Every year, the management of the Alcatraz Outlaws sponsors an Alumni game. Former Outlaws, back from college, confront the current crop of Outlaws in a friendly. It's a great opportunity for the college guys to see their former teammates and get caught up. The Outlaws management always provides terrific food to players, parents, and assorted fans!
It's also an opportunity for parents of former Outlaws to get to visit once again. That's a really important thing for parents, who used to see each other all the time when the games were thirty miles, or less, apart. Now, arranging parent get togethers, with the boys all scattered along the East Coast and Midwest is often impossible. So, the gathering of Outlaws is just as important to the parents as it is to the boys.
This year's Alumni game drew great players and a great crowd. Here are a few pictures of this past Saturday's get together:
The Outlaws - old and new - with Alcatraz in the background
The Gathering! Just before the opening FO
Will McKee (SI and Lehigh) and Mike Hernandez (Piedmont and Michigan) talk to the current Outlaws about NCAA DI lacrosse (its pain and pleasures)
Jordan LaTendresse (San Ramon Valley and Penn State) with his Dad
Former teammates at SI: Bobby Gray (Notre Dame) and Giancarlo Sangiacomo (Providence)
A feed from one California guy to another California guy for the finish. Bang,bang...assist and goal. That's an uncommon occurrence in NCAA DI lacrosse. But not for long at the pace our guys are getting recruited.
More and more, California guys aren't lone rangers when they go back East. Next year, for example, it will be Jack McCormack of DLS and Wiley Osborne of Menlo School heading off to Dartmouth. Middie Mike Hernandez of Piedmont and Attack Brendan Gaughan of La Costa Canyon are Frosh who are both attending Michigan. At Penn State, Two Freshmen from the same school have enrolled at Happy Valley. Close D Jordan LaTendresse and M Jordan Weiss, both from San Ramon Valley, will be playing for Coach Tambroni! At Notre Dame, former SI Attack, Bobby Gray, joins former Corona Del Mar standout Attack, Ryan Mix. This year's Yale Freshman class has another pair of SI/CDM guys – JW McGovern, an Attack from St. Ignatius and Mike Keasey, a Middie from Corona Del Mar.
Here, Yale takes on UMass in a Fall Ball game. Both Yale and UMass made the NCAA tournament last season and new guys are always competing for playing time. In this video from LAX.com, #10 Keasey brings the ball up the field and spots #4 McGovern sneaking around the crease from X. Feed and finish in the blink of an eye! From 3:16 to 3:24 in the vid.
By the way, the same thing is happening at top NCAA DIII programs. We've got former Foothill Goalie Patrick Shevelson and former SI Middie Phil Aliman who headed off to Kenyon this Fall where they'll join Phil's older brother Nick. Similarly, Close D Matt Corbin of De La Salle joins D Somer Stein of Marin Academy and A Jack Bodine of St. Ignatius at Haverford. It's absolutely explosive growth, folks, and you're watching it happen!
Each year, the Alcatraz Outlaws bring together the current team(s) and the alumni to have a little pickup game. It's great fun, and as you'll see, it's a great event for players, parents, siblings, and coaches. Here are a few pictures of today's event:
Alumni:
Alex Capretta - Princeton grad
Connor Hunt - Cornell Undergrad
Carson Mead - news pending
Food:
Food by the truckload!
GOOD food, by the way!
The squad:
This year's players listen to Alums' advice Speakers: Parker Brown, Jack Bodine, Alex Capretta, Rob Emery, Bobby Gray
The Outlaws with Alcatraz in the background
Players after the scrimmage
Parents, Fans & Future Outlaws:
Future Outlaw
Parents and other fans
More of the crowd
From what I hear, a great time was had by all. Go Outlaws!
You can see the complete rosters of both Alcatraz Outlaw teams at:
