Fairfield Prep Lacrosse - Finbar Malloy, Luke Shannehan, Coach Graham Niemi

CIAC Glory Days Podcast host Jada Mirabelle is joined by Fairfield Prep Lacrosse, one of the top high school lacrosse programs in the country! Featuring two Division I commits, Finbar Malloy and Luke Shannehan, this episode dives into the team's unmatched chemistry, winning culture, and their driving force: the #BeTheBest mentality led by Head Coach Graham Niemi. 

Video Version - https://youtu.be/5FCdLtlLYc4

Transcript

Meeting the State Champions

Speaker 1 0:00

Welcome to CIAC's Glory Days Podcast . I'm your host , Jada Maribel , and today I'm joined by the 2024 Class LL Boys Lacrosse State Champions , Fairfield Prep . I'm joined by Luke Shanahan , Coach Graham Neamey and Finbar Malloy . Thank you guys for joining me today .

Speaker 2 0:12

Thanks for having us .

Speaker 1 0:14

So take us to that championship game in June . You guys came out focused . You came out really strong . Luke , you scored a hat trick , and so did your brother .

Speaker 2 0:21

And .

Speaker 1 0:21

Finbar , you also had a really sick goal . That was a really good goal so take us into that game plan and that mindset heading into that matchup .

Speaker 2 0:30

I guess I can start . I mean , we played in the first game of the year , I mean , and you know you go back to that and say you know we were down two goals late in the game and I think there was a timeout and a lot of guys were complaining and bellyaching . I'll just say that nicely . I think I said something along the lines of like instead of finding a reason , find a way . You know , I probably was a little more aggressive than that in that moment and the boys did a great job .

Speaker 2 0:54

I think these two had the game-winning assist . Sorry , you cut it to one with a goal and his assist , and then we tied it or won it with your assist and his goal . And so the boys , you know , in that moment , needed to figure out a way to win it , find a way to win a game , and they did . And you know , playing them again 21 games later isn't easy , you know , because we all change . And you know we felt like we definitely had a little bit of a face-off advantage . They definitely had a tremendous lineup . I mean , I would argue their lineup won the 10 . It , I would argue their lineup 1-10 , was better than ours . Sorry , guys , but I thought we'd have the ball a little bit more , and if we could clear the ball and not foul over the course of the game , that would benefit us a ton .

Speaker 1 1:31

So , Luke and Finbar , talk about your mindset coming into it in those high-pressure playoff games .

Speaker 3 1:36

Yeah , I think for us I mean , we take it game by game , Like we never really know what we're going into . But especially for that game , I think we got our matchups we wanted . We did a lot of study , a lot of film work and from the first game we knew how players play . So , yeah , I think we came into the game pretty juiced up and , yeah , it was fun . Warms were fun . We always have a big crowd at games so we try to do that . So yeah , we kinda keep the bomb squad juiced up .

Speaker 1 2:06

So yeah , I think bomb squad always shows up . Yeah , always , yeah , they do .

Speaker 4 2:11

Yeah , and just kind of adding on that , like the last game of the season obviously , like there's not a lot of secrets , like they know us , we know them from summer ball and like we play them earlier and we know a bunch of those kids . So it really just comes down to you know playing hard . And coach Nehme always says , like ground balls , like the hustle plays , like you got to lead the league and hustle plays , and I

Championship Game Strategy

Speaker 4 2:30

think that really helped us last year and it's something that we should and we've been kind of honing in on as we move forward this year .

Speaker 2 2:36

so Like I try to remind these guys we can't . We got to live minute to minute . There's 48 minutes in the high school lacrosse game . You know you play them one minute at a time and the moment your mind's on the end of the game it's not on what you've got to do , what the task is right in front of you . You know you can't look too far ahead . You know the old 200 feet joke is the one I like . You know when your car is driving at night and your high beams are on you can only see 200 , any point in the game .

Speaker 1 3:01

That's a good point . It's like that next play mentality . You just live in the moment . So , luke and Finbar , you've both earned Division I commitments . You've verbally committed to Michigan and you've verbally committed to Rutgers . Congratulations , that's awesome achievements , thank you . So what do you think has played the biggest role in helping you earn

D1 Commitments and Athletic Development

Speaker 1 3:16

those two D1 commitments ?

