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4/16/08- Lacrosse
A dream in waiting
Orchard Lake St. Mary's lacrosse starting anew
By Christian Davis
C & G Sports Writer
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ORCHARD LAKE — Greg Normand, Orchard Lake St. Mary's new lacrosse coach, speaks with intensity and with a matter-of-fact attitude.
He fully suspects a season around .500 — and he's not worried about it.
Because, as Normand insists, this particular team is going to have fun, and this program is going to be one of the best ones in the state in two or three years.
“This is a dream waiting to happen here,” Normand said while sitting in his office March 31. “This place is unbelievable in football, basketball, hockey and baseball. Our lacrosse program will be on par with those programs in two years. I don't say it with any cockiness or arrogance, I just believe that, with what's here.”
Normand has plenty of experience to draw from. He's coached at the prep level in numerous sports for the past 32 years, mainly in lacrosse and skiing.
For the last 10 years, he coached the Waterford United lacrosse program, where he earned over 160 wins with just over 50 losses.
No matter where the veteran coach has been — he was part of the Team England staff for the 2006 World Games and currently also coaches the Central Michigan University program in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association — he's stuck to the same philosophy.
“This isn't brain surgery. This is supposed to be an enjoyable time, and that's what we're trying to do — get the kids in a frame of mind that this is a recreational pursuit,” he said. “I want to win as much as the next guy, but first let's put the foundation in.
“I'm asking for one percent per day. If we improve one percent per day over 30 days, and we get 30 percent better in a month, that's a pretty good improvement.”
Last year, the Eaglets finished 3-13 overall. At press time, they were 2-2 overall with losses to highly regarded Cincinnati St. Xavier and Cincinnati Sycamore. St. Mary's beat Clarkston High 8-2 and Ann Arbor Huron 8-7.
“Record means nothing to me,” Normand said. “We'll win our share, and we'll scare a few. I wouldn't look over your shoulder at us in May, because that's when my team usually plays the best.”
Senior captains Todd Dwyer and Warren Christian, along with junior captain Scott Koenigs-knecht, said they like the direction the team is heading.
“This coach knows what he's doing,” Dwyer said. “I think it's a good system for the team, and it'll turn out for the best for us.”
“At this school, basketball is established, football is established, all these other sports are established,” Koenigsknecht added. “Lacrosse isn't really … so, it's really, when are we going to step up and establish it as a sport and put our necks out there?”
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