DII - The "People's League"

Intro

SPEAKER_03 0:09

Welcome, welcome, welcome to another episode of In the Crease with Danny and Kevin, a coast-to-coast discussion of D2 Men's lacrosse. I'm your co-host, Kevin Stentrum, and with me as always is that consummate podcast professional, Danny Moran. How's it going, Danny? Podcast Professional. A little more alliteration. I can't get away from that. But speaking of professionals, have you been watching the PL at all?

SPEAKER_01 0:37

I have. I I I love watching the PL. It's really so exciting. I know.

SPEAKER_03 0:43

I am so glad that they merged the PLL with the MLL. The PLL I thought was started off as a great product. And now that they merged, I I mean it's just gangbusters.

SPEAKER_01 0:57

I love the way that well, it's a shortened game. They got the two, the two-point, uh, you know, shortened field rather. I just I just love everything, the the quickness of the game, and uh everybody's looking to dodge to score. It's great. It's just you see some of the most outstanding and even on the defense, it's not a good thing. That's what I was gonna say.

SPEAKER_03 1:15

And then defensive players scoring and the way they're scoring, but the the defense, I mean, some of the games this past weekend were so uh aggressive on the it was amazing. You know, the scores don't show it by the fourth quarter. Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_01 1:32

Yards flying, sticks breaking, bodies flying, bodies flying, asses hitting the dirt. Yeah, man. It's serious. PLL is serious, man.

SPEAKER_03 1:42

It is, but speaking of that, have you noticed a certain coach roaming the sidelines at all?

SPEAKER_01 1:48

For the water dogs, yeah. Yeah, I know who you're gonna talk about. I know who you're talking about.

SPEAKER_03 1:56

D2s own Chris Ryan, head coach of Mercyhurst, is the defensive coordinator for the water dogs, yeah, man. Coach Ryan.

SPEAKER_01 2:08

You gotta love that guy, huh?

SPEAKER_03 2:09

Oh, just awesome. And he's actually been in some of the on PLL YouTube channel on some of the the vlogs that they do. They've got him talking to the defense and everything, and it's it's a true quintessential coach Ryan.

SPEAKER_01 2:24

Uh I I love the guy. I I love him. I would love to play for him. I'd love you know what? I'd love to hang out with him. I bet he's a lot of fun on uh on a Saturday night in the old local watering hole. I'm sure he's a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_03 2:40

Yeah, but it's so cool to see. It's cool to see him there, and you add in the D2 players like Shane Jackson and Andrew Q, who've been playing in the PLL. It's just awesome to see, and it's cool. I think it's really cool to see a coach uh added to those ranks. You've got Nat St. Laurent, who is a D3 head coach as one of the head coaches. It's really cool to see uh a D2 coach in their coaching professional because that tells you the level of coaching that D2 has.

SPEAKER_01 3:09

And even the players, you know what? We should get Andrew Q on. We should get him on. We look we should look to get Andrew come on because he was a great player uh for division two, all American, and now he's doing great things coaching wise and playing in the PL. So, you know, division two for the people who like to you know poo-poo division two, man, you're you guys are wrong. We got players going to the PL, we got coaches coaching in the PL. So Division II is where attack, I swear. Exactly. That's why I feel that way. Exactly, exactly.

SPEAKER_03 3:44

Now, one other thing since our last episode, we have to mention, unmored D2 uh coaching changes. Um, one of the D2 coaches has left our ranks. Katabas coach Peter Bork announced his retirement since our last episode. He coached there for 30 years since the program's inception in 1993. That's a long time. Yeah, and he brought that program. That program has always been, as we've seen recently, they are always a dangerous team to play. But back in the early mid 2000s, they were deep south tournament champs three years in a row with him 2011, 2012, and 2013. And you know, they are always a tough team to play against. You cannot put that in your wind column if you're going to. There's no way.

SPEAKER_01 4:43

Yeah, Coach Pork's been there a long time, you know, got a ton of pedigree. Did great at Catawba. Like, you know, you talked about his teams. His teams, we've talked about Catawba before many times. Yeah, they're a scrappy, they're a scrappy team, and they come to play every time they play in that uh that sack, you know, that South Atlantic conference. It's not an easy conference. They beat each other up. And uh Coach Bork has just been great for Division II. He's been great for the for the southern part of lacrosse and the southern regions. And uh I wish him all the best. He's gonna sit back on a hammock and uh and chill now, you know. 30 years is a long time to be at one institution.

