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Preseason Musings . . . Part 1

A week from Monday and we’re on the Road to Naples

College season already has started and is in full swing this weekend

#TAFTAG

Coaches, get those questionnaires filled out!

And update MaxPreps with rosters

Are there any college games you CAN’T watch online? On the other hand, is there a more frustrating experience than an NFHS broadcast?

Key Story:

The Senior class of Steinbrenner Girls . . . 2021 – one goal loss in the FHSAA semifinals . . . 2022 – one goal loss in the FHSAA semifinals

Can they get the first ring in Gulf Coast history, Boy or Girl?

So many college commitments this year

And we already have plenty of buzz for 2025 and 2026

But the debate between High School / Club / Recreation will not go away.

Can’t we find a way to support all 3? The future health of the sport can’t be dismissed.

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Is this Lake Mary’s year on the Boy’s side?

Here’s an interesting thought. Could a Ponte Vedra-Lake Mary regional final in April be looked back as the true state title game? St. Thomas lost a lot, Jupiter is hard to predict right now. Winter Park and Plant still have a lot of talent but are they able to take that last step?

And is there another Class 2A Boys team that can challenge the Big 6 this year? Creekside also lost a lot and is in a transition. Watch Columbus, they are on the upswing.

February 25th can’t come soon enough. It’s likely UVA is still #1, and OSU will be Top 10, when they meet in Naples. And my favorite music played between games. Sell that sucker out fans! I want to see a Top 10 matchup every year!

Can Tampa go back to back? So many SSC schools in the preseason polls for both the Men and Women. A few more titles and maybe we can claim D2 runs through Florida, the new hotbed.

The USF program building is almost intoxicating. Schools with 50,000 students don’t always start a lacrosse program . . . because there aren’t a lot of schools that big. Maybe one day we can have our own Women’s D1 conference? Maybe we can call it the Big Florida Conference?

UF, JU, USF, Stetson, UCF, UNF, FSU, Miami, FAU . . . that would be an arms race for the hotbed programs in the Northeast to envy.

If only the SEC would spend some of that lucrative football cash flow . . . well, we need aspirations and dreams too.

Imagine every lacrosse program in Florida with a lacrosse-only stadium like Gainesville?

And if you haven’t seen the new Ohio State facility or the proposed Clemson one that is breaking ground . . . it’s sort of like dating sites for me.

On the other hand, WHEN is Nova going to announce coaches?

They’ve already missed a full recruiting year and it is looking like they are not fully understanding what this will take.

Key Story:

Transfers are here to stay. The Transfer Portal in college changed the game, and there’s no point in bemoaning when it happens in high school too. Make your program strong internally. Player development means more than regulating where someone plays.

The days of the private/public school argument have receded with the 2 classes. Is there still an advantage for the privates? Sure. Life isn’t fair anyhow, no matter what we say.

If we still had one class, imagine what the at-large field and the brackets would look like. The percentage of qualifiers in the public sphere would be very representative, and certainly a threat to win titles.

The PLL just sent out a lengthy survey on how to improve their product; to get our input.

I can make this simple, at least in my opinion.

Less personalities, more in-game analysis and film breakdown.

If you keep trying to shove stories down our throats, we’ll NEVER learn how to appreciate the sport and what we are seeing.

There are casual sports fans who can dissect football’s Cover 2 versus Cover 4. How? They’re TAUGHT IT, on ESPN, Fox, CBS, the internet, YouTube, etc.

PLEASE PLL, stop treating the broadcast like a Bro-fest. Sell us the strategy, the differences in how PLL head coaches look for matchups, etc.

And ESPN, you could learn something about that too.

Key Story:

The Cardinal Mooney Boys scheduled a monster season; Coaches do that when they know they have a bunch of horses to ride.

Bolles has done the same thing.

Jesuit returns most of their scoring.

And St. Edwards did lose two top scorers, but were a lot deeper behind that.

Pine Crest has possibly the best player in the state.

Benjamin is always tough, as is Oxbridge and SJP

Can the gap between them and Saint Andrew’s be met?

Boys 1A playoffs will be a beast

Nothing beat last year’s Girls 2A Final Four; it actually made the LHP/AH-Delray rivalry take a backseat for once.

The Boys 2A Final Four produced arguably the best game ever played in the FHSAA tournament.

And an atmosphere conducive to pure lacrosse joy.

Even the rain delays added to the experience.

Man, I’m getting pumped.

#LacrosseFanAndDAMNEDProudofIt!

LET’S GO!

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