This is the third and final installment of our interview series with Coaches Gerry and Steve Byrne. In this episode Steve describes what it was like, after graduating from UVA, to play for the famous North Hempstead Lacrosse Club for Harvey Cohen. A team that Steve states “Was always 2nd banana to the Long Island Lacrosse Club,” and how one season they banded together and beat them to win a Long Island championship. “It just about brought Harvey to tears,” states Steve. 

Coach Gerry Byrne discusses how he made the major life decision to leave all the success he helped build at Notre Dame behind and strike out on his own to become the head coach at Harvard. He explains the principles that guided him and the desire to help teach a diverse group of young men, who come from the full spectrum of the socioeconomic scale, the benefits of working together towards a common goal. He reports he loves to teach young people that with hard work, dedication, humility, and a focus on continuous improvement they can overcome adversity, and become even better than they ever thought they could. Thus far, based on the improvement he’s made to the Harvard lacrosse program, he’s well on his way to fulfilling that promise.  

Steve Byrne next explains how lacrosse was “Literally a life line,” for a guy traveling from city to city as he worked for General Electric. When he moved to Dallas, TX, lacrosse connections provided him with not only a team to play on but also a roommate who became a lifelong friend he is still in touch with to this day. 

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Inside the Recruiting Game: Insights From College Lacrosse Coaches
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Links to training videos:
Master The 5 Best Dodges From the Wing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_7LDOcQQ6Q&t=88s

Blazing Shots... on the Run!
https://youtu.be/XiptPlM63oQ

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Lacrosse Charities Mentioned in S2 E36:
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https://15forlife.org/