COACHES

Local Development Officers for 2009-10

Dan Rogers

Dan graduated from Oswego University, New York State, with a Bachelor's Degree in Adolescent Education qualifying him as a school teacher

As part of his course, Dan also studied modules in history and coaching.

From 2000 onwards Dan worked as a Summer Camp lacrosse coach teaching 10-18 year olds, also he has coached progressively older groups of players at the Hamburg Knights and Oswego Clubs, a perfect preparation for his new role with the Wildcats and in the schools and Universities where he will be working on a daily basis.

Dan is a big advocate of getting lacrosse skill basics right so as to ensure a strong base for future success so we can expect to see the new members coming to the Club with well developed handling skills.

Longer term, Dan is seeking to become a professional lacrosse coach at a college back in the USA

In his final year at University, Dan was team captain and selected as second team 'All Conference'

Dan is friends with former Wildcats players and LDOs Mike Nolan, Steve Tronovitch and Brandon Mapes

Dan has visited Italy in 2004 but this is his first time in the UK

Erin Looney

Erin is a defender from Silver Spring, Maryland, and has played lacrosse for 12 years. She played lacrosse and coached in Australia for a summer and is familiar with the club atmosphere. She is a recent graduate of Pfeiffer University in North Carolina and has a BA in Business and Marketing.

Erin has coached at camps and clinics for many years, and recently took on a new role as the co-founder of Looneypalooza Lacrosse. Looneypalooza is running two camps in its premier year, and hopes to expand further in the future.

Russell Matthews

Coaching is deep in Russell's DNA, his father, Bryan, was Head Coach at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis from 1983-95 and has been Athletic Director at Washington College for many years

Russell graduated from Dickinson College in Pennsylvania in May 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in History

He was recruited by the College to play at Division Three level and was part of the College's lacrosse team that achieved the best season record on the history of the College winning eleven of the fifteen games. Of course as goalkeeper Russell was the foundation stone of that success which came from a gruelling 25 hours of team practice per week. The two hours a week with the Wildcats should seem pretty tame by comparison!

Interestingly the entire Dickinson Lacrosse team took time out to help to rebuild and clean up sections of the historic and picturesque Appalachian Trail, a hiking trail of over 1,000 miles!

Whenever Russell had time he has been keen to spread the enjoyment of the game and took holiday jobs in 2006, 2007 and 2008 to gain experience by working as Assistant Coach at the Point Blank Goaltending Lacrosse Camp and then moving the Champ Camp in Baltimore

Never one to sit idle, Russell has also contributed in many ways such as working at the Skipjack Cove Yachting Resort and helping with the Hurricane Katrina Relief effort as a Project Director in New Orleans during January 2006

Also in Louisiana he helped with rebuilding efforts in Plaquemines Parish community in southern Louisiana, focussing on rebuilding St. Patrick’s Catholic Church