Le Moyne Athletics : Sheehan keeps his cool in the winter (Syracuse Post-Standard) by Dave Rahme

Sheehan keeps his cool in the winter

Sunday, January 28, 2007
by DAVE RAHME
STAFF WRITER, Syracuse Post-Standard
Direct Link to Story: http://www.syracuse.com/sports/poststandard/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/116997830759341.xml&coll=1

Dan Sheehan remembers the January days when he would look out his window at the snow flying and reach for the phone.

"I'd make a thousand calls trying to find a place to practice," the Le Moyne college men's lacrosse coach said.

Now, Sheehan said, he has wised up.

"My philosophy as a coach has really changed," he said. "This weather is nothing new to Central New York and to our team."

Neither is Le Moyne's current facilities situation. The Dolphins, two-time Division II national champions, have no all-weather surface that can be plowed and prepared for practice minutes after the snow stops. Plans are in the works to provide one, but in the meantime the Dolphins make due in the college's gym.

"We've got 44 guys in shorts and T-shirts sweating their butts off," Sheehan said. "It's a mindset. There are so many small facets of the game to work on, and the fact is we're not ready to be outside yet anyway. We don't have a game until March 3. It's a long haul to May."

So, the Dolphins are in the gym, working on their special-teams play and concentrating on two-on-two and three-on-three drills.

"We're still in the teaching stage," Sheehan said. "Do I want my guys standing around in the cold while we're going over some of the finer points? Like I said, it's a mindset. We're fortunate that our gym is as big as it is. We really can work on everything but transition. By the time we get outside our man-up should be pretty good, our man-down should be pretty good."

And his players should be itching to go full-field.

Welcome additions

Already blessed with an abundance of skilled attackmen led by All-America selection Mike McDonald, the Dolphins added more talent to the mix when Tim Spillett (West Genesee), the brother of former Dolphins star and current Cazenovia College coach Ryan Spillett, transferred in from Albany in the fall and Nick Gatto (Henninger) came over from national junior-college champion Onondaga.

"I think they're going to fit in just fine," Sheehan said. "Tim is a student of the game, a player who can move from attack to midfield as needed. Nick has an unbelievable stick and changes direction like no one we've had since Justin Kohlbrenner (five years ago)."

Sheehan said the addition of Gatto, the 2006 junior-college player of the year, and Spillett will give him six attackmen to choose from this season, a luxury he has enjoyed for several years now.

Dave Rahme's national college lacrosse notebook appears Sundays in The Post-Standard. If you want to earn an assist, call him with a story idea at 470-2148 or email him at drahme@syracuse.com



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Sheehan keeps his cool in the winter Sunday, January 28, 2007 by DAVE RAHME STAFF WRITER, Syracuse Post-Standard Direct Link to Story: http://www.syracuse.com/sports/poststandard/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/116997830759341.xml&coll=1 Dan Sheehan remembers the January days when he would look out his window at the snow flying and reach for the phone. "I'd make a thousand calls trying to find a place to practice," the Le Moyne college men's lacrosse coach said. Now, Sheehan said, he has wised up. "My philosophy as a coach has really changed," he said. "This weather is nothing new to Central New York and to our team." Neither is Le Moyne's current facilities situation. The Dolphins, two-time Division II national champions, have no all-weather surface that can be plowed and prepared for practice minutes after the snow stops. Plans are in the works to provide one, but in the meantime the Dolphins make due in the college's gym. "We've got 44 guys in shorts and T-shirts sweating their butts off," Sheehan said. "It's a mindset. There are so many small facets of the game to work on, and the fact is we're not ready to be outside yet anyway. We don't have a game until March 3. It's a long haul to May." So, the Dolphins are in the gym, working on their special-teams play and concentrating on two-on-two and three-on-three drills. "We're still in the teaching stage," Sheehan said. "Do I want my guys standing around in the cold while we're going over some of the finer points? Like I said, it's a mindset. We're fortunate that our gym is as big as it is. We really can work on everything but transition. By the time we get outside our man-up should be pretty good, our man-down should be pretty good." And his players should be itching to go full-field. Welcome additions Already blessed with an abundance of skilled attackmen led by All-America selection Mike McDonald, the Dolphins added more talent to the mix when Tim Spillett (West Genesee), the brother of former Dolphins star and current Cazenovia College coach Ryan Spillett, transferred in from Albany in the fall and Nick Gatto (Henninger) came over from national junior-college champion Onondaga. "I think they're going to fit in just fine," Sheehan said. "Tim is a student of the game, a player who can move from attack to midfield as needed. Nick has an unbelievable stick and changes direction like no one we've had since Justin Kohlbrenner (five years ago)." Sheehan said the addition of Gatto, the 2006 junior-college player of the year, and Spillett will give him six attackmen to choose from this season, a luxury he has enjoyed for several years now. Dave Rahme's national college lacrosse notebook appears Sundays in The Post-Standard. If you want to earn an assist, call him with a story idea at 470-2148 or email him at drahme@syracuse.com