SPEAKER_03 5:22

It is, and we we do wish him the best of luck. Uh as I looked at his bio, just something really kind of small worldish, he was born in the town next to where I grew up. Really? Springfield, Massachusetts. Yeah. So a shout out to Springfield, Massachusetts, also where American International College resides, another D2 school. So we wish Coach Bork the best. I mean, you I think you said it the best, uh Danny. He really helped build D2 lacrosse in the South.

SPEAKER_01 5:57

Oh, yeah, he's a staple from the South, you know. I wish him the best. I you know what? Whenever I saw Cataber on the field, you knew that they were gonna play tough. They beaten good teams, they beaten ranked teams, they've been ranked themselves. They didn't they're they're a good team. Coach Bork has done well there, and uh, I wish him all the best in his retirement. And Coach, go have that cold one sit in that havoc and uh put your hands behind your head and relax. You you've earned it.

Matt Shand

SPEAKER_03 6:25

Danny, last episode we spoke with Mike Connor. You know, he's a former Wingate and player and also an international player. Uh huh. And it was really great to hear not only his story of playing internationally, but get to talk to him a little bit. We didn't do that much with him, but what he was doing after he graduated. And tonight we're gonna continue with that theme. We thought we would bring on a recent D2 player and find out what life is like for him after his D2 playing days ended. So a little story of how I got connected with this person. I first found out about him by stumbling upon his podcast called Sticks and Stones, which is another lacrosse podcast. So you know me, I had to listen. I had to listen to lacrosse podcast. And as I'm listening, I find out not only uh is he doing a lacrosse podcast, but he went to Saint Leo and he played under Coach Jorgensen. He's a lion. Yeah, he's a lion. I thought he's the perfect person to bring on. Excellent. Yep, let's welcome in Matt Chand.

SPEAKER_00 7:36

Hey guys, thanks for having me. Super excited. I love uh tuning into your guys' show. You guys have a lot of great insight on the division two game, which the division two is the people's league. So I'm I'm a big fan and I'm always D2 at heart.

SPEAKER_03 7:48

Danny, thank you so much. I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01 7:53

Really is yeah, definitely the People's League. We might have to steal that, Matt.

SPEAKER_03 7:59

We'll give you kudos. We'll we'll definitely uh we'll give a little footnote in in any podcast we use that People's League. I love it.

SPEAKER_01 8:07

Yeah, so Matt, you played at St. Leo and you got your masters at from St. Leo, I assume. And now, what are you doing now after your D2 lacrosse career has ended?

SPEAKER_00 8:22

Yeah, so it's been kind of a crazy road. I mean, being originally from um Canada, just outside Toronto with the Ontario, um, probably I call it the lacrosse capital of the world, but a lot of people may there's some Long Island guys that might disagree with that. Yeah, I get that. Um, but yeah, so I kind of ended up at St. Leo in 2016. Um, the way I ended up there, um, the assistant coach at the time, um, Nick Cotter, um, who's now the head coach at Newberry College, he's actually an alumni of the box team that I grew up playing for. Um a lot of mutual connections, and I actually got recruited at a box game. Like he never once saw me play field or anything like that. So it was kind of just a crazy chance where he saw me, he took some videos of me while I was playing, and literally was just texting Coach Jorgensen and was like, Hey, like, I like this kid, like, let's get him. And then it kind of just all happened pretty quick from there. Um, but yeah, post-grad, I decided to get my master's from St. Leo as well. I mean, I love St. Leo, love beautiful Dade City. If you've never been, you gotta visit. Um, it's booming right now, downtown is awesome. Um, but I mean, great experience. And then kind of I wanted to stay in the lacrosse world, so then I kind of started sticks and stones, and it's kind of it's it's a lot of different things, but I'm sure we'll go through all of them.

