Morning Everyone -

As we head into the holiday season, we wanted to take a moment to say thank you.

We’re grateful for the players, parents, coaches, and people we’ve crossed paths with along the way. The relationships are the best part of this work, and they’re what keep us grounded in why we do it.

When we step back and think about FCL’s purpose, it always comes back to people. We’ve been shaped by great coaches and mentors in our own lives, and this has always been our way of paying that forward.

If you’re reading this, we hope you feel connected to that mission in some small way.

Let’s get into it. Happy Friday ☕️,
Matt & Deemer

We’re excited to share a fully immersive defensive experience built specifically for men’s defenders: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 ✅

This two-day, college-level environment led by Matt Dunn & Jesse Bernhardt is designed for players who want a deeper understanding of the defensive position at every level: individual, small-part, and full-team.

This is a defenders-only event built to give players clarity, context, and exposure to how elite college defenses are taught. We have an outstanding coaching group locked in, and we hope you can be a part of it!

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Deemer and I recently got back from the IMLCA convention in Florida. It’s a valuable professional development opportunity for us.

Many coaches do a strong job with their webinars, but sometimes the more useful moments tend to happen off the record between sessions.

I always enjoy getting a pulse on what coaches are seeing with their teams. Through those conversations, a simple theme kept coming up. Everyone is still trying to figure it out.

Problem Solving > Rigid Dogma

These are some of the brightest minds in our sport, but coaching is dynamic. Teams change every year. Opponents change. If coaches become static or overly attached to a philosophy, they risk falling behind.

The coaches who stand out are problem solvers. They use the tools that best fit their group, even when that means moving away from ideas they once believed in.

These are well-respected Division I programs, yet the humility on display is striking. They focus on getting it right rather than proving they were right.

Adapting the System: A Real Example

I enjoy talking with defensive coaches at events like this to hear what they’re emphasizing.

One coach shared that they are simplifying everything this year because it fits their personnel. They are switching picks, sliding faster to dodges, and forcing the offense to make decisions under pressure.

This is very different from how they played two years ago, when they were one of the best defenses in the country. That group relied more on hedging, bluffing, and reading situations while trying to preserve matchups.

The personnel is different now, and the approach has changed with it. The way they played then isn’t optimal for their group now. This is the beauty of coaching.

A lot of people search for “the right philosophy” or system. In reality, every approach has trade-offs. Some simply fit certain groups better than others.

Wrapping Up

This mindset resonates with us.

The more time we spend around great coaches, the clearer it becomes that there isn’t one right style of lacrosse. There are many ways to be effective, depending on the group, the moment, and the problem in front of you.

That can be empowering for players too. There isn’t one way to make an impact. There are many. But each one requires an honest assessment of what your team needs and how you can help solve that problem.

That kind of flexibility tends to create growth. On the field and beyond.

Coach Class and Coach Dunn

Our staff broke down some standouts of our Best in Class Women’s Committed event, our best one yet! Take a look below at some players that turned heads and read the full standout blog here.

Young proved why she is so highly-touted in the Class of 2027. She’s explosive in the middle of the field with her speed and showcased her high-IQ on the offensive end with goals on timely cuts. Her four-goal semifinal performance propelled Team 1 into the championship, the game in which Young dished the championship-winning overtime assist to Layla Nick after drawing two defenders.

Sharing Attack MVP honors with her future college teammate Cece Powell, McCarthy is a dangerous combination of athleticism and skill. She had no problem flying past defenders towards the net and showing a finesse around the cage to bury her chances. The Tar Heels should be ecstatic about a potential attack line with the dynamic lefty McCarthy and Powell.

Multiple coaches commented on the strong play of Petro over the course of the weekend. Coming in all the way from Montana, Petro proved she was more than capable of defending top-caliber attackers. She made several plays throughout the day that had you glancing down at your roster to find out who #79 was.

Check out our @fclbestinclass Instagram page for the best highlights and coverage of BIC Women’s Committed from last weekend in Wilmington, DE!

We are pumped to announce the return of Maryland senior LSM AJ Larkin as an FCL Athlete! Stay tuned for drills, tips and advice from AJ throughout the year. We will be announcing more in weeks to come.

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