IRISH LACROSSE 2012- Ready or not, here we come!

So here we are...31 days since the first post and another day stronger than the last one. I wanted to save my blog for last and I wanted to share with you my vision and anticipation for this season that is before us. I have enjoyed getting a sneak peak in each of your lives over the last 4 months, but I look forward to getting to the roots of each individual over the course of this lifetime we have in front of us.

I have been fortunate to work with a team of individuals for over 16 years. What I have found is that each season is not just a numbered amount of days equaling a few months, 16 games, post season competition and a touchy, feely banquet that sums it all up. To me each season is a lifetime; a journey that we take together, where we give ourselves to one another to achieve something greater than we could ever do alone. It starts with each person trusting themselves and making a commitment to step outside their comfort zone, to bring something special and unique to the group so that we are just that... UNIQUE, SPECIAL and UNFORGETTABLE. No matter how small your contribution on a given day might be, it is valuable to the TEAM.

I look forward to all of the challenges that await us beginning tomorrow morning. I get excited to see each of you face these challenges and make them fun. Why? Why not. For 7 individuals this is it and I have heard each of them say it is scary, sad and daunting. I challenge each of us to make this journey enthusiastic, full of energy and purposeful.  I challenge each of you to hold on to your goals, keep your vision in your mind daily, and to savor and celebrate each moment that we are given.

I see a strong, powerful, enthusiastic team that is indivisible. I see a team that always turns a negative into a positive. I see a team that works hard each day to be better than the day before. I see a team that understands it might not be about being perfect, but it is about giving your best effort all the time. I see a prepared team that plays passionate and inspiring lacrosse every day.

TOGETHER we will bring the FIGHTING IRISH great pride, dignity and unity as ONE.
IRISH LACROSSE 2012- ready or not- here we come!
ALL IRISH,
Chris

see you today at 3pm with your tickets!

hello from the greatest place on earth... South Bend!!!

Hey girlsssss,

I know most of you are settled in South Bend and some of you are still traveling, but I can't tell you how ready I am to get back to seeing you all and doing what we do best, lacrosse! I am so excited to be with all of you and Kelly and I arrived in South Bend on Friday and were welcomed by the substantial snow that awaited us,  we were surprised our flight to South Bend even took off. However, I am so happy United Airlines came through and so happy to be back at this glorious place and am more than thrilled that I got to spend time with the early arrivals. Brosco and Shauna, I am using you as an example. As Kelly and I drove you to our house and listened to you catch up, I realized how close our team is and how grateful I am to be apart of it and how much I don't want to leave this wonderful place.

As the rest of you may know, senior year is most definitely scary. While I have my future plans already set up, it is so scary to believe that I am going into to the real world. I can't believe that it is second semester senior year and more then ever I am living by the quote "cherish every moment." To be honest I have all the faith in the world in this team and believe that we can accomplish anything that we put our mind to. This quote by Mia Hamm reminds me of our team

"I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion." 

That is truly what I believe this team is what I play for and what I strive for. To me this team means the world and I am willing to do whatever it takes to be apart of it and do what ever it takes to succeed.

I am so excited to see everyone back here and ready to get into the full grind to get back into season. We have all worked so hard, and I have talked to some of you about how hard we have worked, but now is the time to prove it. See you all tomorrow 

it is time to make "her-story" not "history"

love you all and see you tomorrow

-Kristin

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

Hey all.

So my break has been less than eventful. Besides literally getting anxiety over picking a goal song (it is a decision that I treated as life or death) my typical day consisted of waking up..enjoying a nice cup (or 3) of coffee as my dad and I watched either animal planet, the food network, any show that consisted of gangs or felons (Sarge loves him some crime), or Say Yes to the Dress, where my Dad had more input than one would think. Then after I worked out, I would make my return to the same chair to continue to watch animal planet, food network, or shows like "gangland" or "lockdown". The highlight show however was the HBO series 24/7. There is no way anyone could not be an avid hockey fan after watching the amazingly well done series (GO RANGERS!). The last episode, at the very end was the height of inspiration. I found myself sitting on the edge of my chair with my foot shaking and my heart racing and a geeky smile on my face. I have to admit I do get really invested in shows and movies (did I cry in 2012? NO!) but I do not think I would be alone in this emotion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=26yoP8Nc56Q

The clip talks about how hockey is more than a "game" to these players, it is who they are. I think if lacrosse wasn't who we were, we wouldn't be here at the best university in the world. We work our asses off day in and day out, when no one is watching and when everyone is watching because of that pit in our stomach we get when we get that moment of perfection on the field. We feel that pain that the clip describes as "why it hurts so much when skill falls short of what the will desires." I always got butterflies in my stomach as I got ready for a game because it is more than just a game, it's those thrilling 60 minutes where you can do things many cannot and have the opportunity to be great. Unfortunately I lost that for a bit over the past few years. This year, I'm starting to feel those butterflies again. That picture of Stony Brook was very inspiring Boo. I want to be there. I want to feel those butterflies THERE.

