team. And we want that individual to be the best version they can be.
Speaker: So it's definitely a unique thing and it's not always easy to be able to manage it. But you start to learn that anything that you say on the field, you're criticizing like the play.
Speaker: You're not criticizing like the person. You're not saying, hey, Sean, you're being lazy or Sean, you have a terrible work ethic. You're saying, hey, Sean, like you cut this cone or hey, Sean, you didn't do this. So it's more like the action, not not like, hey, Sean, you you're lazy.
Speaker: And then as soon as we step off the field, we kind of know that we're right back to being best friends or we want to be around each other. One through 53. Like it's what we got to do. We got to be a tight knit group to be able to survive the season and get to Memorial Day.
Speaker: Yeah, dude, man, that that is an extremely valuable lesson is separating the person from the problem that we're calling out, man. I'm glad glad you highlighted that. And i want I want to go inside the the huddle between the defense.
Speaker: So we coach our guys as soon as we give up a goal, defense, middies, whether they're offense or not, everybody got has to come together. What's it like when the defense gives up a goal?
Speaker: What is that conversation like for the unit? Yeah, so I think over my three years, we've gotten better with this. But ideally, what our conversation is going to be is if I make a mistake and they and we score, we're coming to that home and be like, guys, I had a bad approach.
Speaker: Hey, guys, I didn't slide. And if you know, like you had ah ah a fault in it or made a mistake, you're putting your hand up. You're saying, hey, like, I messed this up. um the problem is when everyone is in the huddle and no one really knows what happens and guys are like oh you didn't do this or oh what happened here why did this happen and like we're just asking questions like by the time we finish this and try to understand what happened like the middies and lsm can be off the field and watch it on film and understand what happened before like we're going to be pointing fingers and all that so like
Speaker: just coming in if you make a mistake you're putting your hand up and say hey guys i messed up here this is what happened so then everyone else knows like all right like we all did our job this is one mistake he's not going to make it again and we're good um instead of trying to like point fingers or like just ask questions and kind of hide from the blame like we're taking accountability for it um and something i found is that you might have like the smallest mistake in it but we've gotten to the point um the past like last My sophomore year and junior year, like it was the same defense. So like we've gotten to the point where like we know like when we make that mistake and a tiny mistake, like we're all like, hey, I messed this up. And someone's like, no, no, no, I did this. So now you kind of get to a point where like everyone's saying they messed something up, where that's not always beneficial.
Speaker: But when we can be efficient with it and two guys like, hey, I messed this up, I messed this up, Like if the other team hears it, they're like, all right, like they figured it out Like we thought were going to have this again, but like they're all together. They're not pointing fingers at each other.
Speaker: They're ah tight. There's all seven together. There's kind of like a mindset hit that goes to them. and They're like, all like this defense kind of has it figured out. Yeah, man, that the that's awesome. I love to hear it.
Speaker: my My objective is aim is I want the the goalie or the the team leader on defense to take charge of that huddle. And I got to teach high schoolers how to lead it. So one thing I gave them was alignment assignment technique.
Speaker: If it's an alignment problem, well, that's going to fix a lot of different things. If we're in the wrong place at the wrong time, then, okay, well, let's fix that first. If it's assignment blown, you didn't slide when you're supposed to, or you slid when you weren't supposed to do something there, then we tackle that. And then technique, hey, seniors can tackle that or upperclassmen and coaches are there for the technique. So that's one filter to try to speed up that because you know those conversations can get long um in that huddle. Yeah.
Speaker: I also aim to accomplish a next play. And then my head coach, he played at army. His, his phrase is always saying next play, next play. Was there any point in your career where you would get hung up?
Speaker: Did you have to learn next play? Or is that something that your parents handed off to you as a valuable lesson? Yeah. Um, I think back to, I was playing at Nike's all-star, uh, game and like freshman year, sophomore year of high school, like the national one. And, uh,
Speaker: like we got scored on and like my head would drop. Like we got scored on my head would drop. And my dad, like after a game or two, he was like, if you get scored on like you can't let your head drop. Like you're showing the offense, like they figured you out that like we're getting down on it.