SPEAKER_03 9:40

Yeah, so let's first let's talk a little bit about I gotta know from a player. Uh, because we've talked to Coach Jorgensen, as you know, on the podcast. Absolutely love him, love his philosophy on coaching and what he's done there. He's one thing he said to us was he didn't just build, he wasn't gonna just build from Florida kids because the school has a much more international presence. So he wants guys like you from Canada coming down because that is what the makeup of the school is. But you got to tell us what was it like to play for Coach Jorgensen?

SPEAKER_00 10:17

Coach Jorgensen is he's the man. I mean, he's the ultimate player's coach. Don't I won't take anything away from his X's and O's ability. He knows the game. He was an all-American when he played. I've watched one of his film and he would have D'd me up like crazy. I would not have played that much fun. Um, so he his lacrosse IQ and X's and O's are phenomenal, but just an absolute player's coach. I mean, everyone loves to play for him, no matter what it is. You can go into his office and talk to him about anything, and he'll just help you in life. Like, we've had so many talks that most of them end up just not being anything revolving lacrosse, it'll be about life. Like I've talked to him a lot about my business and about wanting to get involved in coaching. And he was a huge mentor um in the coaching aspect for me. And I've able to kind of learn a little bit from him as well as some of like the great assistant coaches we've had as well.

SPEAKER_03 11:06

That's that's really cool to hear that he was such a mentor. So let's talk about that. Let's talk about you about Sticks and Stones. You mentioned it. There's a myriad of things I learned about it from the podcast side, but I think that's what was a later addition to Sticks and Stones Lacrosse. So walk us through how Sticks and Stones really got started, what that looked like, and what it's blossomed into.

SPEAKER_00 11:32

For sure. So during COVID, um, my senior year was 2020, during the midst of it, and obviously lost our season. Um, and I ended up going to stay with my girlfriend in New Jersey in Middletown because I wasn't sure if the borders were gonna stay like open, if I was gonna be able to come back to start my master's um in New Jersey. Um there wasn't a lot of the cross happening because of COVID. Um, but people still wanted to train, people still wanted to get out of the house. Um, so I did some small group training, a lot of one-on-one stuff, um, and I loved that aspect of it. I mean, I loved coaching practices and running team stuff, but the small groups and the one-on-one stuff and actually being able to work individually with a player was something that I was kind of like intrigued by. And I was really interested after I started doing it. So I was like, okay, this is this is pretty cool, and it was a lot of fun. And then when I went back for my last year, once I was officially done playing, I used my fifth year, but then after that, so I guess my sixth year of college, um, I decided, you know what, let's make an Instagram page. Um, my old roommate, um, Jack Sparrow, who also played at St. Leo, um, Long Island guy from Smithtown. Um, he actually came up with the name Sticks and Stones, so I got to give him credit there. Um, it was just an awesome name. Um, and it just kind of stuck. And I made an Instagram account and just kind of like the originally of the picture of the Instagram, it was just, I think it was just like a picture of me playing, and I was posting videos, pictures of trainings, and flyers to get interest out instead of just using the word of mouth because you don't get half as many kids, especially with where social media is at right now with the business world. If you don't have social media, you're wrong. Um, so social media was kind of my way to get more kids and create more income and create more buzz behind my coaching ability. Um, and then after that, it just kind of rolled from there. I mean, we went from that to coming out with a pretty cool logo that kind of enticed everything about me. It has the cross, it has the Canadian maple leaf, it has the palm trees, which is my new home. Um, so it kind of had everything that I love all into one. Um, and it just kind of we rolled with that with apparel, went to a couple small tournaments where we had connections of people that were running them. Um, without we, nothing flashy. I mean, we had a like $30 tent from Walmart, no custom logo on it, just blue collar. And we just kind of started it from scratch, a couple of clothing items, and we sold out. We sold a ton, and it's kind of just blossomed from there into starting a podcast. The only reason the podcast kind of came was um we've I've listened to obviously like I saw your guys, and I've also listened to other ones like Back of the Bird, um, a couple other pretty good lacrosse podcasts. And I was like, I have a pretty like good list of contacts of guys that play pretty high level division one, division two, division three, as well as a lot of NLL guys, um PLL guys that I've either played with or I have mutual friends with from attending the Hill or from just being Canadian and knowing guys at all different colleges across the country. So I said, you know what, like I should use these connections to actually build something where I can actually give a lot of these players a platform where they can kind of speak about their story and talk about their legacy that they built at their college. Um and it's just kind of blossom from there. But yeah, we've kind of been in a bit of a break period too. I mean, both of us starting, um, me and my partner Gino starting uh full-time careers now. So we're kind of like trying to figure out the real world and uh start our jobs, um, but we're we're slowly getting back into it, planning some some pretty cool guests that we're excited about.

