MAC Bites

Senior captain Jason McDonald will part of a number of collegiate laxers to blog all season for LacrossePlayground.com. Here is his first installment.

Jason McDonald - Sr. - #33 - Defense
Lacrosse Blog #1

We ended last season with a bitter taste in our mouths after a loss in the MAAC championship. The feeling following the buzzer signaling the end of the 4th quarter is one that we, as a team, have vowed never to forget. We have prided ourselves since the start of this young program to be “The Hardest Working” team in the country and this year more than any, we’re willing and ready to make that a reality.

Last year had a feeling of awe; we were on a great trip, just enjoying the ride. The idea of a conference postseason was new to us, something that none of us had ever experienced before. Yet, we stuck together and knew what we were playing for - we wanted a championship. Unfortunately the problem with wanting is…you don’t always get it.

This year however we are no longer in the back seat enjoying the ride, we are now in the driver’s seat leading the pack. The entire offseason was spent tirelessly working on what we needed to fix in order to be successful. We have lost players, but gained some new ones; lost a coach and gained two more and we will continuously improve and outwork any opponent we face. That is the ethic that has been instilled in us here at Detroit.

Fall ball like all others is extremely tiring, but crucial to sort out those ready to play in the spring and those in need of more refining. Ours continued as it normally does with grueling days of practice and intense strength and conditioning sessions. We also implemented the “Titan House Cup” which split our team up into six different squads in which we competed in several different sports such as racket ball, flag football, basketball, and even competitive eating. Another team builder was the 8.7-mile run to the famous Spirit of Detroit Statue and Fist as well as the one million push-up promise to raise money and awareness for the Headstrong Foundation.

All the while never losing focus of our ultimate goal, to bring home a championship. We returned to campus January 9th in great spirits ready to get our first day of practice going after being apart for three weeks. Being a senior, I’ve seen the after effects of a long winter break making it very difficult to get back into playing shape in the short time we have until our first game usually in February.

This year however, we look different, more excited and in better shape returning then I have seen in prior years. It’s exciting to see the team come together so quickly after a lengthy break. This year, like last, our first game is in early February against Delaware who had a promising 2011 campaign, followed up by Ohio State next Thursday.

A normal week will consist of practice Monday through Saturday with lifting and conditioning Monday through Thursday. Sprinkle a few individual sessions as well as film and meetings and that is what these past few weeks have consisted of. The hype has been building since we have returned and everyone is excited to kick off our most promising season yet. The physical requirement will start to taper off this week as we prepare for the Blue Hens, but the intensity will continue to rise until Saturday. We are very excited for what lies ahead and we will not disappoint or fall short of our goals. We will continue to work and it will be nice to see how we stack up against a top-tier program right from the start.