Speaker: So I think since then, I've really tried to emphasize like that next play mentality and keeping my head up, making sure like my teammates keep their head up. Because at the end of the day, we're playing the best players, the best teams weekend week in, week out. Like the chances of us holding a team to zero goals, like we have to play nearly flawless and they got to play honestly, like not great. Right. Like a lacrosse game seeing zero goals, like when's the last time you've seen that in college?
Speaker: um So like understanding, like we're going to make a mistake. They're going to make great plays. Like we're going to get scored on. um So just trying to stay positive in like that next mindset. And something I've kind of figured out is like, I trust myself. I trust my teammates. I trust our preparation. so it's one of those things, like when we make a mistake and someone's like, Hey, yeah, I made that mistake. Like we all have that confidence in each other. Like we're going to adjust that. And then we're going to be better that next goal. Like a lot of times we're not going to go up the same goal twice in a game.
Speaker: because we're going kind of understand why something works on the offensive side and like how can we adjust our defense to kind of stop that. So I think our entire defense does a good job with next play mentality. Obviously, some games, some goals are harder than others.
Speaker: um But I think overall, we're we're pretty good at it. Yeah, you make a great point. Like you're playing the best and you're getting the best of the best. Everyone's bringing their you guys are on the king of the hill right now. So anytime you face off, people will be bringing their best towards you.
Speaker: Like when did that light bulb go off of realizing that every single play somebody is trying to knock you off the top of the hill? I think freshman year, like when we lost to Georgetown, I think that was kind of a wake up moment for me um because before then, like we played Marquette and Cleveland State, like we played pretty well and all that.
Speaker: Georgetown, like we were going in, like in my mind, like, yes, we should win. We were ranked pretty high and all this stuff. And like, you just kind of see like how these teams come at you and like, there is no backing down. Like they're giving you their best effort every game in game out.
Speaker: even in Cleveland state and Marquette's like, they're giving you everything they have because like 99% of the teams in college or across, like have our name circled anytime they get to play us, especially if we're ever at home.
Speaker: So like, I think after that game, like my sophomore year losing to Ohio state, like those types of games, when you just see teams like not quitting and just, like just staying around um you kind of realize that like you're playing the best of the best you're getting the best that any team has week in week out and i think last year and this year but i guess last year um that was really been an emphasis amount of making sure like we're dialed in for every single play every single team no matter what the score is what the time is making sure we're still chasing perfection trying to get better each rep now
Speaker: You had to feel and experience that. How are you aiming to communicate and translate that down to the the freshmen and the transfers that may not have had that experience?
Speaker: Because, hey, everybody's going to come after it. Those are just words. How do you help them feel and then prepare now in the fall for the inevitable spring that's coming where everybody's, they're not holding back any punches?
Speaker: Yeah, I think it's hard to hard to get them to feel it without them feeling it. But that first game where there's a team we should be beating and like they're just hanging around, like they're going to understand. And they're in they're back mind and be like, all right, like these guys are right. like they're We're going to get every team's best shot.
Speaker: um So I think it's one of those things they kind of have to feel it out. And unfortunately, that that's almost like the only way. But anytime we're in practice and say, like, if scout team is beating us or whatever, saying like, this is what other teams are going to do. Like scout has nothing to lose. Like they're proving themselves.
Speaker: Other teams are going to be coming and they're going to be proving themselves to us as well. um So it's hard to explain it and get them to feel it without them being in the moment. But the best we can do is kind of watching film of it, kind of seeing how,
Speaker: you might start to have a team build momentum and how we kind of clip it or how a team builds momentum and we don't clip it in those two games I mentioned. Like you can kind of see it and you can feel it when you're watching it.
Speaker: So I would say like those are kind of the ways that we'll try to go about making sure that the newcomers are familiar with it. Yeah. Yeah. Speaking and watching and film, I just spoke at a conference with coach Wellner and We were watching. It was a cool experience because it was Coach Wellner and then Coach Ireland, who's with Johns Hopkins. He's a goalie.