Speaker 4 3:18

Yeah , that's a great question . I that kind of , for me personally , kind of just having like a multi-sport background and just kind of really honing in on being like an athlete has really helped me in just like specifically lacrosse , especially for like kind of like more of like a dodging type , just like obviously I have a football background and then coach nemi was helping us out in winter with like indoor track and stuff . I think that just like that cross sport , that background has really benefited me for lacrosse especially . And I think just you know , obviously going to Fairfield Prep , you know playing in the big games , getting a bunch of attention there from college coaches , so really all you got to do is just show up and play and like everything else is just kind of provided for you , which is just a great blessing to be here at Prep .

Speaker 3 4:09

That's a great answer . Yeah , yeah , um , I would second that I mean we both play football and lacrosse . Um , we've been playing since we were like fourth grade on the fairfield giants state state champs , um , but uh , yeah , I think uh , every day , like whether we go out to the field , me , finn and a couple of kids um , we're always working on our footwork and I think , especially because in lacrosse you're always doing footwork and in football you're always doing footwork , so I think just being an athlete is a big part of that . And yeah , like he said , we were playing these big games . Coach Neves is scheduling some really big games and I think that's catching the eye of some college coaches as well , definitely , that's what I was going to ask .

Speaker 1 4:42

Do you think there were any specific moments that stuck out to recruiters in your careers ?

Speaker 4 4:45

Yeah , I would just say like kind of like those big games , especially down like the playoff stretch , like obviously like the semifinals we play at Rafferty Stadium usually every year it's like one of the best nights of the year , packed house a bunch . There's a lot of eyes on like those games , along with like the state championship , and I think just that , um , just having uh like being that stage being provided for us has really helped us in our recruiting yeah , you saw the eyes on you in those high pressure , exactly high pressure games yeah , there's no pressure , rather having fun man the other team's feeling the pressure .

Speaker 2 5:20

We're not . Yeah , that's a good thing to think about it . Yeah , try , I try , to feel that way .

Speaker 1 5:24

So were there any training habits that you implemented throughout your four years of Fairfield Prep that helped you really develop , or was it just the everyday showing up for Fairfield ?

Speaker 2 5:32

Prep . I say something about these guys real quick . I mean I'm gonna jump in . Like these two are like really elite athletes and this kid here has worked really hard on how he moves . He moves so well and this guy is a really quick , twitch , fast , like athletic kid and I give him a lot of credit for all the work they put in on their bodies and their athleticism and they're still developing . They're still getting better . It's the best part about watching them . You know they're not done yet . You know in three , four years they're going to be totally different than the way they are right now . But like they both worked really hard on how they move and I think that's what you see from them on the lacrosse field especially , more than anything .

Speaker 1 6:03

And that shows work , ethic and dedication .

Speaker 4 6:05

Yeah , absolutely . I think that like personally for me , like kind of like earlier in my life , when I really started like working out like more off field , it was kind of like more about lifting weights but over like the past few years I know Coach Nimi , like you mentioned , and he's the indoor track guy . Yeah , he's talking about like it's all about movement , like movement is medicine . So I think that like getting out and just like sprinting more and just like being more athletic has really helped me for my training in all areas .

Speaker 3 6:33

Yeah , I've been through some injuries , so yeah , and like I've missed 2023 , season 2020 , a little bit of some seasons . But yeah , I think it's just coming back from those injuries , like trying to be better than I was before . So yeah , I think that , like , physical therapy helped me a lot for multiple injuries and , yeah , the coaches helped me a lot .

Speaker 2 7:00

Well , you grew really fast , yeah , Not to get off topic here , but I mean , he wasn't this big . What summer did you grow after your freshman year ? After ?

Speaker 3 7:06

freshman year .

Speaker 2 7:06

Yeah , I mean he grew like I mean it must have been six inches , I think , at the end of the season . I was like , looking at him , like okay , he's not that tall and I came out for a football workout to watch and he's like I , these guys , that happens to young people , right , their bodies change , yeah , and you get back issues , you get hip issues , your muscles , you know your bones go one way and your muscles got to join them and that doesn't always work out that well . That's why I do think like so much of the movement stuff for these guys makes a big difference , because then your body can adapt to how you've grown and changed .

