Murdoch morphs young men into contenders
By Earl Zukerman
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MONTREAL -- According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word "metamorphosis" is defined as a "change of physical form, structure, or substance especially by supernatural means; a striking alteration in appearance, character, or circumstances."
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An easier definition might be the found by examining the etymology of the º«¹úÂãÎè men's lacrosse team. Founded in 2001 by player-coach Sachin Anand, they struggled through a pair of difficult seasons before landing Tim Murdoch to take over as head coach.
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Murdoch will reach a coaching milestone in the team's season opener when he stands behind the bench for his 100th game with the Redmen. Under his guidance, the team has produced a 55-43-1 record overall, including a stellar 39-20 mark over the last three seasons.
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As he prepares to enter his seventh campaign in 2009, the 47-year-old native of Princeton, N.J., reflected on how the team has morphed from an also ran into the national contender that settled for silver at the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association championships last year.
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"The keys to our success have beenÌýrecruiting, a dedicated volunteer coaching staff, as well as financial support from alumni and our "Friends of º«¹úÂãÎè Lacrosse" support group," says the quintessential salesman who played varsity lacrosse at Princeton University and also with the Harvard Business School, where he was voted co-captain and served as a player-coach in 1989 and 1990.
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The rapid growth of the game in the northeastern region of the United States has also played a role in º«¹úÂãÎè's success. Last year, the team fielded a 37-man roster, which included 25 Americans and a dozen Canadians.
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"Canadian talent is excellent, but we enjoyed strong results with American players who realized that they could get an Ivy League-calibre education at a 50 per cent discount," explains Murdoch.
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"Now that the team is winning, we are attracting talented players from the traditional Canadian lacrosse hotbeds of B.C. and Ontario, while we are also cultivating Quebec-based talent.ÌýÌý We expect to have a larger percentage of Canadian players on our roster in 2009."
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The outlook for this fall could even better as the Redmen have lost only three starters to graduation, All-Canadian defender Jono Zimmerman and All-Canadian defensive midfield specialist David Pinckney, in addition to veteran midfielder Arthur Phillips.
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They have a plethora of 26 returnees, including co-captains Luke LaCava, Nick Moreau, Jake Safarik and Guy Fox.
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LaCava was named as the league's most outstanding attackman last year and was the team's top sniper in the playoffs. His rise to the top has been meteoric, earning a starting position as a freshman, making all-conference as a sophomore and meriting All-Canadian honours in his junior year.
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The 2009 recruiting class features a geographically diverse group of players hailing from eight different American states, three Canadian provinces, plus a player from Saudi Arabia who played at Philips Exeter Academy.
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Among the blue-chip recruits expected to make an impact are midfielders Max Deschner of Kelowna, B.C., and Jishan Sharples of Vancouver, B.C.ÌýÌýOther key freshmen include goalie Simon Hudson of Seattle, Wash., defenceman Chris Cable of Chapel Hill, N.C., and attackman Ryan Besse of Aurora, Ont.
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Training camp is scheduled for Aug. 23-29 and the metamorphosis continues when the season opens on the road Sept. 5 with a non-conference doubleheader against the Wakefield Black Sheep and the Bishop's Gaiters. The home opener is slated for Sept. 26 against U of T.
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"I really enjoy my volunteer role in coaching young men at º«¹úÂãÎè," says Murdoch. "They are a bright and enthusiastic group.Ìý My hope is that in some small way, I can have a positive impact on all of the wonderful players whom I have had the privilege of coaching over the past six seasons."