Speaker: So then they were going coordinator and coordinator, and we were watching the playoff game against Hopkins and and Notre Dame, and they were bouncing like where their head was at during the game. It was an awesome experience.
Speaker: And then one of the guests in the audience makes an observation that the Blue Jays, they split into two huddles during a timeout, and then Coach Corrigan, Notre Dame, kept everybody on one huddle, whether it was an offense or a defense timeout.
Speaker: So I don't know if you know if that's intentional or that's the mindset. What have you seen as the value of having that one huddle during timeouts during your playing career?
Speaker: Yeah, it's definitely intentional. And something you learn is that anything Coach Corrigan does, like there's reason behind it. He's been doing this for a while and he's kind of seen it all. And I'm going to say he has it all figured out because no one's ever to have it all figured out.
Speaker: But he understands like when he does something, there's reasoning behind it. So the one huddle is definitely for a purpose. but I think the biggest benefit for it as like a player is that we're all on the same page.
Speaker: if offense has the ball, right. It's like defense isn't having it. We kind of know the play they're drawing up. If it's late time, like we know, all right, this is where the other team might try to choke them out. And this is where we might lose the ball. This how a fast break might come or, Hey, this is going to be the play we're running. They might lose it on this side. Like,
Speaker: Defense, us knowing the play and understanding like all the what ifs of what could happen, help us prepare and not be surprised when something comes. If we're in two huddles and they're doing a play and we have no clue where they supposed to finish or what time they're supposed to start the play at, like we're kind of in a guessing game and we're kind of at the same level as the other team's defense in the offense. So like we're at a disadvantage as well.
Speaker: So us knowing exactly what the offense is doing and vice versa. if we If we're on defense, like the offense knows like, all right, they're doubling the ball here. If they get the ball, it's going coming down quick here or like whatever it is, like everyone being on the same page, hearing one voice and hearing the same thing.
Speaker: It's just super beneficial. So we're all 50, however many of us are on the same page and can execute. Time out. Text here at Train Heroic headquarters meeting with the team to talk about the coaching experience that I'm able to provide for my athletes. So if you're a coach and want to put your program out there on an app that athletes actually enjoy using, Train Heroics for you. I've been using it since 2014. delivering literally over tens of thousands of workouts to athletes and the train heroic allows me to provide the unique coaching experience that i want to uploading video providing coaching feedback directions and building a community that's why i love train heroic and if you want to take your athletes where they can't take themselves that they want to go head to trainheroic.com captains and check out how you can deliver programming to them and now back to the show ready ready and ready
Speaker: Your leadership philosophy, lead by example. We started out at freshman year, you shared earlier in the episode where you're focused on the job that you needed to do. But now as you've gone through your college career, now you're leading others by example. Have you found your found your voice within the leading by example? Because, dude, I feel myself as an introverted leader and still lead by example. But there are times that I do need my voice to help ah corral and focus individuals.
Speaker: So how has your voice grown and your confidence with leadership throughout your career with Notre Dame? Yeah, I think um I'm still definitely a quieter person um in general, not someone that's going to be screaming at you. But I think I've earned the respect from my teammates and that they know that I'm going to kind of show up and do the right things all the time.
Speaker: So like when I have something to say and I start speaking, um I feel like they listen and they know I'm like coming from a place that like, right, this is important, that I'm not someone that's talking every practice just to hear myself talk. Yeah, like I'm gonna save it for the moments where I like we need to figure this out. um An example of this was like my sophomore year practice was not going great. And I mean, as a sophomore, like wasn't a captain wasn't anything.
Speaker: And like, I was like, Alright, guys, bring it up real quick. And they all came up and guys are like, Alright, like, what's he gonna say? And I just say something quick, saying talking about how the practice – like, we weren't playing like to our best. We weren't necessarily – we were playing hard, but it wasn't clean and all that. So, like just trying to get us to refocus, like deep take a deep breath and all those things.