Speaker 1 7:39

That's very true . Yeah , and even with injuries , like with recovery too , if you're .

Speaker 2 7:42

Yeah , these guys probably don't take much time off . I'm guessing . No , yeah , a couple days off once in a while .

Speaker 1 7:48

You've got later in your life to take off right .

Speaker 2 7:50

Yeah , we try to take good care of them though .

Speaker 1 7:52

As of filming this today , the season hasn't officially kicked off yet , but you're already ranked 21 nationally , and this isn't the first year that you've been ranked nationally , so achievement yeah . So what can you share about the level of team chemistry that has allowed you to achieve this national ranking ?

Speaker 2 8:06

Well , I mean the rankings always based on what happened the year before . You know , so when you go 21 and 1 and have the kind of season that we had , that just comes with it . You know , and we do return a lot of players we had a couple and we added , added a couple , a couple kids transferred to the school which will help us . So but you know , the big thing is like we just have a great , we have a great team culture , the standards are high and it really starts with that . You know , we go into every year just saying , guys , the standards are high , the expectations are high for us .

Speaker 2 8:32

You know , typically just about you know we're the biggest team we feel like on everybody's schedule . For the most part we talk about that and and usually you know the season the spring is so short , so usually the season in the spring is so short , so usually we don't go into it with this like this is how we're going to play mindset . We kind of come into the season and say , hey , we're going to put some things in for the kids , let them start running them . We get about 10 or 11 days of practice and three scrimmage days before we play tomorrow and then tomorrow we go out and we try to just problem solve and do the best that we can . With what ?

Speaker 1 8:59

we have . That's good . That's good . So let's talk about the upcoming matchup for the season . Which games are you most looking

Team Culture and National Rankings

Speaker 1 9:05

forward to and which ones do you think will be the biggest ?

Speaker 2 9:06

challenges . Well , tomorrow we only have one game . It's tomorrow , is that right ? Yeah , yeah , we're excited about tomorrow . I mean we did talk a little yesterday . We have five games in our first 10 days of the season , or 11 days , whatever it is so we've going to be served with some adversity . It really is . I haven't given these guys any adversity yet . Sometimes I do that in practice , but tomorrow they're going to get it . There's definitely going to be a moment tomorrow's game when it's like , okay , this is not going how we planned and how these guys and the coaching staff manages . That is really what's the big thing about tomorrow , I think going into it , for me at least .

Speaker 1 9:38

That first game really helped set the tone . You've got a lot of new players playing together . You've got to figure out how they'll work with one another . So you have a challenging schedule and a lot of out-of-state matchups . How does that help prepare you for the in-state competition ?

Speaker 2 9:49

Am I talking ?

Speaker 1 9:50

too much , I'll go third you guys go and then I'll .

Speaker 2 9:52

yeah , you did say I'm talking too much , didn't ?

Speaker 4 9:54

you yeah , yeah , kind of , like you said , Coach Ne , out of state schedule of teams coming down I think California this year , which is pretty crazy . But you know , obviously all the blue bloods that we usually play like Chaminade and we go on like the New Jersey tear and I think , More than anything , the physicality of those teams . They come and they rough us up a little so that when we get back into the state we're a little bit more physically ready for the more regular games that we play and then also , as we get into the state tournament .

Speaker 2 10:30

I think the schedule that I make provides the kids with the opportunity to be the number one seed in the state tournament .

Speaker 2 10:34

That is one of our goals we haven't really talked too much about this yet as a group , but we're going to is to be the number one seed in the state tournament . We want to be , and so it's kind of nice to have a little taste of all of it . Right , we go to Long Island and play . We go to Jersey and play . We're lucky enough to say , natchez , from California , added us to the schedule , which they're a talented group and their us is we're there . It'll be our fifth game and it'll be there . I think it's their 17th game . Um , so , yeah , right , so well , I mean there's good and bad in that , right . So I mean we're a little , maybe we're a little behind and some things we might have in are ready to go , but we'll see a lot of them and they will not have seen a lot of us . So you will see how that , how that , shakes out when we play them . If they want to come here every year , I'll host them .

