Journey begins this weekend for Cassese
9/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Following several months of intense weight and speed training, Lehigh head coach Kevin Cassese is set to head up to West Point, New York this weekend and begin his quest for a spot on the 2010 United States Men’s National Lacrosse Team. Cassese is one of 40 players who qualified for the national training team following a three-day tryout at Bryant University in Rhode Island in early June. This weekend is the first of three training weekends during the fall, which will culminate with the roster being cut from 40 to 23 players, who will then represent the United States at the 2010 FIL World Championship in Manchester, England.
During this past summer Cassese stayed active and kept his lacrosse skills sharp by playing for the Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse. The New York native appeared in 12 games for Boston and registered totals of ten goals, including a pair of two pointers, 15 shots, 20 ground balls and 12 points. Cassese and the Cannons advanced to Championship Weekend of the MLL playoffs where they took on the top-seeded Denver Outlaws. Boston lost the tightly contested game but it marked the third consecutive season in which Cassese advanced to the MLL playoffs after helping the Philadelphia Barrage win the championship in 2007 and advance to the semifinals in 2008.
In addition to playing professionally, Cassese traveled to Rhode Island in early June for a grueling three-day tryout period in which he battled the heat, rain and a slew of talented lacrosse players fighting for a spot on the national team. He ultimately achieved his goal and moved one step closer to making the national team and playing for his collegiate head coach, Mike Pressler, one final time.
This weekend, Cassese will arrive on the campus of the United States Military Academy in West Point on Friday evening and immediately be shuffled through equipment/apparel distribution as well as a team meeting. Bright and early on Saturday the tryout participants will grab a bite to eat and then it’s off to Michie Stadium where the team will conduct a practice in the morning, followed by lunch, a joint lacrosse clinic put on between the U.S Team and the Army men’s lacrosse team and then at 6:00 that evening, it’s game time. The two-hour game will be followed by dinner and then lights out.
On Sunday, another early wake-up call looms, with a two-and-a-half hour practice to ensue beginning at 9:30 AM. By 1:00 that afternoon Cassese will be finished with the first tryout weekend and on his way back to Bethlehem.
Of the 84 invitees at the tryouts in June, Cassese was of one 200 players that submitted applications to be considered for Team USA. He was one of 12 tryout selections among the 84 that was a member of the 2006 U.S. team that finished as runner-up to Canada at the World Championships. Cassese was also a member of the 2002 U.S. team that won the world title in Australia.
The 2010 world championship will be the first men’s championship conducted by the newly formed FIL, which is a result of the merger of the International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations and the International Lacrosse Federation.
Be sure to check back to Lehighsports.com throughout the weekend as Coach Cassese will detail his experience at the tryouts in a number of blog entries.