Speaker: And like we came out, and guys started playing. And after, Coach Welner actually came up to me. he was like like, that was great. like When you talk, like they're going listen in because you don't just try to talk whenever. So, I think that's kind of where I'm trying to grow and find those points where – whether I'm bringing the whole team together, or just bringing the defense or just the one end of the field together to be like, guys, practice is not going right. Trying to end it before coach has to say something. And then like, he's more upset, like trying to, you you understand when you've kind of been around it. Like when guys walk in the locker you can know if this practice is going to be a great practice or if we're all a little slow and we're going step on this field and coach is going to lose it on us.
Speaker: um So just trusting that gut feeling, that intuition, and like being willing to say something about it is really where I'm trying to grow. um And then obviously, like, not just waiting for those one offs, but obviously having things to say before practice, every here and there to make sure like,
Speaker: we were coming in, but like before we even have a chance of having a bad practice, like saying something to get us going. But really leading by example, making sure I'm your doing every drills the best of my ability, running around on the field, not kind of walking and taking reps off.
Speaker: So definitely leading by example, more, but finding my voice more and more to make sure we're having meaningful practice. Yeah, and then that that is key. So there's a lot of research out there. It's called transformational leadership theory.
Speaker: And the number one with a bullet is that idealized influence. That's a very formal way of us saying lead by example, because man, I don't know if you've experienced in your athletic career, the the hypocritical leader that says one thing, but their, their actions, their behaviors don't match their goals or the words that they lead with. So,
Speaker: Number one with a bullet is the way you're leading idealized influence. So yeah, I mean, stick with it. And then, ah yeah, I'll send you some more on that transformational leadership theory, but it's literal levers to pull.
Speaker: It's, it's awesome, man. So, Also on that point, um there have been times like this past year, i know there are multiple times like I wasn't playing well in practice, teams not playing well. And like, I'm trying to figure out like, all right, do I say something? Do I not?
Speaker: Like, I want to say, hey, we got to pick this up. Like, I'm not playing well. So like, is it a time and place for me to say it or not? So that's also something like trying not to be a hypocrite and be like, yeah, I'm not playing great right now. I know we're all not playing great, but like someone needs to say something. But like, am I the person to say it when I'm not playing well? So that's kind of like a fight that I have with myself at times to be able to get it out, make sure we're like, again, the message right. But now it's sounding like a hypocrite. du No, dude you're allowed to make mistakes, like making a mistake and then owning it. That's that's leadership. Then you're going to learn from it and you're going to bank it.
Speaker: It'd be opposite if you're outside of practice, off campus, doing the wrong thing and then showing up like this idealized person. that That's no go. So you're allowed to make mistakes on the field.
Speaker: And then you're showing them how to bounce back and then take responsibility and then redirect, man. So ah that's called imposter syndrome. Plenty of research on that, too.
Speaker: Don't feel it, man. You're allowed to make sport mistakes, but then off the off the field mistakes, stuff within your control. Like that's true leadership. That's delayed gratification. You're invested now. Here we are in August preparing for what you know is coming in in April and May come playoff time.
Speaker: Like that's that's leadership. um I threw this question out before that I want to get into. High school captain captaincy versus college captaincy.
Speaker: High school captain, from my experience, kids pick the best player or the coolest kid. And then in college, they pick that hardest worker, the guy that's doing the right thing More often than not, or the dude is going to put the team on their freaking back and make a hamstring with tape or whatever wild things your teammates have done.
Speaker: So what do you feel is the difference between great high school leaders, captains, and then great college captains? Yeah, I definitely agree with how captains are picked. That's a lot of how it is in high school to college.
Speaker: I say like the biggest challenge for a high school captain, I think why it goes down to the best player is because most high schools, you have kids who, yes, they want to go play at the highest level, but you also have kids who are just playing to play.
Speaker: So like that drop off from your top guy to your bottom guy, it's not that like he's that much better. Like he might be, but like you're not going to give that bottom guy because he's not in it for the long haul. He's kind of just there.
Speaker: Good times, likes to play lacrosse, wants to play for his four years of high school, but necessarily isn't looking long term. Like everyone in college is there for a reason. They all want to be there, or at least I hope they all want to be there.
