Fogolax Owner and fellow Aussie Matt Schomburg travelled to Melbourne, Victoria this January to help assess the current U19 Australian men's lacrosse squad. The training camp nicknamed "Hell Week" was set for 4 days of grueling mental and physical testing in the unusual Melbourne heat.
The state based squad members arrived on January 2nd and as is custom in the Australian lacrosse community were picked up by a billet family. Whenever the kids travel interstate for games or training camps it is customary that a local based family look after a travelling family to cut down on the costs of travel for the squad members, this practice has gone on for years and I believe forms life long bonds between families and friends. It is not unusual for a family to spend anywhere from 4-8k $ for an athlete to make an Australian team. All players are responsible for their own costs associated with tryouts and the eventual team.
Day 1 the squad members were welcomed by 39 degree weather. Celsius that is! Farenheight about 101 degrees. In anyone's language hot!! The theme of the camp "Hell Week" was to become painfully obvious to the kids immediately as they were weighed in then put through a barrage of fitness tests including the infamous beep test and other strength and conditioning assessments. Conditions were not ideal for this kind of activity and it was obvious that things were getting a little dangerous for the athletes as a make shift triage post was set up and some athletes were carted off to hospital for sun exposure and heat exhaustion.
Day 1 was rounded off with some skills and games followed by a pool session and team dinner. Not sure the restaurant was ready for the hungry pack of animals that invaded that night but they survived.
Day 2 was similar to day 1 with some classroom and tactical sessions mixed in. the boys were put through their mental paces with some lax IQ tests and some sports psychiatry exams before more lax 101 on the field and scrimmages to follow in the evening. Matt Schomburg of www.fogolax.net conducted a Face off clinic for the squad members and some of the local athletes. Attended by over 50 players the clinic was a huge success for everyone and really opened the eyes of the participants to the drills and skills necessary to make it at the X at a high level.
Day 3 saw some team building exercises at historic and beautiful Williamstown beach, followed by some lunch and finally a game with the local members of the Australian u 23 squad that is being assembled for games in Thailand this year. The team that was picked out of the over 100 squad members was based upon strength and conditioning results and overall fitness improvements. Not necessarily the most talented athletes.
Although overmatched athletically and size wise the u19 squad competed extremely hard. I was very impressed with the grit and determination and ability to stay focused under the conditions. Some of the standout areas for the squad included goalie and face off play. Both of the positions handled themselves with distinction and definitely impressed all coaches on the day.
As a coaching staff we are very clear on our objectives and goals for this campaign and are acutely aware that we have a long way to go. We are excited for the improvements that were made over the 4 day camp and are very eager to see what squad members take it to the next level and apply all of the skills and tactics they were taught during the camp. Next stop for the U19 Crocodiles is a tour of the states in July this year. I for one and very excited to have them here on my home turf playing against some of the local club teams and HS.
Many thanks to Darren Fanner and his helpers for a successful camp and to Lee Vickery and the rest of the coaching staff for allowing me the opportunity to help out this weekend.
GO CROCS!
Matty Schomburg
cell-516 770 2304
matts@fogolax.net
www.fogolax.net
insta/twitter- @fogolax