by UFLAX32 on Wed Aug 22, 2007 6:23 am
As a previous graduate of VBHS in Vero Beach, FL. I would like to take a moment to say what an honor and great step forward for Florida HS lacrosse to have a coach of Whipple's distinction. Vero Beach lacrosse, alike the rest of the state of Florida HS lacrosse, has been growing exponentially in the last 5 years. With an addition of a coach of Whipple's caliber it is sure to bring only positive and an assured growth to the game in Florida.
After playing in college at the University of Florida, during one of the strongest points in its career, 2001-2004, I learned valuable lessons on play, tactics, and leadership that can only truly be taught at the level of play that we, as MDIA players, play. MDIA teaches skills that can be taught at the Div. 1 level, but MDIA allows you to learn them for yourself and implement those skills on a regular basis with teammates and opponents of your equal caliber. After acquiring those skills and team concept, I moved back to my hometown of Vero Beach to pursue Real Estate and during the afternoons I coached the lacrosse team for two seasons.
During my tenure, I was pleased to see the level of play step up immensely from the time I had played in high school to the level that is present now. Vero Beach, if anyone knows Florida lacrosse, was always second best to St. Edward's in the Vero Beach area. I believe that St. Edward's had won every district title that ever existed in the northern South Division of Florida. During the 2005-2006 and the 2006-2007 school years, Vero Beach grew as a funded team, through the school, and recognized statewide for their tough nosed style of play, mostly implemented by Head Coach, Jack McEnerney-formally of Huntington, NY. With the finesse of Long Island style lacrosse and a hard nosed mentality, Vero was able to win their district title, for the first time ever, in 2006 and again in 2007.
I am pleased to now say that I am from Vero Beach and I hope that as Coach Whipple brings a collegiate state of mind to the high school level in Florida that the programs around the state will continue to grow. I believe that having Coach Whipple will bring a sense of growth and promise to today's youth and high school level lacrosse in the state of Florida, and that it will influence, not only, high schools to grow their lacrosse programs, but also the universities to see the potential in bringing lacrosse as a Div. 1 sport throughout the South.
Go Gators!
