Ironside 2009

Well, I made it through what was the longest, most competitive tryout I have ever done. By Cazenovia, there were 36 good players, all of whom I am pretty sure all of the top teams in the region would have gladly taken on their teams.

A few weeks later, the tryout list was down to 33 and all of those 33 could play on any national calibre team. It was all about the selection committee making the pieces fit, and, I was lucky enough to be one of the final 27. I view it more of an ivy league college selection process, everyone that made it deserved to make it, and everyone who didn't, didn't necessarily deserve to not make it.

Because there were so many talented handlers, because I kind of suck at throwing, and because I am moving in August down to Chapel Hill, I thought I had an uphill battle to make the team. I did have the fact that I had a really good season last year help me, and the fact that I improve year to year, but, it was tough. The weekdays were the toughest because they were out of my control. The weekends were when I became super-unnervous because I knew I had control of one thing.... how I played.

I am not terribly athletic in a general life standard, and I am definitely not athletic for a national level player standard, so, it takes me a while to get back in the groove which is always scary in the tryout process. The first couple weeks, I just didn't have enough leg muscle to be fast (I lose about 10 pounds during the off season).

As the tryouts got longer, I just focused on the stuff I am good at: scrappy handler D, getting down on the pull, handling with my legs, breaking the mark, and trying to have zero turn days.

So, now that I made the team, it is time to get to work on becoming better. I am planning on working out like a maniac, throwing a ton (have to find some people to throw with / play mini down in NC), and doing whatever I have to do to put the team in a situation that we can win.

I am really excited about the team. I think we have a strong shot of winning it all if we work hard, and, if the intensity of the practices at tryouts stays up, we are well on our way of achieving our goal.

-josh