More Than A Club

The gang returns for a fourth year of the show, fresh off an inspiring event in Atlantic City. 

After some name-dropping, Bill, Kate and Kupp share their highlights and key takeaways from the recent “Lacrosse Summit” by 3Step Sports.

Hot Topics at The Lacrosse Summit

Coach-Focused Themes:

Professional Development

Managing Parents

Box Lacrosse

National Teams

Club Director Panels

Player-Focused Themes:

Diversity and Equity

Mental Health

Bravery 

Mindfulness and Mind Chatter

Burnout and Over-Training 

Parent-Focused Themes:

Managing Expectations and Behaviors

Regular Communication with Parents

24-Hour Rules and Office Hours

Pressing the Pause

Homework

For Coaches: 

“Not every coach wins a championship, but every coach can prove a championship environment” - Janine Tucker

For Players: 

Watch your own film and evaluate yourself, especially your weaknesses

For Parents:

Let your kids run their own race

Thanks to all of our listeners out there! If you’d like to connect, please email [email protected].

Please help us grow by leaving a positive review and sharing your favorite episode on your social channels!

Tony Resch brings one of the most impressive lacrosse resumes ever to his first podcast

Here are some notes to help you enjoy this new episode!

Hosts Bill Leahy, Mary Kupprion, and Kate Henwood return for season four of the More Than A Club Podcast.

Hosts Bill Leahy, Mary Kupprion, and Kate Henwood return for season four of the More Than A Club Podcast.

As we close another fantastic summer of NXT lacrosse, Kate Henwood joins Leahy & Kupp to reflect. The gang looks back at their summer and shares their favorite moments from our show's third season. 

(Check out the list of awesome guests below, and listen to any episodes you haven’t heard yet!)

10:50 - Bill's take a girls box lax 

16:00 - Kate on growing professionally through this show and the fun new challenge it has provided

18:00 - Some highlights from the shows of Season 3, which kicked off in September of 2021

-Mike Murphy, Penn Mens Lacrosse

-Chris Goldberg, PhillyLacrosse.com

-John Begier, Radnor High School

-Bryan Kelly, Calvert Hall & FCA

-Grant Ament, PLL Archers, Attack Academy & Haverford School 

-Dr. Dane Donohue, Wellness Solution Centers

-Peter Toner, Gettysburg College 

-Laurie DeLuca, NXT Girls Lacrosse & University of Delaware

-Regy Thorpe, University of Florida & USA Indoor Lacrosse

-Ryan Terefenko, PLL Chrome, NLL Halifax Thunder & Culver Academy 

-Mike Levin, Harlem Lacrosse 

-Matt Hogan, Annapolis Hawks, and Hogan Lacrosse

30:00 - A toast to our “classic replays” that we sprinkled in over the past months 

34:00 - Reflections from the summer, through our eyes: The good, the bad, and the ugly

40:00 - For Coaches:

X & O Insight of the week 

-Kate helps us understand what college coaches were talking about this summer

-Bill loved the events that used a shot clock this summer 

45:25 - For Players: Culture Building

-“This group is coming together, and it’s special” 

46:40 - Rapid Fire NXT Homework

For Parents: 

Check out women lacrosse, repeat all versions of the game

For Coaches: 

Check out Youth Inc Podcast with Greg Olsen

For Players: 

Put your stick down and take a break

What Kate is reading:

Think Again, by Adam Grant 

What Bill is watching:

World War II & DB Cooper Documentaries on Netflix 

And just like that…Season 3 of the More Than a Club Podcast is over. 

We will be back for Season 4 starting in October 2022. 

Thanks to all of our listeners out there! If you’d like to connect, please email [email protected].

Please help us grow by leaving a positive review and sharing your favorite episode on your social channels. 

Taylor Wray, current Head Coach at Saint Joseph's University joins this episode. We hear what a Division 1 lacrosse program is doing right now while working under strict COVID-19 guidelines. Taylor shares his Canadian background in hockey and lacrosse and his unique path to playing college lacrosse at Duke University, then playing professionally in the National Lacrosse League. Topics discussed include the Canadian National Team, the benefits of box lacrosse, traits that college coaches value in potential recruits and team members, and more.

Here are some notes to help you enjoy this new episode!

Youth Sports Hot Topics

1:20, General: Return to play at SJU (Covid). 

4:14, For parents: Recruiting during Covid.

7:00, For players: Size of College Rosters during Covid.

11:45, For coaches: Canadian Influence and the importance of the 2-man game. 

Questions & Answers

15:30, The Influence of Dave Huntley

17:20, The Importance of Box Lacrosse

20:00, Culture Building at Saint Joseph University

25:55, Training Unselfishness

26:40, Engagement as a Core Value

28:25, Coach Wray’s Youth and Background

32:30, Being Recruited to Duke University

33:33, Playing more than one position.

35:20, Coaches of Influence & How to Compete

37:10, Canadian National Team Experience

45:40, No More Lax Bro Culture

47:50, Traits of a successful collegiate player

51:00, 2022 Saint Joseph University Season – An Outlook

54:30, Rapid Fire NXT Homework

For players: Wallball

For parents: Be Present

For coaches: Instagram Coach Through Cancelation

Matt Hogan joins the guys on this show as our special guest. Most proud of his 35 year marriage, Matt's one of the sport's most experienced educators and coaches, as well as an innovator. Topics discussed include his coaching mentors, becoming an "Associate Tenured Professor" at the Naval Academy, growing the HoganLax business with lacrosse events and club teams, and being a sports parent. 

17:30 - For Parents: 

What you say matters. Let the coaches make the decisions. 

26:20 - For Coaches: 

A couple of favorite drills. 

See more of the HoganLax Drill Library here

33:25 - For Players: 

The importance of being a great teammate 

1:10:42 - Rapid Fire NXT Homework

For Parents: Make sure that this is your child's journey, not yours

For Coaches: Listen to yourself, and how you communicate with players 

For Players: Don't stop working on your stick. Each day, you're either getting better or worse.

HoganLax provides developmental opportunities for lacrosse players and coaches through hosting and organizing tournaments, club teams, and team training.

HoganLax was created in 2002 when Matt Hogan, CEO & Founder, was the head lacrosse coach at the University of Pennsylvania. The first tournament was HERO held at the Haverford School, outside of Philadelphia. When Matt Hogan moved back to the Annapolis area in 2003, HoganLax hosted 8 teams in the inaugural year for Summer Exposure. Summer Exposure now is host to 250+ teams each year on Father's Day weekend. In the following years, Hogan's Hershey (225 teams), Bay Bridge Brawl (120 teams), Fall Brawl (90-100 teams), Revolution (40 teams), and most recently, Shore Wars and Spring Thaw have been great additions as HoganLax premier events.

HoganLax partnered with the Chesapeake Bayhawks to provide a unique experience with the invite-only tournament of Naptown National Challenge. Navy-Marine Corps Stadium plays host to the championship games, which are broadcasted on live television.

HoganLax’s club lacrosse organization is the Annapolis Hawks, which was initiated in 2004 with 2 teams. Starting with only U13 and U15 teams, the club slowly grew to over 11 teams ranging from 3rd to 11th graders. The Hawks recently partnered with a club in Richmond, now the Richmond Hawks, to assist with their growth and development as players and coaches.

Team Training takes place in Orlando, Florida and allows entire teams to escape to sunny and warm Florida over spring break. HoganLax provides all logistics once you land in Orlando. The fantastic host Hilton provides meals and lodging, with the fields being only a short distance away. HoganLax will support scrimmages, games, practices, trainers and all other needs are provided. HoganLax staff will happily assist you in coaching your teams with the Coaches’ Coach feature, if that is an aspect of the trip you think may help your team develop and grow to its potential.

Matt Hogan, CEO and Founder of HoganLax, joined the lacrosse community as an 8th grader in 1974 and has never looked back. Through playing for Hall High School in West Hartford, CT, at the collegiate level for Springfield College, and coaching at the Division I, III, high school, and youth levels, he has been exposed to and enjoyed lacrosse in a variety of atmospheres.

1983- Assistant University of Maryland

1984-85 Assistant University of Delaware

1986- Assistant University of Maryland

1987-88- Head Coach Clarkson University

1989-2001- Assistant Coach United States Naval Academy

2002- Head Coach UPENN

2003-2010- Head Coach and Dean of Students, St. Mary's- Annapolis High School

Thanks to our special guest, Mike Levin of Harlem Lacrosse.

Mike Levin has an awesome lacrosse resume, from learning the game in Upstate New York to playing at Brown University. Mike Continued his career playing professionally in the MLL.

In our conversation, Mike shares his passion for teaching, specifically in urban education. His connections to lacrosse led him to change lives through both lacrosse and academics. 

Here are some notes to help you enjoy this new episode.

19:40 - What is Harlem Lacrosse, and who do you serve?

-Deep intervention and academic monitoring, a smaller number of kids with a higher number of hours

-Lacrosse is central to the experience, but the most important outcomes have nothing to do with lacrosse

-40 Program Directors, 1300 kids in middle school and high schools

-College placement and support

Alumni services post-college and carreer success

23:30, Challenges of resources - investment required to fill equity gaps and operate within school systems

26:00, Race and diversity within the lacrosse community 

27:00, Developing cultural competency and discussing systemic racism and inequalities 

30:30 Supporting the community through intense times through the pandemic and George Floyd protests 

33:00 Training, developing, empowering anti-racist educators

35:30. Impact Report on Academic Improvement and more

40:40 Personal pathing towards academic success 

42:00 Champions of Harlem Lacrosse

Youth Sports Hot Topics

43:25, For Coaches

-Culture trumps curriculum 

-Scaffolding

-Principles and variables

50:30, For Players 

-Be a great teammate

-Growth Mindset

-Sport Outcomes

57:00, For Parents 

-Where Harlem Lacrosse is headed and how to support

Rapid Fire NXT Homework (1:00:00)

For Parents: Let your kids find their joy within the sport

For Coaches: Think about what you want the sport to be, and think about your broader responsibilities to the sport. 

For Players: Spend time thinking about what it means to be a great teammate. What will your teammates say about the type of teammate you were?

For more on Harlem Lacrosse, click here.

Thanks to our special guest, NXT 2016 Alum Ryan “Freako” Terefenko! Ryan joins us for an outstanding interview during his first spring season as a high school coach at Culver Military Academy, where he also works in the athletic department. 

Ryan played for the NXT Lacrosse Club (NXT 2016) through middle school and high school, eventually heading to Ohio State University to play under Nick Myers. Following a legendary Buckeye career as a multiple-time Captain and All-American, he continues to play in both the indoor (National Lacrosse League) and outdoor (Premier Lacrosse League)  professional leagues. 

Our former player is one of the sports’s most talented young players and coaches! Topics discussed include recruiting process reflections, love for the NXT Family, leadership lessons learned at Ohio State, and finding a sense of belonging in the pro ranks. 

Here are some notes to help you enjoy this new episode!

Youth Sports Hot Topics

5:45, For Parents: Know who you’re getting involved with when looking for coaching for your child

22:15, For Coaches: “The Dreadful Split-Crease” - Working with defenders away from the ball when being attacked from below the goal-line 

31:00, For Players: “Nothing of great importance can be achieved alone” and other lessons like “Truth and Love” learned through the program cultures at both NXT and Ohio State

Questions & Answers

21:00, Following his brother’s lead to pick up the stick, and the family’s love of lacrosse growing from there

24:20, Recapping the highlights of his high school lacrosse journey with his Wilson West Lawn High School team 

26:40, Reflections of a “late recruit” turned High School and D1 All-American, sacrifices made and humbly working while waiting

28:30, The transition to being a student-athlete at Ohio State, playing as a Freshman, and battling injuries 

35:00, Going Pro and gaining a sense of belonging in the Premier Lacrosse League as a Defensive Midfielder with the PLL Chrome

38:00, A geography lesson and more on the pro indoor lacrosse experience this season with the NLL Halifax Thunderbirds

40:25, A passion for coaching from a product of good coaching

Tucker Durkin, current Assistant Men's Lacrosse Coach at Drexel, PLL All-Star and Team USA Defenseman joins this episode as a featured guest. A former player of Coach Leahy's during his time at La Salle College High School, Durkin shares his story and mindset now as both a pro player and college coach. Topics discussed include the recruiting process, Tucker's favorite teammates, Johns Hopkins, Team USA's World Games victory, and playing in the newly founded Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). 

Here are some notes to help you enjoy this new episode!

Youth Sports Hot Topics

1:50 For parents: November Recruiting

7:04 Tucker Durkin’s Recruiting Journey

7:27 For coaches: Take Pride in Riding

17:03 For players: How to be a good teammate. The All Blacks – “Leave the Jersey in a Better Place”

19:38 Why Culture Matters – LaSalle High School, Johns Hopkins, and Team USA

Questions & Answers

24:00, Beating Team Canada for the gold medal.

25:014, Playing smart, talented, and crafty Canadian attackman.

29:18 Team, Family, and the USA Kibbutz

30:15, Grateful for defensive mentors; Coach Resch and Coach Petro

33:30, Recalling special teammates along the journey.

36:07, Staying motivated in and age of competition.

38:08, La Salle verse La Salle: Rambo verse Durkin in the Pros.

40:00, The adventures of the Premier Lacrosse League.

41:20, Advice for today’s young defensemen.

43:20, Rapid Fire NXT Homework

43:28, For players: If you want uncommon results

43:40, For parents: Support and Celebrate your kids’ passions

43:50, For coaches: You can’t do it alone.

44:00, Motivation Myth, by John Hayden