Speaker 2 11:11

Ignatius , you're watching , I'm . Every year . I want a home game . You know me . I don't like to travel . Finbar knows right . I want to be home . I love being a referee .

Speaker 1 11:19

I want to be home every chance I get . You don't want to go to .

Speaker 2 11:22

California . That would be a little bit of a hike ?

Speaker 1 11:28

No , I don't think I'm taking these guys to California .

Speaker 3 11:31

So Luke and Finbar , you're the biggest vocal leader on the team . I mean , I think just like leading by example is a really big part . I mean one of the good things about this year we're really deep in talent . We have like three really solid midfield lines that can go and play wherever . So I think just leading the team and just trying to be the best or like whenever or whichever or what , whichever game , um , and kind of just like lead by example especially , yeah , that's sometimes more effective than you don't have to be vocal .

Speaker 4 12:04

Yeah , by example is sometimes what gets the message through yeah , uh , just kind of to add on that uh , we got a you know a bunch of young guys , especially on the defensive side , just kind of enabling in them that you know they're , they're in a good spot and like they don't really have to like worry about too much because you know they're . Like Coach Epstein says he likes to joke around with me and say , like go up to that kid and say like I was way worse than you were as a sophomore , so you're going to be just fine . So like just kind of creating that confidence and especially a lot of the younger guys , I think is a role that is really important and that I could take care of .

Speaker 1 12:41

And you have the brotherhood here too , which is so nice . That really makes a big difference on the field as well .

Speaker 2 12:46

Some of the stuff these guys do away from . Lacrosse helps the team dinners , the getting together away from the field is great too , and these guys are hard workers . So we'll end practice some days , like today , maybe , hopefully , get out of there early and there'll be a window where they can stay and that's a great time for them to pull , you know , a younger guy , pull a sophomore and go hey , we're going to go down and shoot for 15 minutes together before we go home , you know , and that's what these guys can do to really help us come together .

Speaker 1 13:10

Yeah , methods or coaching strategies have you found the most effective for this team that you've implemented ?

Training Philosophy Evolution

Speaker 1 13:18

Going ?

Speaker 2 13:18

down that road . I thought I was going to talk about speed and stuff . Theo said don't talk about it . Well , I mean I will say this . I mean I think you know two years ago in 2022 , we lost the state semifinals . Unfortunately , that year Jimmy McGrath was murdered . There's a lot of reasons that that didn't go . The whole season kind of ended the way it ended . We were hurt . I mean that year we were hurt . I mean there was . I can tell stories about . You know , we played Cheshire and I remember in the fourth quarter I looked out on the field and there were six kids playing offense in a tie game that had never played together before .

Speaker 4 13:46

I think you were one of them , I think you were on attack at that point .

Speaker 2 13:52

Yeah , tony Valance is my defensive coordinator , teaches history here . The two of us like kind of looking at each other , like well , how are we gonna not let this happen again ? You know , because in a high school season , like I've said a few times , it's so short . I only have , I have such a small amount of time with these guys , like the most important thing is their availability . It's the most important thing is their health and availability . I want every kid to be so .

Speaker 2 14:13

We went into the fall , we started doing our usual kids who don't play football and soccer , whatever , started training and I'm looking at the guys going . You could see like they were kind of it's what we had been doing before . And so I had reached out to this guy , tony Holler , who's a science teacher and a high school track coach in north of Chicago , and I've been following him a little bit on Instagram and Twitter and I'm reading about this stuff and I'm like maybe I have this all wrong . You know I was like I'd been , I'd come from the school of . You know the practice should be the hardest thing you do and it should be harder than the games , because the games feel easy , you know , and this guy's saying the opposite . You know he's saying you know , maybe the game should be the hardest thing we do . Maybe I should keep my team fresh going into a game . Maybe I should keep my team fresh going into a game . Maybe I shouldn't beat them up all week and then going into a game . They're mentally tired and physically tired and we're not fast and athletic . And so kind of went down a little bit of a rabbit hole and we started doing some of this Feed the Cat stuff .