SPEAKER_03 14:57

That's awesome. It's it's funny that you say that, Matt, because there are times when we are gonna have coaches on and or a player, and they're like, I can't do it in the afternoon between two and four, but any other time. And I'm like, well, that's okay. Danny and I have day jobs, we have to do the recording at night like we're doing right now, because uh this is all just a hobby for us that we love, we're passionate about, as you know, very passionate about D2. So that that's an awesome story. I have to ask you this question, kind of connected. Uh when you were got to St. Leo, what was your major? Did it change? And it were you always thinking about going into coaching? And the reason why I asked this question is because all of my kids started off at one thing as a major in college and totally flipped to something else. And it's kind of nice for student athletes, kids that are looking to go into play college lacrosse, that you know, they're always asked what your major is. And my point is you usually find that out after you're in there for a while. But I'm just curious from your perspective.

SPEAKER_00 16:01

Yep. So you're you're exactly right. I switched my major too. I mean, it was pretty similar path. Um, I started as a secondary education major. Um, I always wanted to be a teacher. Um, I had a lot of great mentors growing up that were lacrosse players as well as teachers. Um, a couple to name uh Sean Williams, um local whipby guy. I was coached by him and I played with his son Dyson, pretty close with their family. So he was my gym teacher um my first two years of high school, and he was also playing in the NLL at that time. So I was like, okay, like I want to do that. I want to be a lacrosse player and I want to coach Jim or teach Jim. Um then after that, going to the Hill, um, a lot of the same thing. Most of those guys that were coaching us, they also taught. Um, so they were my teachers as well as my coaches on the field. So they were all also pro guys as well. Um, so I was like, you know what, this is this is my dream. Professional lacrosse, teacher on the side. Because at that time, professional lacrosse wasn't really a full-time job. But now, if you're playing NLL and PLL, you can swing it. I mean, it like they they're making a decent, a decent amount of money. They're not like living lavish, um, but they're they're doing all right. Um, so that was my original plan. Um, and then the education program at St. Leo, um, it didn't work out for a lot of reasons. One, we had to do a lot of in-person like teaching hours at local schools, um, and the timing just conflicted a lot with our schedule in regards to workouts and practices. Um, this this just might not be the right route for me. I was like, you know what? So I sat down with my advisor and tried to figure out, okay, what's an alternate route that I could still get to this? And it was also, this was the like halfway through my junior year at this point. So I was like, okay, like I need to make a decision that's gonna still help me graduate on time. So I wasn't able to switch to um something in like the business world because I had to take a lot of elective classes that would have put me really far behind. Um making the switch to psychology, um, which is pretty general, I could still take the back route into teaching, I could get into like guidance counseling. Um, and I actually grew a bit of an interest for sports psychology, um, which kind of just helps my coaching. Um, so I took that and then ended up finishing with an MBA. So I still have the business background and all that knowledge to tie in with it.

SPEAKER_03 18:17

Wow, that was quite the full plate, man. Yeah, he's ahead of me, Danny. He's ahead of me.

SPEAKER_01 18:23

Yeah, me too, bro. Me too. It's a really interesting story. Now, now, when you do your podcast, how how do you guys do like what made you say, hey, let's do a podcast? What what came up with that?

SPEAKER_00 18:40

Yeah, it was honestly basically a lot of just like connection-based stuff. So, like, obviously, we've listened to so many different um podcasts in the lacrosse world, um, but I'm also a huge fan of the Spit and Chick-os podcast, which is a Barstool hockey podcast. Um, no offense to you guys or my own podcast, but that's my favorite podcast.

SPEAKER_01 18:57

Um Yeah, everybody keeps talking about that. I've yet to hear it, but uh a lot of people keep talking about that.

