All too often in sports, coaches and commentators expel the tired cliche that practice makes perfect. Legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi amended this phrase, telling his players that only perfect practice makes perfect.
For the past two seasons, however, the Tufts men's club lacrosse team has shown that this adage is not always true. The Jumbos have won two consecutive North East Collegiate Lacrosse League (NECLL) championships while having only one annual practice each spring.
According to senior midfielder Chris Mutzel, Tufts' consistency stems from two different factors: the team's overall lacrosse IQ and its ability to find quality players.
"Even though we can't throw and catch because we're a little rusty from not practicing, we have a knack for breaking down our opponent's defense," he said. "We also are very lucky to have a strong varsity program whose roster simply cannot hold all the talent that comes in. Most of the guys on our team are kids who came to play varsity at Tufts and are no longer with the team."
Senior midfielder Luke Metcalf also attributed the squad's success to its pre−college lacrosse experience.
"I think our success boils down to the fact that a large portion of our team consists of kids who were cut from the varsity squad and want to continue laxing," he said. "While there is no 48−hour rule … we do take winning very seriously. Everyone gets equal playing time, but we all play hard and no one likes losing, so we just don't do it."
The team just finished up its fall season, which normally involves less−formal scrimmages against NECLL opponents such as UMass Amherst and Merrimack College. For a team that never takes itself too seriously, games in the fall are especially laidback. However, they are a good opportunity for the Jumbos to recruit new players for their spring season and see how the team stacks up against the rest of the league.
"Fall especially is a time where we are just out there to have fun," Mutzel said. "We like to have new guys come out and see what we are about. A couple of relaxed games or tournaments give us the chance to see what kind of team we will have come spring season."
In its biggest game of the fall, the Jumbos fell behind 5−0 to rival Harvard, only to go on a devastating 9−1 scoring run to stymie the Crimson.
"In our last tournament, we started out flat against Harvard, which has a large roster along with a coach and managers," senior attackman Andy Thorne said. "We went down 5−0 in the first quarter but woke up and went on a run to win 9−6 in typical Tufts club lax fashion."
Last spring, Tufts made its second consecutive trip to the NECLL finals where it faced UMass. After taking a slim 7−5 lead through three quarters of play, Tufts outscored the Minutemen 4−0 in the fourth quarter to secure a repeat league championship. Then−sophomore midfielder NicoCortese led Tufts with two goals and an assist, while then−juniorattackman Nate Bixentine added three goals. Goalkeeper Emmett Mercer, a sophomore at the time, also posted l3 saves, good for a .722 save percentage.
This season, Tufts should field another strong squad with the return of many talented players from last year's championship−winning team. One key returner is senior Adam Mandell, who had five goals and five assists in the team's final four games last season. Mandell was twice named to the South Carolina high school All−State team and is also the Jumbos' most versatile player.
"I would say Adam Mandell is one of our best players," sophomore attackman Jordan Brandes said. "He can pretty much play any position and is pretty filthy no matter where we put him."
Another key contributor is senior attackman Ashton Imlay, who also serves as the team's treasurer. In the team's final four games last season, Imlay scored six goals and added three asissts, good for ninth in the league. Finally, there is Metcalf, whose consistently explosive play on the field has made up for his often inconsistent attendance.
"You never know when Metcalf is going to show up. It is always a spectacle when he does," Mutzel said. "A couple of strong moves in the championship two years ago won him the nickname ‘Air Metcalf.'"
Unlike most other club lacrosse teams, Tufts has no coaches and, as a Tier II club sport, receives no funding from the university and is not at all affiliated with the school. Although affiliation would enable the team to play home games, players feel that they would receive few benefits from doing so.
"Tufts would get oversight of our finances, which we pay out of pocket, and would give us next to nothing, other than forms to fill out," Metcalf said. "I like that we have freedom to operate as we please, but nothing would make me happier than getting to play one home game my senior year."
Under the leadership of Thorne and Brandes, who serve as the team's president and vice president, respectively, Tufts club lacrosse has clearly established itself as a league powerhouse despite its laid−back attitude on the field. Still, the team will continue to get victories which, according to Metcalf, is their top priority.
"We're really more of a winning club than a lacrosse club," he said.