Speaker 2 15:06

I got involved in our track program and for two years we kind of had this like I was struggling with these girls earlier . That try it out is what I was kind of calling it to myself , wasn't making them come but was trying to create like a culture with the track program that would attract better athletes , especially my kids , in the winter so we could train and get ready for the season . And with that I knew that some of them would be really good at it and some of them might not be that good at it . But more importantly we were like we were doing kind of a low dosage , hot , you know max velocity , kind of training in the winter and plus doing some movement stuff and get in the weight room . We were kind of checking all the boxes and we're 39 and 5 since and I mean , am I counting Will Essie as an injury ? Yes , will Essie .

Speaker 2 15:49

We had one kid hurt a hamstring in basically that time and we've had one kid miss a game outside of will for a soft tissue injury in two years . So we've been healthy and and we definitely there's days we like . A day like yesterday is a great example . We played Wednesday at Greenwich and I'm like said to the staff , there's three things we're gonna do today and they're gonna be slow , they're not gonna be full speed , but we got to get through them because they're mentally important and and I think you guys left practice probably feeling pretty good yesterday , yeah , and because the goal is on Saturday to be the fastest and freshest we can be Energized .

Speaker 2 16:18

Yep , and , and , and , and , and . We got to play to win a state championship . You got to play 22 games in 10 weeks , All right . And so I've got to keep these guys fresh mentally . I've got to keep them fresh physically , and that's we . That's the big thing that we changed . I think some days my staff looks at me like I'm crazy . Like some days my staff looks at me like I'm crazy , like I love Ryan McClay . He's one of our defensive coaches and I . He's like we don't practice hard enough . I'm like but listen , man , you've got every guy you want . They're healthy . You know I can't control broken stuff , right , right , bones , shoulders , you know concussions , those are stuff that out of my control . But I can control their tissue and and and how healthy they are . So this team is healthy . Right now we have a couple little bumps and bruises with , you know , bones , but tissue-wise we're healthy . No hamstrings , no right , sorry , I'll do it , I got it I got it , I got it .

Speaker 1 17:04

Ideally that would be great , so let's hope everyone stays healthy throughout the season so we don't miss any games .

Speaker 2 17:08

Definitely that was a long answer .

Speaker 1 17:09

I apologize so heading into this next season tomorrow . If you had to choose one motto or one mantra for the season , what would it be ?

Speaker 3 17:18

I mean , we always , like ever since I've been here , we've had be the best , yeah , be the best comes from the University of Maryland .

Speaker 2 17:24

That's a Buddy Beardmore thing . So we just want the boys to be the best they can be every day . You know , that's how we break the huddles .

Speaker 1 17:29

What life lessons have you all taken away from high school lacrosse ? Coaching and playing , I don't know . And playing , what's up ?

Speaker 4 17:35

sir , yeah , that's a good question . I would say just like honestly , just like kind of like the discipline that comes from it all . I mean like there's a . I mean obviously you know you practice there's and then you play the game so you work hard and then hopefully you perform well , so you know there's like a reward for all the work you're putting in and when you're really intentional and you know , do that to the best of your ability and then hopefully the games will pay off . So I think kind of like the discipline , so reward , like kind of like reaping what you sow mentality . That has , uh , really stuck out to me and been something that I've learned and have applied to , you know , all different things , like my relationships , academics , so it really goes a lot further than athletics in that sense . So I think that's helped me a lot yeah , that's really important for life .

Speaker 1 18:21

You get what you put in yeah , exactly , yeah , yeah it was like kind of similar .

Speaker 3 18:25

I was gonna say , um , like like things that I've learned , um like uh , just kind of , yeah , stay in discipline , like through practice . I mean it's like it's never , like it's either going to be an easy day or a hard day , but kind of just doing all like working as hard as you can for the game . I mean , yeah , you're going to have a game , hopefully it's going to be the easiest part , but , yeah , just stay working hard , stay hungry .

Speaker 1 18:53

Yeah , it's super important .