SPEAKER_00 19:03

If you're if you're a hockey fan, you gotta tune into it. They one, it's great insight, and it's also just like they're hilarious. They the way they go at each other, it's it's it's a good mix of hockey knowledge and information as well as like good banter and they're they're going to be um so I I love their podcast, and I was like, okay, a lot of the lacrosse podcasts are very, like, very knowledgeable and talk a lot about like the lacrosse aspect, but I was like, you know what, like let's try to do something where we can kind of still have the lacrosse like X's and O's aspect of it, but also kind of tie in like a little bit of like the fun. Like lacrosse players are an interesting personality, like a lot of them are they're big personalities, they like to have fun, like they experience college more than like the average athlete in college.

SPEAKER_01 19:46

Um, is how I'll say I know exactly what you're talking about.

SPEAKER_00 19:51

Yeah, so that's how um, but yeah, so I wanted to kind of tie that all together. And like once I started texting some people, like my friends, and I was like, hey, like if I started this, would you be interested in coming on it? And they were all like 100%, like that's like something needs to be like lacrosse is just so I feel like it's it's a touch market, but at the same time, it's almost a little bit untouched. Like I feel like it's there's so much potential that like we can be doing to kind of grow it more. And I was like, you know what, this let's give it a try. I was like, let's try it. And we got a couple good guests and got some really good viewership. Um, so I was like, you know what, let's roll with this. And it was just growing our original brand, which all that I wanted to do was just to grow our brand and be able to give these guys a platform to speak about their stories, which it did all that.

SPEAKER_01 20:35

That's that's really cool. I like that story.

SPEAKER_03 20:38

It is, and so, but I need to ask now, how did Gino get involved? I know who's a he's a teammate of yours, he's a year behind, you're right. He just graduated. So, how did he become the co-host or your your you know your sidekick for your uh podcast there?

SPEAKER_00 20:55

For sure. I mean, that was it was a very easy decision. Um, I talked to um like one of my best friends like my I guess my two two of my best friends, um, both of them were like, yeah, like we'll come on it like once in a while, but they were like, I don't want to like commit to it. They just weren't fully interested, like they're off doing their own thing, they got their own career, they love lacrosse, but they're not completely lacrosse people um like myself. Um like, yeah, we'll come on once in a while and we'll listen every week, but whatever. And I was like, okay, and I was like, what about like what do you think about like Gino? And they were like, he's like the perfect pick. He is an absolute lacrosse rat. He knows all the stats, he watches every game, he knows players on teams that I've never even heard of.

SPEAKER_01 21:36

Right, right.

SPEAKER_00 21:37

He's just also just a character, and like me and him were already good friends as we played together for three years. Uh, and we had a good relationship already. But like it was once once I texted him about it, he was all in, and now, like, now he was originally just my podcast partner, but now we're like business partners. Like, he's all in on sticks and stones, and obviously he's got his full time career right now. Um, but with the last week, we've been like texting all day, every day, trying to figure out how we can take sticks and stones to the next level. Um, and it's just been it was the best decision I've ever made for myself, for the podcast, and for um my business as a whole, bringing him on.

SPEAKER_01 22:16

Well, you've had some really good guests, man. You've had Quint on and Anish and like some really, really interesting.

SPEAKER_03 22:23

Yeah, I'm a little jealous of that. I actually try to get in touch with Anisha's uh uh manager to see if he'd come on. And the whole point to that was more about Anish always talks about never playing lacrosse, but getting so involved in it. Danny and I never played lacrosse, but we got really passionate, not only about lacrosse, but D2 lacrosse. I never got an answer back, so I was a little jealous when we came on your show, I have to admit.

