Boys lacrosse benefits from pro guidance
magine Von Miller roaming the sideline with a headset on fall Friday nights, or Nolan Arenado watching keenly from the top step of the dugout during a spring high school baseball game.
Then imagine them setting aside their coaching notes to go to work, Miller as the Broncos’ defensive lynchpin and Arenado as the face of the Rockies.
“Pie in the sky” notions, right?
Not in high school boys lacrosse, where current and former professional athletes are infiltrating the prep coaching ranks across metro Denver.
In Class 5A, retired Colorado Mammoth defenseman John Gallant coaches No. 5 Rock Canyon, while current Denver Outlaws defenseman Matt Bocklet guides No. 9 Highlands Ranch and former Outlaws defenseman Sean McCarthy leads Denver East. And in Class 4A, Mammoth legend John Grant Jr. is in charge of defending champion Valor Christian.
“Having quality coaches across the board really raises the quality of play, and the game of lacrosse is obviously growing extensively here in Colorado,” said Gallant, the Mammoth’s alltime leader in games played. “All of these professional players going back to the high school level are only going to help our game continue to grow and compete with the teams on the East Coast and the teams in California.”
And beyond head coaching roles, assistant jobs are being headlined by notable current and former professionals too. Outlaws players Nick Ossello (Wheat Ridge), Brent Adams (Valor Christian), Brian Kormondy (Valor Christian) and Mammoth star goalie Dillon Ward (Rock Canyon) are all coaching, as are recently retired lacrosse standouts such as Brian Langtry (Highlands Ranch), Ken Clausen (Wheat Ridge) and Jamie Shewchuk (Rock Canyon).
It’s a trend that speaks to the grassroots nature of the sport, as well as to the professional players’ desire for the game to continue to grow locally, where two professional teams, a perennial powerhouse collegiate program at the University of Denver and an ever-burgeoning high school scene have made the Mile High City one of the lacrosse hotbeds of the West.
“I think most pros are extremely happy with the life they’ve received through lacrosse — the full scholarships, playing in different stadiums, getting to live their dream,” Grant said. “For the most part, they all want to give that back, and you’re seeing that around Denver.”
Grant said the flexible nature of playing professional lacrosse continues to open the door to more pros agreeing to coach at the high school level.
“That’s the beauty of being a pro lacrosse player — you’ve got to train during the week, but you literally practice on Fridays and play on Saturdays,” Grant said. “So I’ll schedule the Valor games around that, and we don’t do much on the weekends so we have the opportunity to have these great pro coaches available during the week.”
And with professionals at the controls, high school players get a firsthand education in the minutiae of the sport. It’s greatness breeding greatness, with the 31 Division I players signed in the Class of 2017 only the latest wave of homegrown lacrosse talent to come out of Colorado.
“Since I’m still playing and training, I work out with my players and put them through similar yearround training that I do as a professional player,” Bocklet said. “Because where we can really help these local high school players is to let them see what it takes to play at the next level, and to help them prepare mentally and physically for that transition from high school to college.” Kyle Newman: 303-954-1773 knewman@ denverpost.com or @KyleNewmanDP