Speaker 2 18:54

I think for me I think I've grown to appreciate as I've gotten older I'm almost 51 now that being a part of a team is special . Not everybody gets to do that . Yeah , that's one of the things I will say . That's one of the things that makes this place really special is I think everybody comes back . I've been here now nine years and the one thing I see and tell people all the time is this place everybody comes back and see and tell people all the time is like this place everybody comes back . You know , and and there are other places kids can go and like some of these kids at this school have come and gone and I think most of them that's funny the ones that leave they come back . You know , when you graduate from here , everybody comes back , like our college kids we have 20 , some kids playing in college right now

Life Lessons from Lacrosse

Speaker 2 19:30

, like as soon as their seasons over .

Speaker 2 19:32

You know the first place they come they come here they go watch the games , to come to practice , see the guys . I think that's one of the things that makes Fairfield Prep really special and I think definitely within our program it's been great . I always tell the seniors you want the team to be better . When you're gone , that means you left something behind . You don't want to come back and have the team not be any good . That means you didn't do it right . If you do it right the next year , we're better and that's what these guys got to leave for the next year's team .

Speaker 1 19:58

That speaks volumes . They always come back and visit . It speaks very highly of the school and of the culture .

Speaker 2 20:02

Yeah , I think this is one of those places I think it's just one of those places .

Speaker 3 20:06

I think last year we had like a small bomb squad of just all the college lacrosse players that we had Probably A little college section .

Speaker 2 20:12

Yeah , we had a little box , A little college section . Yeah , we had a little a little bomb squad for the state championship .

Speaker 3 20:16

A little alumni yeah , that's awesome . That was fun .

Speaker 1 20:17

Yeah , that's definitely very special , yeah , so now we're going to head into some rapid fire questions . So these are a surprise . You just whatever first thing comes to your mind , is this for that ? It's for everyone . We're going to go through .

Rapid Fire Questions

Speaker 3 20:31

I would say Headlines by Drake .

Speaker 1 20:32

Okay , finbar , one word to describe your playing style .

Speaker 4 20:40

Versatile .

Speaker 1 20:41

Okay , that's a good one , Coach . What's more important ? Lacrosse , IQ or athleticism ?

Speaker 2 20:46

Oh boy , Lacrosse IQ .

Speaker 1 20:49

Luke any superstitions with your gear .

Speaker 3 20:51

Ooh , a lot , I do a lot superstitions with your gear . Oh , a lot , I do a lot . I tape my stick the same way , tape my helmet the same way across here . But yeah , put my left thumb first before my right every time . Oh , okay , I asked the right person that question Do you still sleep with the stick before the game or not ?

Speaker 4 21:08

I never did that . Did you used to do that ? No , I never did that .

Speaker 2 21:10

That's why I bought her a Luke .

Speaker 1 21:11

That's what I sleep with Ben Barton . Best sports movie of all time , space Jam . Coach , what's your go-to coaching phrase ? I know we talked about a few of that .

Speaker 2 21:23

Oh , boy , what are ?

Speaker 1 21:27

we going to say they might know they probably should ask them it's supposed to be a sprint .

Speaker 3 21:31

It's supposed to be a sprint , oh yeah , they laughed me on that one .

Speaker 2 21:36

No , I'd probably stay in the moment .

Speaker 1 21:37

Stay in the moment , that's good Luke , who's your lacrosse GOAT ?

Speaker 3 21:41

GOAT Gosh , I don't know Tough one . Yeah , I would say CJ Kirst is lining it up right now . He's up and coming , but yeah , I think he's Okay .

Speaker 1 21:56

Spin bar best advice you've ever received .

Speaker 4 22:01

Best advice I've ever received , Kind of like , I guess I kind of said it earlier . But you reap what you sow .

Speaker 1 22:07

So true Coach , most rewarding part of coaching .

Speaker 2 22:11

Spending time with guys like this every day .

Speaker 1 22:14

Okay , Luke , I had this written down before . I didn't even know you were going to say it . How do you taper stick ? Do you taper stick a certain way ? Because apparently it's a superstition .

Speaker 3 22:21

Just like more than midway . That's kind of it Just to hold both my hands .

Speaker 1 22:26

Okay , Finbar . Pregame routine .

Speaker 4 22:29

Kind of it starts the night before . I eat chicken parm every night before and then I do this kind of stretching routine and then that's really it .

