Dejon Hush Fired at University of Washington

[tiki monster]

Ozan-
I understand your need to make a change within your program due to the low player turnout. However, I can't find any reasons in your post on why the termination of arguably one of the best coaches in the league will ultimately solve anything. The way I see it, a coach of his caliber would be a HUGE reason that many players would be attracted to your program. Don't get me wrong, Matt Cone definately has the track record to complement any team. But, I fail to see why he would be any different than Coach Hush at saving your program. From your statement it seems to me that the only real problem resulting to a decrease in the turnout, were the high player dues. Maybe that's just me...

[Timbalaned]

Ozan-
I understand your need to make a change within your program due to the low player turnout. However, I can't find any reasons in your post on why the termination of arguably one of the best coaches in the league will ultimately solve anything. The way I see it, a coach of his caliber would be a HUGE reason that many players would be attracted to your program. Don't get me wrong, Matt Cone definately has the track record to complement any team. But, I fail to see why he would be any different than Coach Hush at saving your program. From your statement it seems to me that the only real problem resulting to a decrease in the turnout, were the high player dues. Maybe that's just me...

As much as I am never one to really like to defend UW at anything, I am going to try here. I am sure there are other things that went on behind closed doors besides just the high player dues and the things that have been discussed. It is over now and I am happy they are still holding a team together because they are fun to play and it would look bad for the league if they folded. As far as I am concerned the issue is over and we should be happy that they now have enough guys to field a competitive team and a coach to keep them going. Just my thoughts...

[DontSpillDaBeansWish]

Player dues being expensive was one of the major problems, but not the only problem. I still believe Dejon could have been great for this program, and I was willing to commit 100% this year. The problem was that, other than me and the ten players that had not quit, many people didnt see it that way.

Again, it reflects poorly on some of the other players, but many of the players we have out currently would not have come out with just a decrease in dues.

I would always choose the coach over any number of players, but at some point it stops being so clear cut. I also think that having a coach that has proven himself in the program would attract players, but for one reason or another, it was more of a deterrent.

The decision was not made out of the blue. We had many meetings consisting of the returning players to confer about options. We asked many of the players that were still playing, and many more that had quit about what their issues were. Although money was a big issue, the coaching staff was mentioned just as often, if not more.

Based on well over the majority of interest, we made some big changes in the team. I can only hope a few months or years down the line, they will have turned out to be decisions that have improved the program.

[DontSpillDaBeansWish]

Ozan-
I understand your need to make a change within your program due to the low player turnout. However, I can't find any reasons in your post on why the termination of arguably one of the best coaches in the league will ultimately solve anything. The way I see it, a coach of his caliber would be a HUGE reason that many players would be attracted to your program. Don't get me wrong, Matt Cone definately has the track record to complement any team. But, I fail to see why he would be any different than Coach Hush at saving your program. From your statement it seems to me that the only real problem resulting to a decrease in the turnout, were the high player dues. Maybe that's just me...

As much as I am never one to really like to defend UW at anything, I am going to try here. I am sure there are other things that went on behind closed doors besides just the high player dues and the things that have been discussed. It is over now and I am happy they are still holding a team together because they are fun to play and it would look bad for the league if they folded. As far as I am concerned the issue is over and we should be happy that they now have enough guys to field a competitive team and a coach to keep them going. Just my thoughts...

And I'm agreeing with a Duck... weird.

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

We are very happy as a league that UW is trying to field a competitive team and that the team will not fold (as was feared in recent weeks). The Huskies have a long tradition of lacrosse in our league and obviously we would hate to lose another Pac-10 school - with Washington State rebuilding their program in hopes of re-joining the PNCLL next year.

With the incredible growth of lacrosse in the state of Washington, it is baffling to me that the UW team dwindled down to 11 players. . .but as John Paul stated earlier in this thread, club lacrosse teams are run by the players, not the coaches (in most cases), and unfortunately for Dejon and his staff, the players wanted to go in a different direction.