SPEAKER_00 22:47

Yeah, I mean, Anish is Anish is the absolute man. That's probably, I mean, we've had a lot of good guests, but he's definitely in my top three for sure so far. Like he was phenomenal, and his outlook on the game, again, is just so different. Never played, um, just was a Syracuse um student and got involved because he was interested in sports broadcasting, and he was just there at the right time in the time of Mikey Powell era, which was phenomenal in Syracuse, and he just was able to watch him in his prime, and that just grew his love for the game. And look at him now, like Aniche is one of our faces of the game. Um, and he's just a phenomenal guy. Like, he spent like an extra hour after um we were done the podcast just talking with us, um, giving us advice and just being like a really good guy to have in our corner. So it was we were very lucky um to get him and as well as Quentin um and the other guests we've had, um, just trying trying to use every network that I have and every person I know, and like just people just basically keep telling us like I'm not like hunting for these people, like we'll have a guest, and then from that guest, they'll be like, Oh, you gotta get this guy on next, or you guys, and it just kind of connects us with other people. Like, I obviously I could get a lot of people if I did the work and I hunted, but it it makes it a lot easier when people like also just want to come on, like lacrosse players. Like, when you think about it, this is how kind of I thought about it and my outlook on starting this podcast, especially with reaching out to these guys. Like, yes, some of them may have 10,000, 20,000 followers, but these guys compared to hockey, baseball, basketball, football, like those guys are like next level like celebrities, and like it's impossible to get in contact with them. But lacrosse guys, like everyone I've talked to, like they're normal guys. And I'm not to say that other athletes aren't normal guys, but these guys really are just normal people, and they're just guys, guys who want to shoot the shit and want to lacrosse and want to talk about their experience and their story. Um, and they just haven't in the past, like all these kind of lacrosse podcasts, I feel like started within the last year, year and a half. So it's kind of all happening all at once. So, like, there's just so much opportunity, and especially for them, like it's great that we're able to give these guys a platform um to speak and talk their story.

SPEAKER_01 24:58

You know, I'd have to agree with that because when we first started ours, Kevin said, Hey, do you think a coach would come on? I was like, I don't know. I said, Who the heck are we, man? We don't know anybody, you know. We just have a couple of kids that play D D2 lacrosse. Hey, we threw the email out there and they were so accepting to come on and so gracious. And we've had all the best coaches in division two. We've had everybody who's anybody in division two coaching and players on. We're we're we're humbled by it. I I don't know how you feel, but like Kevin and I are I know that I am completely humbled by having somebody like JB Clark come on and talk to us for an hour, or having somebody like Chris Ryan from Mercy Hearst come on and talk to us, or or Tim Boyle from Wingate, and even Coach Jurgensen, you know, it's been a humbling thing. And I think it's cool what you're doing. I I like I said, uh I listened to a couple of podcasts and I was like, these guys are cool. Like they have their they're younger, they're the younger guys, you know, definitely cool. They got the little lax pro thing kind of going, which is cool, and it relates to a lot of audiences. And uh I think what you're doing, Matt, is really cool. And I continued success, my man. Really, I I I really mean that. Yeah, no, I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_03 26:12

I would I would echo you kind of hit on it. It's a lacrosse community, yeah, and you don't have to be uh a player or have played or have all the knowledge. If you are excited about lacrosse, you're part of that lacrosse community, and and that's how we've gotten people on. And and when we started doing players during the season with the uh you know different coaches, the players were ecstatic to come on as well and and kind of tell their story because their story is not, you know, in our small podcast on just Division II, as you know, there is no love for those D2 players like there should be. There's so many, and and we even have had coaches on that are not well known. And their stories are are phenomenal of how they started and how they started programs and and how some of them have day jobs too, and are head coaches at a a Division II college. So I really like the idea what you said about a lacrosse community, because I think you're right. The everyone who's in it is they're all more accessible because you are interested in the same passion they have. And and I think that shows in your podcast with your interviews with players without a doubt. And obviously, you can tell the rapport you have with with most of them because you've known them, but and that helps some, but I think you're right. I think it's just the community that brings that.

SPEAKER_00 27:31

No, the lacrosse community is something that it's just it's different than anything. Like I've played a ton of different sports at different levels from high to low, and it's just lacrosse is different. It's I've like being Canadian, like hockey is obviously life, but it's lacrosse. I just experienced such a different lifestyle and such a different family, and it's just been it's been awesome being a part of and kind of just experiencing it through my company and like being at tournaments and seeing people walking around with like my logo on their shirt or on their hat, and just people just supporting and they just like want to be a part of it, and they just love the sport and love the people that are involved in the sport. Um, like I like this last year, like my company is a no-name company, and we're like sitting across the field at like a club tournament from like GOAT USA or like other people like that. And people are coming to us and buying a hat with my logo on it instead of buying a hat from Goat, and like they're like, Oh, like we love this, like company in the area, like Florida, a little bit of Canadian twist on it, and they're like, it's just great. Like, you actually played lacrosse, like you like played around here as well, and you also played in Canada, like you're actually part of the community, and I think that is like obviously a huge angle we've taken in in our business model, but at the same time, like it's just the people I've met in the lacrosse world is just next level, like that's all my best friends, people that have become my family, it's like the lacrosse community is next level, it's nothing, no sport can compete with it, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_03 29:01

