Leopards Begin Fall Rebuild

I made a short trip to Easton and saw a Lafayette Campus in the process of rebuilding on many fronts. The path leading down the hill from the campus is being rebuilt, there is a new dorm rising on a building site off of McCartney street, and out at Metzger there is construction on a new stadium for soccer rising. The soccer stadium should be ready for the first home game, but there is still lots of work to be done. The soccer stadium is the first of the physical enhancements scheduled for Lafayette’s athletic facilities.

Still to come will be a multi story structure for Lacrosse which will be adjacent to the field hockey field and I am told it will house and support some elements of the hockey program. Eventually, there will be a new press box for field hockey and perhaps a Jumbotron scoreboard. Already, field hockey has the only video referral capability in the patriot league. It is my belief we could see some of those improvements at some point this season! Perhaps even a third asst coach by September.

However, it was not only the physical plant that is in the process of changing. Teams have already started arriving and practicing. Football and soccer teams have been hard at work for the last week. In evidence on Saturday were current and future field hockey players engaged in a clinic. Formal arrival is in three days but no doubt many of our Leopards are hard at work preparing for a challenging preseason. The first preseason game is August 15th at Monmouth only 11 days away!!

Meanwhile at work was the football team training in shoulder pads and helmets as they become accustomed to the August heat. Their first game is nearly one month away but their practices are crisp and run with military precision. If the effort and enthusiasm is any indication, this could be an interesting season on the gridiron.

Meanwhile, it was great to see our field hockey Leopards on the field giving direction and instruction at a clinic for younger players. I was impressed with Lineke Spaans’ teaching skills as the participants held on to every word from last year’s athlete of the year.

Impatience, is my current mindset. I am ready for the season to begin with all sports, and I am especially ready to see some of those one goal losses from last year turn to multi-goal wins.