Busy stretch ahead for Cassese, Lehigh men's lax
6/16/2010 2:15:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The next two weeks should be very busy for the Lehigh men’s lacrosse program and head coach Kevin Cassese. Lehigh University will host an exhibition game between the U.S. national team and the Philadelphia Lacrosse Association (PLA) All-Stars on Friday, plus Lehigh LaxFest Saturday and Sunday, before the Mountain Hawks’ two week string of summer camps begins next week.
“This is an exciting time for lacrosse fans in the Lehigh Valley,” explained Cassese, who recently finished his third season as Lehigh’s head coach. “Speaking on behalf of Lehigh University and the Lehigh Lacrosse Program, I can say that we are extremely proud hosts for some of the most exciting lacrosse events that have ever come to this area. It all starts this weekend, and we will have many of the best players in the world, at every level, coming to the Goodman Campus to take part in the lacrosse festivities.”
The exhibition game between the U.S. national team and the PLA All-Stars will kick-off the festivities on Friday, June 18 at Lehigh’s Ulrich Sports Complex. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. with the opening face-off set for 8 p.m. The game will be one of three exhibitions that Team USA will take part in before heading to Manchester, England for the World Championships next month. Cassese, a midfielder on the national team, will be making his third World Championships appearance for the United States, after representing his country in 2002 and 2006.
The U.S. Team features a number of players from with Philadelphia area ties, including Cassese, plus Brian Dougherty (Episcopal Academy), Kyle Sweeney (Springfield-Delco), D.J. Driscoll (Malvern Prep), Alex Smith (University of Delaware) and Drew Westervelt (Philadelphia Wings).
Lehigh LaxFest will take place on Lehigh’s Goodman Campus Saturday and Sunday and features 266 teams from all over the country. The two-day tournament begins Saturday with youth and middle school players, with a high school recruiting tournament to follow on Sunday. The LaxFest tournament brings competition for all levels, with the elite bracket showcasing the best talent from over a dozen states, and Canada.
On Monday two weeks of Lehigh lacrosse summer camps get underway with the Jr. Mountain Hawk Evening Camp, which runs from June 21st through the 24th and is held for children in kindergarten through eighth grade. This camp allows beginner and intermediate players to improve their skill set with exceptional instruction in the fundamental aspects of the game. The following week Lehigh will host the Lehigh Lacrosse Experience Overnight Instructional Camp, which runs from June 29 to July 2. Children in grades 5 through 10 are afforded a first- hand look at what it is like to be a Lehigh Lacrosse player.
Tickets and rosters for Friday’s exhibition game plus information on Lehigh lacrosse summer camps can be found via the links above.