That that's awesome. I I can't say much more to that, but I have a I do have one last question for you. It's the get off the my get off the stage question with you. And if you think about your career at St. Leo and then what you've been able to do after that, what advice do you have for not only current college players, but maybe even kids that are thinking about they want to play NCAA lacrosse? And you know, Danny and me, we always try to push D2 as as more than just the People's League, which I love, um, that it's just phenomenal lacrosse. So, what words of wisdom do you have for the student athletes out there that maybe either are in college or maybe ones that are looking to go in to play NCAA?

SPEAKER_00 29:47

Yeah, so I mean I'll talk about both. So, first, guys that are looking at going to play college, um, or even if they're just not sure and they're just high school to cross athletes, I think the biggest thing is just checking out everywhere, no matter what school emails you. If it's the middle of nowhere and you've never heard of the school before and they're Division II or Division III, go visit it. I visited like basically every school that emailed me. Um, I was lucky enough that I did get a good amount of emails, but a lot of them were schools that I never heard of. St. Leo was one of them. I never heard of St. Leo before I visited it. I didn't know anything about it. I've never heard of Dade City, Florida, which most people haven't. But I took a chance, I came down here and I was like, wow, I was like, this place is gorgeous. It's a resort. Um and also like the lacrosse aspect was just an extra piece that I was like, okay, this is exactly where I want to be. Um, but that's my biggest thing that I tell the kids that I work with with the club programs, um, is just take every opportunity you're given and run with it. Do not leave anything on the table because you never know, you might regret it later in life. Um, like I know that a lot of people I have friends with that decided, oh, you know what, I'm just gonna stay home and go to college in Canada and not take the NCAA route. A lot of, like I would say 90% of them regret it because they see the experience that we're having um in the US, and it's just an awesome opportunity. And it's the same thing um with American players as well. So I think people that missed out on it, they regret it. Um obviously there's some people that the college lacrosse life isn't for them, and that's okay. Um I think that the team is just don't leave opportunities on the table. Don't give yourself a chance to have regret. Um, and then guys that are already in college, um just like do whatever makes you happy and passionate. Money will come. Um, that's kind of something that it took me a while because at the end of my career, I was kind of like not chasing money, but I was like, you know what, I really want to get like a really good business job, and then I'll just coach lacrosse on the side and I'll make over six figures and my life's gonna be great because I'm gonna make big money. Um, no, like that's that's not how you have a good life. Money is great, don't get me wrong. I love money, but you need to chase what you're passionate about and do amazing happy. And if you're working in a job where, like, for example, for me, like I just took a club director job. Like, that is literally basically my dream job. Um, and then I also have my business on the side. Um, it's just there's just so many, it doesn't feel like work if it's something you love. And I think that's the biggest thing that people need to realize. Don't just get into a major because you're like, oh, I'm gonna get into this management major because I'm gonna be able to come out of here and be a manager and make a ton of money. No, maybe you should pick marketing because you're really interested in social media marketing, super cool, um, or sports psychology because it's cool, but you might not make a ton of money right out of college. Um, I think that's the biggest thing is money will come as long as you work hard. Um, you just shouldn't chase chase money, chase happiness.

SPEAKER_01 32:48

That's right. That's good advice, young man. Good advice.

SPEAKER_03 32:52

That, yeah, it's fantastic. I think what you said about following your passion and the rest will follow that is is spot on. And and as you probably know, uh we Danny, we didn't coach him to say that. That came from from Matt's mind in his own words, because you know no one's really gonna listen to us, but they may listen to Matt.

SPEAKER_02 33:12

So that's that's really important.