There's a quote that some of the Alabama Softball team showed us when we went down there, as good people. It goes: "The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.”  There is no greater name than the Fighting Irish, and no greater team than ours. I love our team. We are ND.




See you in 2 days!
jmo (shoutout to Joel for the nickname) 

Obviously its friday the 13th

Goooodmorning!

            It is yet another awesome day on Strong Island. This picture was taken at 7 am this morning at the one and only Ward Melville high school: living proof that yes, I got off my couch this break. You know that pit in your stomach you get before morning conditioning? Well yea, I got that almost everyday running with these girls. The taller of the two in the picture is a mixture of Craig and Hunter, in girl form: this morning she was timing the runs and at one point got onto the track and starting chasing me…then started physically pushing me once she caught me, because, apparently, I wasn’t moving fast enough…the lucky girl in the blue doesn’t head back to school for 2 more weeks, it seems she knows how lucky she is.   

So, after 2 years of the whole “during winter break it snows, so figure it out” workout mentality I have so successfully not perfected, I decided to be proactive this break, I figured it out: cue xbox kinect. I don’t care what anyone says, dance central and zumba kinect could have got me in shape had it snowed, but of course this winter it doesn’t snow….so I learned a valuable lesson this break- you can never be too prepared, so you might as well do everything you can: which is why I will be returning with some new moves thanks to the b-boys and b-girls on the video games. In case you don’t believe my video game theory would of worked, just watch Billy Granger play football:

Sooo, I have to drive past Stony Brook University about everytime I get into my car, so after tomorrow I'll be expecting that the next time I’m near Stony Brook I’ll be on a bus with all of you on our way to play for a natty champ….Strong Island's not a bad place to end up.

 Enjoy your last few days at home, and safe travels back....ill see some of you tomorrow!

-Jenny

1/12/12

Hello friends!!
I was planning on writing this earlier this morning, BUT while letting my dogs out I managed to lock myself out of my house... Thankfully this global warming made the weather nice and warm today, so my lockout was rather pleasant. Yesterday it was frigid with rain so I consider myself lucky? After practically trick or treating around my neighborhood for a house key for 2 hours, I am saved!
I have missed you all. I've been bopping around the east coast for break in Baltimore, DC, and Richmond, so I've been able to catch up with friends and family, which has been very enjoyable. This last week rather torturous because all my siblings are gone and parents working so my dogs have been smothered in my love.
I saw Girl with the Dragon Tattoo last night and was extremely disturbed. I will not be engaging in those books any time soon.
Working out without you girls pushing me has of course been challenging, but I like to picture out running a girl on another team in a game and it helps me push myself. I can't wait to get out on the field with you guys and start taking teams down. I can't wait to put on our uniforms and listen to the Irish songs during warm-up. And I can't wait to get back to train so hard that we're able to enjoy those two moments to the max.
I hope you all enjoy your final few days and home- I'm psyched to see you all!!
Love,
Betsy

Coming At You Again From The Only City of Champions!

What's up my friends?

I know in talking with all of you and reading these blogs that everyone is enjoying their break so far! You can ask any of my roommates, since I came back home from Georgia I have been so anxious to get back to school it's not even funny. If I was flying Southwest I'm pretty sure I'd change my flight to tomorrow, but unfortunately I have to wait until Friday to get back. Freshmen, when I was in your shoes I wanted to stay at home as long as possible and you guys can ask Meg and Jordy--I'm pretty sure the three of us cried in the airport that Friday morning when we had to go back. My point in telling you that is to make you realize this year is COMPLETELY different. Not just the freshmen, but everyone should be anxious to get back to school. Sure it means classes and work starts again...but it also means that our season starts!!! We're reunited with our 29 other best friends, spending a lot of time together, and making memories that will legitimately last a lifetime. I can promise you that my class as a whole is determined to make this semester one you will never ever forget.

