Recently I was speaking with someone who informed me that the MLL All-Star game was going to be the “young guns” vs. “grizzled vets” format (maybe not the actual name for the squad – but you get the point).  While I may have been able to hold a bit of curiosity as to where I would fall a year or two ago, after 5 years in the MLL and NLL, I am now clearly in the second category.  It is hard to believe that I have played professional lacrosse longer than I ever played in college.  And when you consider the fact that I didn’t play in a single game my freshman year at Cornell it is almost double the time! 

To me it seems incredible, almost surreal.  Coming out of high school I never would have guessed that I would be competing with the world’s best, let alone enjoying a 5 year career in both professional leagues.  And while the grind of traveling each Friday and Sunday, incorporating training and staying in shape around a full-time job (albeit one that goes nicely with my playing career) and pushing my body to the limit every weekend is tough – I can’t imagine NOT playing.  The feeling in the locker room with your teammates after a win is something you simply cannot get anywhere else.  And it is a feeling that doesn’t fade whether you are a brand new rookie or a seasoned vet. 

In my 5 years I have learned plenty.  I expect and hope that I am able to play a few more and continue that education.  And like anything in life, part of the education process is turning around and helping those guys coming up behind me.  In Minnesota we have the advantage of a “young” team.  I am not sure the exact average age of our team, but it cannot be much older than 23 or 24.  And now part of my role includes bringing those guys up to speed. 

Whether it is a play on the floor, conduct off of it, or just how to prepare for a game I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what I need to do to make #85 successful.  Now I need to make sure those around me feel the same, and do it in a way that empowers them.  This is the next step in the challenge of being a veteran and one that I cherish.  Looking up to leaders that I have had the pleasure of playing with/for – Jeff Tambroni, Dan Dawson, Matt Striebel to name a few – I am able to pull different methods and mindsets to how they get guys from the team on board.  Because one thing that is consistent among all of the leaders I have had the pleasure of learning from is the fact that success was bred once they got everyone on the same page and pushing towards the TEAM goals.  

Chemistry is one of the hardest things in sports to put your finger on, but can be a HUGE differentiator down the line.  The chemistry that we shared on the 2011 Boston Cannons allowed us to be as close as any team I have been on and it showed when the game was on the line.  Building chemistry also comes from those sacrificing personal desires for the TEAM goals I mentioned above.  But unlike real chemistry, there is no one formula for success.  Which is why it takes veterans combining their shared experiences of what works and tinkering until the right blend is found.  Sometimes that never happens (see Boston Blazers 2011), but I do believe that once you find the mix – it makes all of the difference. 

While I know the above may seem to ramble a bit, I would like to try to sum it up, and hopefully it will provide some clarity to what I have learned in my 5 years.  While this timeframe may be shorter or longer for others and certainly didn’t take a full year for each, I would say this is a good rough outline for how my career has unfolded:

Year 1 – learn and accept the vision and goals of your team’s leaders

Year 2 – fully buy in to the vision and goals of your team’s leaders

Year 3 – Begin to help the team’s leaders share the vision and goals among the team

Year 4 – Become a team leader – help implement the vision and goals

Year 5 – Help others as they move between steps 1-4

Beyond – Continue to refine each step and learn from those around you, whether they are a rookie or a 15 year vet. 

I have not played on any single team for 5 years.  And with each step there is an ebb and a flow and each doesn’t happen in totality.  But I do believe that a team bought into a vision, with the same goals, is a powerful force – and when that vision is clear and achievable the goals can be lofty.  Now I’m off to get myself better.  Because that is a small step to achieving our team’s vision, but one I can control immediately.