Today on the show we have the head coach of Ursinus Men’s Lacrosse, Gary Mercadante.

Coach Mercadante is a graduate of Dickinson College where he was a two-time captain.  He was an assistant at Ursinus for 4 seasons before moving on to launch the Lacrosse program at Delaware Valley University.  In their first season, Delaware Valley Lacrosse had the most wins by a Delaware Valley team in any sport in their inaugural season, including a win in the programs first-ever game.  Coach Mercadante is now in the middle of his first season back at Ursinus as Head Coach.

Coach and I got a chance to talk about a lot of things like being an athlete, avoiding overwhelm, building a strong foundation, leadership, and much more.

Gary Mercadante - Avoiding Overwhelm, Building a Strong Foundation, and Leadership

The GameChanger Lacrosse Podcast is about talking to people who have dedicated their life to the game of lacrosse and learning about who they are, how they got to where they are today, and what they do to improve themselves and their teams.  Be sure to follow us on twitter, @GCSports.  And, if you’re a coach, a parent or you run a travel or club team, check out GameChanger Team Manager in the app store.  Its the essential, all-in-one, scheduling and  communication app for lacrosse coaches and parents. Unlike other team apps, GameChanger Team Manager is free, easy to use, and doesn’t serve ads. Learn more at  GC.com/TeamManager

Sports

Today on the show we have Pat Colleluori.  He is the Chief Development Officer for the HeadStrong Foundation.  He’s the brother of Nick Colleluori, the Founder of HeadStrong.  Nick was diagnosed with cancer in 2005 after his Freshman year at Hofstra University.  He passed in 2006 after founding the HeadStrong Foundation; something his family continues to run and grow to this day.

Pat and I got a chance to talk about Nick, his time with Hofstra Lacrosse, the Mission of the HeadStrong Foundation, and where it’s going over the next 10 - 15 years.

For anyone looking to learn more, donate, or get involved with the HeadStrong foundation go to HeadStrong.org.

Pat Colleluori - Nick Colleluori & The HEADStrong Foundation

Today on the show we have Tom Marechek.

Tom is Syracuse Lacrosse legend.  Someone I feel needs no introduction.  He’s the fifth-leading goal scorer in NCAA history with 182 goals.  A four-time All-American and a member of both the NCAA and the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame.  He is now the director of Lacrosse at IMG Academy.

Tom and I got a chance to talk about a lot of things like what led him to Syracuse, Mastering Behind the Back, Emulating his Idols, and his new role at the IMG Academy.

Tom Marechek - Syracuse, Mastering The BTB, And IMG Academy

Today on the show we have the head coach of Army Men’s Lacrosse, Joe Alberici.

Coach Alberici is a graduate of Alfred College where he was a two time All-American and a 3-time Captain.  He started his coaching career at Alfred as a graduate assistant before moving to be the head coach at SUNY Oneonta.  He then became the assistant coach at West Point for two seasons before taking the assistant coaching job at Duke University.  He stayed at Duke for 9 seasons before returning to West Point to be named the Head Coach of Army Lacrosse.  He’s been at Army for more than 14 seasons and in 2008 was named the Patriot League Coach of the year.

Coach and I got a chance to talk about a lot of different things like becoming a better leader, instilling confidence, being pragmatic, mental & emotional toughness and much more.

Joe Alberici - Instilling Confidence, Being Pragmatic, And Mental Toughness

Today on the show we have Chazz Woodson.

Chazz is a graduate of Brown University where he was a two-time All-Ivy League selection and a two-time All-New England player.  Chazz started his professional career in the MLL with the Lizards, before moving to the Canons, the LA Riptide, the Machine, and the Bayhawks.  He was a 2008 MLL All-Star and the winner of the best trick competition.

He now runs Nation United, a club program devoted to promoting diversity within the sport. Today on the show we got a chance to talk about a lot of things like earning his spot, working to capacity, enjoying the ride and much much more.

Chazz Woodson - Earning His Spot, Working To Capacity, & Enjoying The Ride

Today on the show we have the Head Coach of Bucknell Women’s Lacrosse, Remington Steele.

Coach Steele was a graduate of Limestone University where his team made 3 Final Four appearances.  He started his coaching career at Limestone before moving on to be the lead assistant at Vermont.  He then went to Furman where he was the goalies' coach, defensive coordinator, and the recruiting coordinator.  Then, in the summer of 2017, he took over as the head coach of Bucknell Women’s Lacrosse.

Coach Steele and I got a chance to talk about a lot of things like learning by doing, getting buy-in, working towards a common goal, and much more.

Here’s my interview with Coach Steele.

Gary Mercadante - Avoiding Overwhelm, Building a Strong Foundation, and Leadership

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