Speaker 1 22:38

That's a good routine with some chicken parm in it . Coach most underrated skill in lacrosse .

Speaker 2 22:44

Picking up brown balls .

Speaker 1 22:45

Luke favorite trick shot .

Speaker 3 22:48

Got to be the B-T-B .

Speaker 1 22:51

Our biggest influence on your lacrosse career so far .

Speaker 4 22:56

Honestly I guess Coach Nimi he's helped me out . He's been coaching me for a bunch of years , so kind of him helping me out with recruiting and stuff .

Speaker 1 23:05

Coach , how do you get players locked in for a game ?

Speaker 2 23:11

What me ? Honestly , last year I didn't even talk before the games . I stopped doing it right the day before . Yeah , yeah , you know I trust them . You know , I think every team's different . This team certainly has a lot of older players . I think that they'll I don't think they'll need me , you know , and even last year , the year I stopped talking before the games and I did it the day before because I just wanted to say what needed to be said and let them do what they're supposed to do .

Speaker 1 23:37

They trust them . Oh yeah , definitely , luke . When did you start playing lacrosse ?

Speaker 3 23:42

Probably when I was like three and my dad played . So yeah , just whenever I could stand .

Speaker 1 23:47

Started young Finbar favorite sports besides lacrosse .

Speaker 4 23:51

Football Football besides lacrosse Ah , football Football , yeah .

Speaker 2 23:53

You should have known that .

Speaker 1 23:55

Coach , what has been your most memorable moment of coaching here at Fairfield Prep ?

Speaker 2 23:59

Oh , besides . Well , just boy , that's a tough one . Besides , I mean the state championship game actually last year would probably be that , honestly , it was probably the game the SEC championship after Junior McGrath died , the game the SEC championship after Junior McGrath died . Just the way the guys handled that was special .

Speaker 1 24:18

I remember seeing online when that happened there was a rainbow over one of the games in the sky , yeah that was special the way the kids handled themselves that night and the way they went about it .

Speaker 2 24:30

I'll never forget that .

Speaker 1 24:31

Yeah , that had to be a very difficult time , yeah . So lastly , on the Glory Days podcast , we always like to wrap up by asking what do you think the purpose of high school sports is ?

Speaker 2 24:40

I'm gonna go last or first . Why don't you guys go ?

Speaker 3 24:42

first your choice um , I think , just do the most sports as you can . I mean , I think that , like , every like you only have , you only have this cliche , but you only live once . So , like , do the most sports you can . I think it really teaches you life lessons . Throughout each season you go through football , lacrosse , whatever it is , basketball .

Speaker 1 25:00

Definitely . That's a great answer .

Speaker 4 25:02

Yeah , I think we kind of touched on this earlier , but just kind of the relationships that you're building . I mean especially Fairfield Prep . All the kids pretty much all are not our whole team , but a lot of the kids grow up together , play sports together and we're all best friends . So being able to play with your best friends and go out and chase state championships is something you can't really forget , so it's awesome .

Speaker 1 25:23

That's awesome memories to have for the rest of your life too .

Speaker 2 25:26

I would say I think sports teaches you how to work and the kids that work get a chance to find out how good they are , for better or for worse . I think they interviewed me in 23 and I said this to the guy from Game Time . I said you know , the work you put in as an athlete is what makes you a man , and not every kid gets to be go to Michigan or go to Rutgers or play Maryland , like that right . And some kids like they work as hard as they can and they maybe never play , but they find out how good they are with the work and I think the work defines you and so I think that's what high school sports teaches people . It's a hard lesson sometimes for some kids . You know they don't get the same stuff that these guys get , but they also find out who they are and I think that's probably the most important lesson kids can get out of it .

Speaker 1 26:11

That's a great answer . Those values are so important to take for the rest of your life .

Speaker 2 26:14

No doubt .

Speaker 1 26:15

Thank you all for joining me on the podcast today .

Speaker 2 26:16

You did great Thank you Best of luck this season .

Speaker 1 26:19

I hope you're able to come out with a back-to-back .

Speaker 2 26:22

We're going to try . We're going to try . Thanks for having us , of course .