Speaker: Right. So you might not be playing or you might not be the best kid, but like you want the best for that team. High school, they're kind of just there having fun, like doing their thing. College, all guys on the team are going to be bought in.
Speaker: So I think you can get away with it not being your best player. My freshman year, we had a kid who didn't play in Max Maniak, and he's one of the best captains I've ever seen because he was doing all those little things. He was showing up to practice every day, busting his butt every drill to kind of get everyone better, but wasn't seeing the field on Saturday. So you knew he had the right intentions because he wasn't off in practice goofing around because he's like, I'm not playing. Like, why does this matter? He understood that like everyone's role was important and that like, even though he was on scout team, like the starters needed him to prepare, needed him to play to his best to help prepare them for Saturday.
Speaker: um So he was a kid that really like just dropped the ego and did whatever he needed for this team to be as successful as it was. And that's ultimately why were able to be so successful because guys,
Speaker: just dropped their ego and were willing to do whatever it was. And I mean, he was a captain and I think he played in two or three games um towards like the end of the games and things like that. But he was one of the best captains. Whereas in high school, it's gonna be your best kid because he cares. He wants to be there and he's going to be, and kids are going to look up to him and want to follow him because he's like the best.
Speaker: So I think that's really the big difference between high school and college. And I think being a high school captain is really hard because you have those kids who just are there for the fun of it and don't want to make any of the sacrifices needed to be successful.
Speaker: And I mean, I ran into that problem in high school where everyone doesn't care. You got freshmen who are like, Oh, I got three more years after this, like I'll kind of lock in later down the road. So and you got 14 year olds like it's a lot harder to get a 14 year old on board than it is an 18 year old who's in college and wants to be there.
Speaker: So just a maturity level, too, is is a big difference on why it's hard. Yeah. um We talked earlier, you're leading camps now, and I wanted to highlight that. What's your mission with camps? What is it specific to def defense? Because I don't see a lot of defensive clinics out there.
Speaker: What are you aiming to accomplish? How can guys follow along in your teaching and business journey as much as they can with your your playing career here? Yeah, I mean, the mission is really just to continue to grow the game, to help kids pick up a stick, want to play, continue to get better, to see the growth and want to continue to keep playing. So that's like my big mission, trying to just grow the game and kind of do my part in it.
Speaker: I do anything from individuals to group sessions, to clinics, to training. Camps my clinics are all defensive clinics, whether it's long poles LMS short stick D mate is whatever it is it's just a defensive aspect to it because to your point.
Speaker: You get you got guys to do shooting clinics and often the clinics all the time, but no one really focuses on the defense. um So i kind of found like this is my niche and obviously I say play defense and know it to a high level and can teach it so it's just easier for me to go right to the defense so I find that it's beneficial to me but also there's not a ton of options out there for kids and then my camps are most of the time are offense and defense.
Speaker: um We separate at times to work on individual stuff. I'll bring in offensive coaches and things of that nature, and then we'll come together and play. But my clinics are more focused just on the defensive side, i'm just trying to help them navigate the high school landscape and then kind of what the differences or similarities are going to be as it kind of gets to the next level um and just kind of help them answer questions that they have to help make them have as smooth of a process as they can.
Speaker: Yeah. So when a lot of new kids find lacrosse later in life, they're pushed towards defense. One, because I don't think the coaches, they don't want to spend their time teaching them offense is too hard. So go play defense.
Speaker: What do you feel are some natural attributes that people, if they have, they they should start with defense first versus getting shoveled over there because coaches don't want to necessarily coach them?
Speaker: Yeah, I think if you're a big kid, I think defense is going to be a great spot for you. um You look at some of your top conferences. I'm going to take the ACC because i think it's the best conference that there is. Like if you go look at those defenders, all of them are all the starting defenders are all super tall. They're big guys.
Speaker: um So it just helps in that. nature. Guys who play multiple sports, I think on defense are great because you understand the footwork to it. Every sport you play is going to teach you a little bit something different about footwork.
Speaker: And footwork is the name of the game on the defensive side. So I think those are two things that if you can be super quick with your feet and you got some size to you and you can move well laterally, i think you should look towards the defensive side.
