Above – Iroquois Nationals played Team Israel in July – photo courtesy of Israellacrosse.co.il About the author – Marty Ward has been head coach at Florida Southern College for four seasons.  A graduate of Corcoran High School in Syracuse, N.Y., Ward was a two-time team captain for Limestone and a three-time all-conference selection.  He was the starting goalie for the Iroquois Nationals program that finished fourth at the 2006 World Lacrosse Championship and he was rated second in the nation in saves.  World Lacrosse Championships-Denver, Colorado July 10-19 2014

Preparations “just gotta get there!” As the 2010 World Lacrosse Championships in Manchester, England wrapped up four years ago this month I was left wondering, will I get another shot? Or has my great dream of earning a medal at the World Games passed?  Our Iroquois Nationals men’s team has never finished higher than fourth at the World championships so this was a legitimate question and at the time the 2010 team that was assembled could have been the team to do it, we had all of the chemistry, talent, and experience necessary to earn a medal.  In 2006 we finished fourth to an Aussie team we beat in the round robin series, we played the bronze game with only seventeen active players and one had a torn ACL.  After the week and a half stuck in NYC and not competing for what we all believed was a top three finish in Manchester I took a couple months off to regroup my thoughts and plans for the 2014 World Games set in Denver, Co.  Looking ahead it seemed like so far away and now looking back I realize that it was right around the corner the whole time. The tryout process was actually the best it has ever been for the Iroquois Men’s team and a lot of that credit has to go to our GM former Iroquois National and Loyola college great Gewas Schindler along with the tremendous staff that has been put together for these World Games; Steve Beville (Cortland State Head Coach) Marc Van Arsdale (UVA Asst.) Chris Doctor (Penn State Asst.) Mark Burnam (Legendary University) Jai Thompson, Ansley Jemison, and Marty Ward Sr (trainer).  The process began in June of 2013 at Nazareth College in Rochester, NY where we held a two day minicamp for all eligible players to tryout then two weeks later there was a camp in Six Nations, Ontario for all players that could not attend the first camp.  The process then took us to Cortland State University in September where the top 44 players  vs Syracuse, Israel, and Siena in a two day exhibition format.  This was a very good weekend that helped our group grow together playing against solid competition.  The next phase was a scrimmage vs Cortland and Cornell in Ithaca , New York at Cornell University in February.  My team the Florida Southern Mocs had a road game vs Pfeiffer that Saturday in North Carolina so I had to fly out of the Charlotte airport that night right after the game to make it up to Ithaca. Bummer I had to miss out on the 10 hour bus ride back to Lakeland…We faced off vs Cornell in the frozen tundra and wind tunnel of Schoelkopf field with a 14 degree temperature and a  – wind chill.  The turf was actually frozen solid and I remember a bounce shot going 10 feet above the cage at one point, the flurries held off until we played Cortland State…then things got interesting…especially being on the sidelines wrapped up trying not to become a goalie popsicle.  Besides the frozen fingers, toes, and water bottles the weekend was a success and we were one step closer to Denver 2014. The process was concluded this past June after a training camp in Six Nations, Ontario where we gathered as a group to have some practices and start developing some chemistry. Then there were 27 Iroquois Nationals team members announced for our trip to Denver.  When the team was announced the players had already been informed if they were on or off the team.  I got a phone call while recruiting in Long Island that told me I made the final 23 and would be on the team in Denver.  My mentality as a veteran player with the team during the try out phase was I just gotta get there; I just gotta get to Denver and get that medal with the men’s team.  Many sacrifices have been made to make this team for Denver and I feel confident that all of the sweat and hard work will pay off this month. Making this team has been dedicated to my father Robert “BUB “Ward who passed away in November of 2012 suddenly in Syracuse, NY.  He is the man who put a stick in my hands when I was a kid, he is the man who helped me develop my game, and he is a big part of why I am who I am today.  My Grandfather will also be joining me on this journey as our teams head Athletic Trainer so this a very special time.