PS: Coach. Good morning. First off thank you for taking the time to discuss Saturday's events.Coming off a 12-6 win over Marquette, Going into Saturday what's the vibe around practice?
JD: We did some conditioning and film yesterday, besides needing a day off, we needed to see ourselves play and see the mistakes we are making. With that being said we are excited because all of the mistakes we are making are things easily fixed with a little mental toughness on our end.
PS: With the pageantry of the Father Marco cup it has to be hard to stay with the "no big games" approach. How do you keep your players on an even keel mentally?
JD: The team's goal has never been to win this or that game, or achieve this. Our goal is to improve each week and that is how we approach each practice and game: Correct our previous mistakes and move forward.
PS: Being a De Smet alum what is your favorite moment from the rivalry?
JD: Two years ago winning in overtime was my favorite memory, both teams were a top 4 team in the state and it was pretty heated. It was a sloppy game but I enjoyed it because of the grit and heart both teams showed. 4 years ago was another great game... we lost 15-12 at home, but it was a back and forth game and both teams played very well.
PS: You also played for the legendary Coach Mike Sennett, it's impossible to mention St. Louis lacrosse and not recognize the impact he had on the game. What was it like to have the opportunity to play on those teams?
JD: It was an experience I'm very grateful for that taught me a lot more than just about lacrosse. Two of the things I'll remember the most were his ability to create chemisty and a sense of brotherhood among his players. The guys I played with then are still my best friends today. The second was his ability to get the most out of each player. He was able to push us well beyond what we thought were our limits at the beginning of the season.
PS: With the season in full swing, so far who are some players who have been emerged as leaders?
JD: Since we have a lot of seniors we have pretty strong leadership all over the field. We have a lot of leaders on defense, Pandolfo, Rougeau, Bruns, Snodgrass all saw significant playing time as sophomores and juniors, so they know the systems and understand what we are trying to do. At the midfield Koester Umbeck Stackle are really our leaders. They are all two way guys that contribute on both ends of the field and help in the clearing & face off aspect of the game. Offensively Iversen is our guy up front but Radke and Ross have played with composure since day one and those three end up creating a ton of opportunities for each other and midfielders up top.
PS: What are some areas of tomorrow's games that will have a big impact on the outcome?
JD: Tomorrow's game will be tough because they have a good Face Off guy and a good goalie so right off the bat this will be a close game. But we have a good goalie and Face Off guy as well, our goals are going to be to stay out of the box, limit our turnovers, and shoot well we will get the result we need.
PS: Lastly how has your time at De Smet helped you get where you are today?
JD: Because I played here and have spent most of my time coaching here I take a lot of pride in the product that we put out on the field and the way we handle ourselves off the field. I learned a lot from my previous coaches, the others I coached with, and the players that I played with, I want to pass along all of those lessons to current players and make sure they understand this is their own opportunity do something special and leave their mark on the program.
Thank you to Coach Douglas and best of luck to both teams. Ticket information can be found at
https://www.desmet.org/father-marco-cup.html. Lets pack the stands.
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