Before I get to the good stuff, my break can be summed up by the following four pictures:

I've been spending quality time with this guy, my main man, Lucky, after workouts and at night watching movies and catching up on sleep with him. He's an absolute gem and is easily the world's best cat. I love him more than most things.

As most of you know, I also spent a week in Georgia with Matt this break. Fortunately it was 75 degrees and sunny so we spent one whole day on his boat. It was an awesome, awesome week...especially when this guy decided to join us and was definitely ten times better at catching fish than I will ever be. For my Finding Nemo lovers out there..."Fish gotta swim, birds gotta eat."

By the time I came home it was time for one of my friends to head back to school so a bunch of us went out to breakfast at this restaurant that a family friend owns. Being that I have a severe obsession with Mickey Mouse and Disney World and that my first screen name ever was "Mickiemouse16" (still better than Jordy's sillybear02 at age 6), I obviously ordered the kids meal of Mickey Mouse pancakes and was overjoyed when this masterpiece came to the table. (Don't worry nutrition team, I was not able to finish it all by any means.) For obvious reasons, I had a massive smile on my face the rest of the day.

Finally, I've used my agility and nimble speed from our 100s, 40s, and 300s to fight crime in Andover over the past few weeks. The local police are so happy to have me back in town and love when I come home so I can really help them out with some of our town's more heinous crimes such as the one from our local police report below:

Yes, this is a real live Andover, Massachusetts police report. Sorry, America, but this is a definite sign of struggle.

Okay, all joking aside, as I said earlier, I cannot wait to get back to Notre Dame and start up practice again with this team. There's a camaraderie amongst this team that is unlike any that has existed in my previous three years here. There is no doubt in my mind that each and every one of us has what it takes to accomplish our goals this season. We have what it takes to make it to the end of May. But as many before me have said, its not just talking and believing and knowing that we have what it takes to get there, its actually going out there on that field whether it be practice, our exhibition game against Johns Hopkins, or any of our regular season games, and getting it done--walking off that field having gotten better and having beaten the other team. 

One of my favorite role models in the world of professional sports, and okay it has a lot to do with the fact that he plays for my favorite team to ever walk the Earth, is Tom Brady. He was recently featured on the regional cover of Sports Illustrated and the story of his college career was a main article in the magazine. Tom Brady is undoubtedly one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game of football and will for sure be in the NFL hall of fame one day. His road to greatness, though, was not a cakewalk as many may believe. He was at odds with his coach at Michigan from day one and struggled each and every day to prove himself. He wasn't even drafted until pick #199, an event which he details in the ESPN feature "The Brady 6" that I have watched numerous times. In the end of this film there are many lines by other professional football coaches, Brady's father, and Brady himself that I think resonate perfectly with this current team. I've attached the video below, and as you're watching it I want you to think about this: Maybe from top to bottom there are teams out there that we'll be playing this year that are more talented than us. Maybe there's a team out there that has slightly better stick skills than we do. Regardless of any of that, no one will be able to stop us if we are the team that has the most heart, every day, every practice, every game, every time we step on the field. His part at the end of the video where he talks about what motivates him can prove as real inspiration for all of us. If we show up to practice and outwork every other team in the country, regardless of outright talent, there is no doubt in my mind that we will be where we want come that last weekend in May. Tom Brady is the perfect example of this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJBM-WMZ5_s

Can't wait to see you all in a few short days! Enjoy the last bit of break with your friends and families!

Kelly

it's the FINAL COUNTDOWN

Hello pretty ladies, Nick, Christian.

This Philly girl has had an uneventfully awesome break hanging out with her mum, dad, sisters, and even brother who took off from his naval shenanigans to spend time with his little sis. Tons of family time.... tons.

I got back from the Urban Plunge service trip last Thursday with Al and Mol and immediately felt the impact that the experience had on me. Adele's blog spelled it out exactly--we see opportunities daily that many will NEVER see. We saw girls 19-22 years old with 3 kids, homeless, and struggling to find a job while I complain about the food at training table. Really, Leah?

As Meg said, there isn't much left to be covered for us here at the caboose of this blog.

After all the inspiration given by all my teammates working their butts off, I wanted to share my appreciation and show how I'm using their hardwork to generate my own.

"Talk doesn't cook rice."

I realized that reading this blog and all that my teammates have to say does nothing unless I actually use it. Talk doesn't cook rice and talk won't make me hangclean more weight, run a faster 300, or win another game. Let's not just talk to talk, let's talk to work hard.

-Over and out-

Leah #10