COACH'S CORNER
Coach's Corner
DARIEN HIGH SCHOOL BOYS’ LACROSSE
2024
COACH’S CORNER
THE DARIEN BLUE WAVE BOYS’ LACROSSE PROGRAM HAS A TREMENDOUS TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE AND THE INNATE ABILITY TO REACH BEYOND EXPECTATIONS. IT IS A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE PROGRAM ON ALL LEVELS, WITH STRONG FAMILY AND TOWN INVOLVEMENT AND AN UNDERSTANDING THAT EXCELLENCE COMES THROUGH HARD WORK AND DEDICATION.
REGARDLESS OF WHAT CAME BEFORE US OR WHAT HAS YET TO COME, WHAT MATTERS MOST IS HOW WE CHOOSE TO RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGES BEFORE US. FOR US TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS WE MUST NOT ONLY ACT, BUT WE MUST ALSO DREAM.
DARIEN LACROSSE HAS ALWAYS EMBARKED ON A MISSION TO BE CHAMPIONS. THIS YEAR’S TEAM IS NO DIFFERENT AS IT WILL TRY TO GET BACK ON A PATH TOWARDS WINNING DOUBLE CHAMPIONSHIPS AS IT WAS DERAILED IN THE STATES AND FCIACS IN 2023 AFTER WINNING ITS 19th FCIAC CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2022 . THEY ARE A TEAM TO BE RECKONED WITH AND WILL STRIVE TO GET BACK TO FCIAC AND STATE TITLE GAMES AND COME HOME WITH THE HARDWARE.
HEAD COACH JEFF BRAMEIER RETURNS FOR HIS 41st SEASON AT THE HELM HAVING AMASSED A 666-149 WON/LOSS RECORD WHILE BEING INDUCTED INTO THE NILCA NATIONAL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2020, SELECTED AS THE 2018 CT SPORTS WRITERS' ALLIANCE COACH OF THE YEAR, THE 2015 TRI-STATE COACH OF THE YEAR, THE 2014 NILCA NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR AND THE 2012 NHSACA NATIONAL COACH OF YEAR AND HAVING BEEN INDUCTED INTO THE CT LACROSSE HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2011 AND THE FCIAC HALL OF FAME IN 2015. THIS SPRING COACH B WILL BE INDUCTED INTO THE CONNECTICUT HIGH SCHOOL COACHES ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2023.
CHRIS SGRITTA RETURNS FOR HIS TENTH SEASON AS THE ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH IN CHARGE OF DEFENSE, WHILE GREG LEWIS RETURNS AS VARSITY ASSISTANT AND FORMER DHS FRESHMEN COACH, RICKY SCHULMAN IS COMING BACK TO ASSIST WITH THE VARSITY. IVAN MATSON WILL SERVE AS THE JV HEAD COACH AND WILL BE ASSISTED BY TANNER STRUB, WHILE KELLY GOUIN AND HAP TAYLOR WILL LEAD THE FRESHMEN PROGRAM..
THE HISTORY OF THE LACROSSE PROGRAM HAS EMBEDDED A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE AND NATIONAL RECOGNITION WITH THE 2017 TEAM BEING NAMED NATIONAL CHAMPS, WHILE POSSESSING FOURTEEN STATE TITLES(2019,2017,2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2000 & 1997), NINETEEN FCIAC CHAMPIONSHIPS, SEVEN STATE RUNNER-UP TROPHIES AND TWENTY-SIX STRAIGHT FINAL FOUR BIRTHS (1997-2012).
THE TEAM WILL BE LED BY CAPTAINS WILLIAM BONNER, BRIGGS MCGUCKIN AND MORGAN RUPPENSTEIN, WITH A HOST OF RETURNING LETTERWINNERS AND NEWCOMERS THAT WILL ADD TO THE DEPTH AND COMPETITIVENESS OF THE BLUE WAVE SEASON.
THIS YEAR’S VERSION OF BLUE WAVE LACROSSE PROMISES TO BE EXCITING AND COMPETITIVE, AND WITH A LITTLE LUCK AND DEDICATION AND OF COURSE A LOT OF HARD WORK, A CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON IS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE.