I'm pleased that the Huskies held on to their long time coach/administrator/team director and PNCLL board member Dan Wishengrad. He's been involved with their program for years and hopefully will help keep them on the correct path. Dan has seen just about everything over the past decade in the PNCLL, and I'm sure he will keep the Huskies from making some of the mistakes that programs in turmoil have made in the past.

The Huskies are incredibly lucky to have so quickly replaced a great coach like Dejon with another in Matt Cone. I hope the new Husky group gets it together quickly and can remain one of the premier programs in the Northwest.

[wheelz33]

i know this is a huge longshot, but i wonder if a second club team will ever develop at schools because the current club team is too serious (like what happens at schools with varsity lacrosse.), or too expensive with all the travel. off the top of my head, a school like wisconsin would certainly have the numbers to do it. that would certainly be interesting. (i know that odds of that happening ANY time soon are none to none...just a fun thought)

[Kyle Berggren]

I'm not saying that's not possible, but I'd think intramural would be more likely... The dedication it takes to run a team, in conjunction with the school, its meetings, planning of practices, travel arrangements, uniforms, collecting/managing team gear, holding whiney players hands, booking fields, setting/maintaining the budget, collecting dues, finding time/score keepers, setting-up/lining the fieldand so on is probably too great for those people to be the almost club team when one already exists. Someone gets paid for that during intramurals.

[camthrax]

i know this is a huge longshot, but i wonder if a second club team will ever develop at schools because the current club team is too serious (like what happens at schools with varsity lacrosse.), or too expensive with all the travel. off the top of my head, a school like wisconsin would certainly have the numbers to do it. that would certainly be interesting. (i know that odds of that happening ANY time soon are none to none...just a fun thought)

I actually told my friends at the University of Oregon that they should make a second club, and since so many people were cut I thought this might be possible. I mean 75 guys or so tried out and 43 I think made the team, thats 30 guys who were prepared to play on a lacrosse team, and aside from them I know of more who were deterred from trying out by the large dues. My friends didnt listen to me or anything (they just play ELC instead), but I dont see a second club as being that farfetched.

[DontSpillDaBeansWish]

Personally, I believe an IMA team for this sport to be out of reach. There are too many things that players need, like sticks, pads, helmets. Its a lot different with soccer or basketball where you can hand someone a soccer ball or basketball and not much else is needed to start up a game.

The more popular sports around the world require minimal equipment, lacrosse just requires a lot.

I do not see two clubs being an option for a while. At least not at the University of Washington. For most players, its pretty much a commitment or not, there usually is no middle ground.

[CATLAX MAN]

I believe that UCSB started an intramural program in lacrosse last year, so it is possible.

[Chris Long]

Tiki M! Shave that UNIBROW!

You asked some great questions, and I didn't see a real answer. But, what can you do? It's over. Dej will bounce back.

P.S. Looking back, you made a good choice! Good luck this year - I'll be following your progress.

LONG

[Jolly Roger]

So just to clarify -

1. Some players were turned off by a coach that set high standards and the cost associated with striving to reach those goals so they left the team.

2. The remaining players who claim to believe in what the coach was doing decided to compromise their beliefs in order to avoid a difficult losing season.

Looks like we learned some important lessons here guys:

If it isn't going to be easy, don't do it.

I'm pretty sure all successful enterprises hold this mantra in high esteem.

[Kyle Berggren]

That's unfair, and I really don't want others to respond to it, this will just get off track.

11 players is hardly a team, and those 11 were obviously ready to be a part of the season. Unfortuneately they believed they needed more players, and that was the way to do it. It wasn't the popular choice, but it worked, now they have a team, and can play if there is an injury. The Huskies move on with their season, and Hush continues striving for a title with his HS team.

[DontSpillDaBeansWish]

You can think what you want from this point on. I have said all I am willing to say on this public message board. I think we can all make this conversation a lot uglier than it currently is or has to be. I'd rather it not go there.

If you have any other questions about what happened, email me at ozanu@u.washington.edu.

[lil lady lax fan]

Sir Loyn,

It was a tough decision and you did what y'all thought best. You were thinking as a team, and that's what's important. We'll miss you guys at the shootout. Hopefully you'll be able to make it down next year. Good Luck to you and the team this season!!