Speaker: um And then if you're just a guy that loves the team aspect, I think defense is great because offense, there's going to individual glory to it. um You're scoring the goals, you're getting the assist and all that.
Speaker: But defense is not really a ton of individual stats. Like, yes, there's calls turnovers, but like ultimately at the end of the day to get a calls turnover, other people have to be doing their job as well. a lot of times you're not just going to be out there by yourself and get the call. So like people are going to be taking away passing lanes or they're going to um force a pass to your man in a bad area, things like that. So there's just an aspect that defense. I find that just becomes a really tight knit group because all of you guys have to play to get well together for that to really click and be a good defense.
Speaker: um So, I mean, our defense, we love hanging out together, especially our three close guys and Thomas, especially Daly, like the four of us are always together, just getting to know each other off the field. So when we're on the field, like we know we we got each other's backs.
Speaker: and It's just a lot of fun. Yeah. And within offense, we know what we can do outside of practice on our own, shooting some wall ball. What are some directions that you can give to defensemen to do on their own that are going to help them onto the field?
Speaker: Yeah, I think the biggest thing for me as I was kind of junior, senior of high school, now into college, is like I've really just fallen in love with doing my footwork. It's an individual thing that you can continue to see growth and push yourself. You don't need anyone else to work on it.
Speaker: And you can see the growth of how fast your feet start moving. And then you're able to see how it translates overall into lacrosse field pretty well. So I think anything with the footwork, whether it's ladder drills, which I love to do, cone drills, and then new two new things that I've really been preaching is like working on your approach and your side shuffles.
Speaker: um Everyone, I love footwork and I'm a culprit of it. Everyone loves to do the footwork. Everyone likes to have fast feet. But at the end of the day, like, The thing you do the most on defense besides like communicate is like approach someone.
Speaker: yeah um So being able to work on your approach, any type of approach, a longer approach, short, backside, up top, behind, like wherever it is, being able to work on your approach, like that's going set you up for success.
Speaker: And then you can allow your footwork to take over once you're into the dodge and things like that. But if you have a terrible approach, your footwork, yeah, going help, but like you're going to be at a disadvantage to begin with.
Speaker: So I think your approach and then just working on your side shuffle, trying to be able to side shuffle as quick as you can be able to stay in it as long as you can, as guys are running, I think are like the three big things footwork approach.
Speaker: um Oh, God, footwork approach, what I said, is sir. for hook approach, lateral and lateral shuffles. Yeah. Sorry. So again, preaching a, on that lateral, just recalling Welner talked about defense foot upset set up, and then he wanted to move away from a drop step. And you correct me if I'm wrong. I'm trying to recall a presentation.
Speaker: So, ah not necessarily, he wanted to move away from a drop step and just work laterally. Was that something that, ah that you had to change and correct in your own play that you found beneficial?
Speaker: Yeah. This is something that coach Welner and I worked on all season, trying to eliminate my back pedals and all that. And it was hard because it's just so natural to backpedal someone's running at you like who wants to just sit there um so something that we worked on after the practice almost every day um even in practice watch film on it so it was a habit that i had to break but he was able to help me and willing to help me kind of break it and it's just super beneficial because when you're backpedaling you're kind of at a loss and being attacked whereas if you hold your ground and side shuffle you can kind of dictate where guys go um a little bit better so
Speaker: defensively like 90% of the time we're reacting any little inch or little edge we can get that can kind of help dictate where someone goes like we want to try to take it so I find the side shovel that coach Rolando talked about in that presentation and all that i I started incorporating this past year I've seen it really work and it's something I've really been trying to preach to kids I work with this summer awesome and now just to to end on a technical note Like how would you, so coach me through your approach. You're leading a clinic.
Speaker: People are watching you. Like what do you ah what's your coaching direction that you are teaching to use as an approach? Because I'm going to package it up and steal it and give it to my guys. Yeah. So first thing I do is whoever's up, I have them approach me or approach a cone.