SPEAKER_01 33:16

Oh, that was really sound advice, Matt. Really good, you know, for young for young men. You got your shit together, bro. And you know, you uh you're on your way. I can see you. You you're gonna be successful. You know, it it does take time. Everything takes time, it's an old adage, especially in my business. Rome was not built in a day. All right. It takes time to get there. You got to put them building blocks down, get on that first, you know, first line of bricks down, and you step up to the next line, and and life comes at you pretty quick. And next thing you know, that girl from Jersey you'll be married, and uh, you know, you'll you'll be living in Jersey half the year. And uh no, I'm just kidding. But you know, that's the way that's just the way life is. But I really uh dig what you're doing um in in your life and and with the podcast, it's really, really cool. And uh it's been great having you on tonight, Matt. Really. Too bad Gmail wasn't on.

SPEAKER_00 34:09

I know, I I appreciate it. It's just it's it's been crazy. I mean, that's the biggest thing too. And just last thing I'll say is just take your time. Like time will time will tell what um like what's gonna happen in your life. Like the biggest thing that I was told um by again, one of my other mentors in like the lacrosse business world, um, Johnny Moe, Johnny Moriarty, owner of Stick Doctor. Um, I worked for him as a kid and I strumped sticks for him at tournaments. Um, and that's kind of where my love for being a vendor at tournaments kind of started. Um, so I've been talking with him a lot over like the last year and a half with my business. And he's like, I'm he's like the biggest thing that I'm proud of you is is that you're not just throwing all of your money and all of your eggs into the sticks and stones basket. He's like, you've taken your time and you've let time progress and taken it slow. He's like, most people when they start a business, they throw their whole life savings into it right away and need it to blow up in the first year. He's like, you've done the right approach, take your time with it, and then now I've been able to acquire a full-time job that will actually pay my bills and keep me above ground. Um, and then I have a ton of time on the side to grow my business as the time progresses.

SPEAKER_03 35:22

Even more sage advice, and all I can say, uh Matt, is that we will be watching where sticks and stones goes. Obviously, we'll be listening to your podcast, and it's been a lot of fun having you on tonight. So thanks.

SPEAKER_00 35:36

No, of course, guys. Thank you so much. And I definitely look forward to having you guys on in the fall. We can just we'll just talk D2. I'll get all your cool it.

SPEAKER_01 35:44

I love it.

SPEAKER_00 35:44

We'll just talk D2.

SPEAKER_01 35:47

Matt Shann from Sticks and Stones Brand Lacrosse and the podcast. Thank you so much for taking the time with us. We really appreciate it, my man.

SPEAKER_00 35:56

Thanks, guys. Always a pleasure.

Final Thoughts

SPEAKER_03 36:00

Danny. The People's League. I'm keeping that from Matt. That's all I'm gonna say.

SPEAKER_01 36:07

The People's League, yeah. Matt Matt Chan was a great, great guest tonight. I really enjoyed him. He's a young man who's really got his act together. Uh, you know, played lacrosse for Coach Jergenson down in St. Leo, Canadian living in with the palm trees. You can't blame him one bit. No, you know, it gets cold up in Canada in the winter. Not in Tampa, but uh I really liked him, and uh, I'm looking forward to doing more things with him, I think, in the future. Uh with the Sticks and Stones podcast and and with his brand. And you know, that was a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_03 36:41

I mean, I I think we got out of that interview everything I was hoping. When you look at what has a D2 lacrosse player done post-career. Now he's still on the lacrosse side of the house, lacrosse side of the house, which fits probably well with this podcast, but I think it's just really cool to hear what he said, his his advice on what to do, how to think, kind of a philosophy of do what you're passionate about. I thought that was great.

SPEAKER_01 37:15

Yeah, for a young man, he's definitely uh wise beyond his years. Um starting a business at a at a young age and and and you know, working it little by little, not trying to, you know, do everything all at once, live all your, you know, or put all your weekends into one Friday, so to speak. So he he's a good kid, and I I really enjoyed him. And I'm I'm gonna listen to the podcast more. I've listened to a couple of podcasts already. He's got some really big time guests on there. So him and Gino do a really good job with with the Sticks and Stalls podcast. It was fun having Matt on.

SPEAKER_03 37:50

And with that, Danny, I guess that's a wrap. That's a wrap, okay?