The mention of IMG will gets quite an interesting array of responses. Anything from admiration to anger. But most often it’s just plain puzzlement. IMG is a mystery to most of us, so we went over there to see just what is going on.
IMG Faces Off against Haverford
What we found was a school. A fully accredited prep school, no less. So yes, the kids who play for IMG actually do go to school and take regular classes including honors and AP courses just like any other school. What isn’t like any other school are the 500 acres of pro-quality athletic fields and facilities, including the Gatorade Sports Science Institute to assist the students in nutrition and exercise performance.
IMG, as it relates to lacrosse, is first and foremost a very well coached and serious lacrosse program. Director Bill Shatz has been involved in the game for over 30 years in both box and field lacrosse. Bill has been around the Tampa are for a long time and was one of the founders of the Tampa Fire Lacrosse Club. Mike Ryder has recently joined the coaching staff after a stint at University of Tampa with Coach Whipple. Former Rutgers standout player and volunteer assistant Jason Basso is the defensive coordinator. Patrick Haley, the offensive coordinator played for Towson and Florida State and has an impressive playing and coaching resume that spans over 20 years.
The IMG lacrosse program began in 2011 with Bill Shatz and two players. They now have 34 players in the program and will have 50 in 2015. IMG fields both a National and a Varsity team. We
IMG features world class facilities
got a chance to watch the National team completely dismantle an overmatched Cannon School out of Charlotte while we were there. IMG plays an incredibly confusing Box/Field Hybrid offense that Shatz has named “DoubleCrosse.” Yep, it’s a catchy name but it sure works. They use a ton of off-ball movement, rotation, and inside feeds. Typical slide packages just don’t handle it. But they also execute the transition game to near perfection.
In addition to good coaching and some fancy offense, they have some very talented players. These kids are making passes inside that most coaches would never want you to attempt. Guys like Ben French from Ontario Canada. The senior attackman’s Dad is Dean French, the chairman of Team Canada Lacrosse. Masimo Bucci out of Ithaca, NY is the younger brother of Joe Bucci the junior at Georgetown. Masimo is a very smart and impressive player. Senior Nick Katz is a Bucknell commit. Midfielder Cougar Kirby, of Kahnawake, is headed to Albany next year.
IMG has some local talent as well. Jonathan Thelen from Tampa is going to Stevenson upon graduation. He starts on a very solid attack line and is a great shooter. Cody Gray, a starting midfield is from Fishhawk, FL and is headed to Limestone next year. Miami’s Daniel Beiline is a defensive starter and part of a smothering defensive unit. He is joined on the unit by Colyn Lyons from the Onendaga Reserve outside of Buffalo who is committed to Albany. The third starter is Marc Antoine Pion, a senior from Quebec who is doing a PG year before going to Harvard.
IMG started the season with a game against a nationally ranked Episcopal Dallas squad which they won 17-7. You can see highlights of that game here.
The Ascenders then beat Cannon and Kent 21-2 and 19-4. Unofficially, they also beat Deerfield and Hotchkiss in scrimmage match ups before dropping a game to Haverford. Even the Haverford loss saw them leading 12-9 late in the third. They are currently two games into a nine game/ two week road trip during which they play a “who’s who” of prep lacrosse including Calvert Hall, Army Prep, and Navy Prep.
While IMG is a regular school with normal kids playing lacrosse this is not your normal high school lacrosse program by any stretch of the imagination. They go to school for five hours every day, then they hit the practice field for five hours. They also start this routine the day they show up for school in August, they don’t wait until the official “start date” in late January.
Next year they will continue with their “National” program and they will also field a Varsity team to compete with FHSAA teams. Now don’t get too excited, they will play FHSAA schools but they will not pursue a State Championship or play in a district for a district championship.
IMG is an amazing lacrosse program with some extremely talented players. The facility is absolutely world class and if you get a chance to head to IMG for the State Championships in May you should go, it’s a very cool place.