Speaker: And then 98% of the time, they're going to shave my top hand way too much. And going to say, all right, when I start to move, beat me to the goal. And then i'll I'll start moving. I'll sprint to the goal. And I'll be right, did you beat me to the goal? and they'll be like, no.
Speaker: So my whole thing is when I'm teaching my approach, When you're younger, everyone tells you to take away top hand. Yes, we want to take away top hand. We want to shed that way a little bit. But you can't completely turn your hips and your shoulder to the sideline because no one's going to be able to keep up with anyone who's running on a straight line.
Speaker: So I always say kind of split your top foot um to the middle of the guy's body. So you're taking away the middle, but you're also not giving him a straight line to the goal.
Speaker: um So the biggest thing is, is like making sure if he wants to run straight to the goal, he's got to run through your shoulder to kind of get there. So that's kind of how I teach the approach. And then I teach it where you approach all the way until your stick is to their gut or their gloves.
Speaker: Don't pull up short and don't run past them where like your hands are on them already and your head of your stick is past them. So that's the second point. And then once they make their move, working on a side shuffle left or right, whatever way, not in a backpedal.
Speaker: um So it's approach up. Your top foot is going to be kind of dead center of their body, making sure they can't run straight to the goal. They got to run through your chest. Your stick is out straight to their guts or their gloves.
Speaker: And then your first step is going to be a side shuffle of the three ways, three stages of the approach that I i walk them through. Sweet. All right, dude, some rapid fire fun ones to end.
Speaker: What is your favorite sports movie of all time? Creed II. Creed II. Creed II. What did it for you? The speech? um The story? I think Creed I is just like they're setting it up a little much. And then like Creed II, they're right into it.
Speaker: But I like the whole story of him losing and then obviously coming back. And I just, I like how Rocky, like how Rocky is portrayed in it. And I just overall, it's like a movie i love watching and continue to watch. You watch it before games?
Speaker: I don't watch it before games. Okay. And then favorite fictional coach of all time. I like coach Carter. Okay. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker: yeah That's a good one. Dude. Fun, fun fact with that. The, the actors, the dudes, the players, when they were in that pool at that house ye and Samuel L walks up to them and he's pissed off.
Speaker: yeah He's pissed off in real life because their movie contract told them, do not, you can have a party here. Do not go in the pool. Yeah. And so his his like sternness is real.
Speaker: And then the dude's like, oh, no, their reaction is is not acting. yeah Yeah. I mean, ah yeah, I love how he coaches It's like the academic side of making sure they're doing it and like holding ah holding his foot down. I think that kind of goes to being a captain. Like you got to be able to make those tough decisions.
Speaker: So he kind of shows it in that way, obviously in a movie and all that. But that's funny that that's a – a real reaction that kind of just fit, fit the scene. And the character's wild.
Speaker: And then any big matchups, I mean, schedules already out any, any dates that you got circled because everyone's got Notre Dame circle on in this upcoming season. I'm going to give you the PR answer. Next game. Next game. like we've we've kind of I learned it the hard way. My sophomore year, we dropped a ton of games and kind of didn't play our best that year. So just taking it one game at a time, the team we're going to be when we play whoever our first game is to Memorial Day, hopefully, like we're going to be a completely different team and we need all 10 to 14, 15 games that we have in that season to kind of get to that point.
Speaker: So like we can't take a game off looking ahead to another team. I love it. That is the right answer. I was testing you. All right, dude, Sean, I'm grateful you taking your time, man. You got a ah big fall coming up, ramping up.
Speaker: So if people want to follow along this season, your athletic journey, your career and the camps, where should they go? For my career, Instagram, S-L-Y-G-H-T underscore 90 for my personal stuff. And then for any trainings, if you have any any questions, I want to do some film review, things like that. You can reach out to lightsoutlacrosse.90 on Instagram.
Speaker: Those are my two accounts. Dude, branding. I love it. Lights out. Well, I have a title for the episode. All right, dude, i'll I'll let you go here, man. I appreciate you.
Speaker: We'll end it here, man. Best of luck this season. I'll be following along. Awesome. you very much for having me. I enjoyed it. Sweet. Insane.
