Uneasiness settles as Cole takes control

MaxPreps Student Section.

For the Sycamore High School lacrosse team one thing will always be true. Success. The Aviators have been one of the most successful lacrosse teams in the state of Ohio, after winning the state championship in 2004, and coming into the 2011 season, seniors could not have been more prepared to take the field, after a long year of conditioning for the season.

One thing however, would be different. Longtime head coach Tom Nugent took a job coaching at Elder high school in Cincinnati, leaving not only a vacancy, but also uneasiness in the stomach of every player in the program. For several months, the team went without a coach, until it was announced that longtime assistant coach Greg Cole would take reign of the team. Players were not completely comfortable with the change at first, because of how used to their old coach they were, but have since embraced the change.

"I know that the players, especially the seniors, were surprised by the coaching change," Cole said. "The seniors have responded very well by working hard to adapt to the new coaches. I think the players in general are on board—and it helped that I was a coach in the system that they have played for me before."

With the coaching change, came a change in philosophy. Cole has chosen to take a new approach towards the team, which holds each player responsible for their actions on and off the field.

"If you give your best effort and listen to coaching you will have the best chance to reach your potential. As we have seen in the news, though, this is only possible if you get it done in the classroom and are a respectful young person in the community," said Cole.

The SHS lacrosse team does not fall short in terms of experience. With seven returning seniors, there is no lack of leadership on the team, and with the coaching change, it is important for seniors to aid in the transition.

"Our Seniors are great. They are vocal leaders and leaders by example. These 7 seniors are going to have a huge impact on the direction of this program for years to come," said Cole.

Although there is an abundance of senior leadership on the team, one player stands out from the rest. Junior Kihembo Derrick has been offered a scholarship to play at Johns Hopkins University, and has consistently been one of the more prominent players over the past few years..

"It goes without saying that Derrick is a great athlete," Cole said. "His speed and agility would make him a threat on most sports fields. He has been playing lacrosse for a number of years and his lacrosse IQ and stick handling skills have really surpassed much of the local competition."

With senior leadership and Kihembos talent, the SHS men's lacrosse team has all the ingredients for the successful season. If the players are able to buy into Coach Cole's philosophy, a regional championship may be in the making for the Aviators.

"Our goal from the off season was a Regional Championship," Cole said. "We knew coming in that we would have a young team both in age and varsity experience and expected to have some struggles early in the season as we got over some jitters. I think that as we become more comfortable playing as a team, you will see great things happen."

Senior captain Jeff Wolkoff is in his fourth year as a varsity lacrosse player. This season however, he will be  leading a team with a new coach. Wolkoff continues to lead by example, and has adjusted well to the coaching change. Cole said that he and the three other senior captains are “our captains not only because they are four of our best players. They are vocal leaders, and leaders by example.”