DOWN THE ALLEY is a weekly podcast focused on Minnesota Lacrosse that is aimed to provide coverage of the MSHSL High School season and exposure for MN’s top lacrosse athletes. You can support our team by subscribing to our channel and following us on social media!
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DOWN THE ALLEY is a weekly podcast focused on Minnesota Lacrosse that is aimed to provide coverage of the MSHSL High School season and exposure for MN’s top lacrosse athletes. You can support our team by subscribing to our channel and following us on social media!
For opportunities to get on the field with us: www.36Lacrosse.com
36 Lacrosse Store: https://team36.secondslide.io/
For the coaching software check out; www.LacrosseLab.com/DOWNTHEALLEY and use the coupon Code "DOWNTHEALLEY"
That will save the coupon in their browser cache until the proceed to the buy screen. The coupon is for 10% off your first 3 months of use.
For all the Down The Alley content go to our website; DownTheAlleyPod.com
www.oldsouthernbbq.com; ODTA15 - gets the guest 15% off anything on the site
For Team and Corporate Apparel: https://www.36threads.com
Team36: https://36lacrosse.com/teams/
Lacrosse Training: https://36lacrosse.com/sdp/
Hi Tori.
Speaker 2:We'll wait for Ted. Like I said, p-max's sick, oh okay, and so I think it'll just be the three of us, but I'll make sure we can wait a couple minutes here. Oh, sounds good. Where are you coming at us from?
Speaker 1:Oh, this is. I have a loft bed, so it's like Cool.
Speaker 2:No, I just oh, and Ted's here. Cool, so like it's a bunk bed, but there's not a bunk, it's just. Yeah, it's like a desk. I think I've always wanted one of those. Oh, that's funny. I would have like, loved that, loved that. So we're recording. So, ted, will you do the intro and we'll just start it from here.
Speaker 3:Yeah sure, Welcome to Down the Alley. This is Ted TS Sparides.
Speaker 2:And this is Katie. P-max is sick in bed and for all the like wives out there, we know that boycolds are not the same as girlcolds. But, ted, you were sick last week and you guys traveled together, so I think we can blame you, but he also did travel more this week. So I think just you know it's that time of year, but we have a special guest tonight, miss Tori Cheetah from Lakeville South. We're so excited about having you to interview. I think we're both feverishly here trying to pull up Laxhub, but because I know a little bit about you but I think it's exciting to learn more about you. So since we're all here, let's just go ahead and dive in. I did, ted, that podcast. You sent me the Gary Vee one about like they were talking about like keeping the unedited stuff like in the, in the I don't know in your content. So maybe we can have that beginning part just be a little off the cuff thing. We didn't say anything inappropriate this time, so sometimes we do, yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, tori, welcome to the show. And you know we've we've made a little bit of a switch in the last couple of episodes from talking to coaches and we wanted to talk to more players. And I guess, for those that don't know you, if they don't maybe just give us a little background on how you got started in Laxhub and you know you're maybe just a high level of your story.
Speaker 1:Yeah for sure. Thank you guys for having me. So I started Laxhub way back in second grade. My parents brought me to some clinic in one of the domes and actually had met Jeff Bowman. So Gabby Bowman had played on my team last year and he he was so rough and he really talked to them the whole time got them really into it. I originally was like, well, it's okay, but my dad promised to buy me my own stick if I kept with it. So I did. After that playing I joined Tula Cross in fifth grade and which later I turned into pipeline, which is where I play now. Had a blast all playing as played JV University my seventh grade year. Then COVID was eighth grade but continued on for varsity the rest. I've had so much fun with my teammates there. Last October I committed to Temple University, probably furthering my education and continuing on there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, that's great, obviously one of the one of the top players in the 2024 class. And it's funny you mentioned the Bowmans my first year coaching club lacrosse, like 2012,. Maybe Drew Bowman was the goalie on my team. So I think it's the same family of like, yeah, so he's the oldest, so a Lakeville staple family for a long time, and also my daughter's in second grade and just started lacrosse last summer and she was kind of like, yeah, it was fun, but I don't know, we'll see. So this gives me hope that, like, maybe they'll be like all right, I'll give it a shot and see what happens. But no, like, obviously you know you're being pretty humble in your in your intro, but you know, last year you know 62 points, all American obviously committed to play a division one you know what struck you about Temple, like, obviously you looked at a lot of schools.
Speaker 2:What was it, what was their X factor, that you were like this, is it right here?
Speaker 1:I would say immediately the coaching staff so nice. I felt like so comfortable around them right away. I could tell they obviously know what they're doing, they have like really good goals and they immediately like set the culture of the team like that. Just everything was positive. I just felt really good about it Super cool.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so we're, we're headed out to Philadelphia this summer and I know there's like there's so many colleges like right in a, like just a couple of mile radius, and Temple. Is that actually downtown or is it out a little bit?
Speaker 1:It is like eight minutes from the airport, so it's like right in there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, sweet, no, that's cool.
Speaker 2:Do you run, like for fun, outside of La Crosse? Oh, I do, because I heard the Philadelphia. It's in Philadelphia, right, not Pittsburgh. I hear the Philadelphia marathon. I don't run, so this all like her that I hear say. I hear the Philadelphia marathon is like awesome, Like I've heard the Twin Cities one is awesome because there's fans along the way. Boston is Boston. But I've heard actually the Philadelphia marathon of all places, because I think you finish on the Rocky steps, oh cool, and it is like the finish line. So if you ever have aspirations to run a marathon, do it while you're out there and run the Philly one or go back as an alum or something like that. But I don't know how I know that.
Speaker 2:No, that's good to know I'm never going to run it, so do it for us and report back.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, that I don't run either, but I mean, no, yeah, definitely, let us know. Let us know if you, if you, get roped into that. I do want to. I want to talk a little bit about, you know, wakeville South. So it's been kind of this rise and then, like the last couple of years, like dynasty level, dominance. But so your freshman year was the, the heartbreaker in the semis, right? No, I'm glad we're starting right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, this is where I wanted to start was.
Speaker 3:OK, so.
Speaker 2:I 21 was the state championship, right, it was Good, because I was like, am I mistaken? But I was like I was going to bring it there if you weren't going to bring it there, Ted. Ok, so so you 2019, what you're talking about?
Speaker 3:Yeah, maybe I think I think what I was, where I was going is you've kind of had, you've had kind of all of the the emotions around, like you know, like you're so, you you get in there like you win a state championship. You had a heartbreaker in a semi, you've been right. It's like all these different things that you've experienced. And now you're a senior, like you've already experienced all this stuff. Now you're going into your senior year and you guys get a lot of players back. You know last year that game against Benilde Epic game. You know it could have gone either way and tip of the cap to them. But I think your team reloads quite a bit of talent. You've all been there before. You know what's like, what's the feeling internally like with your front, with your teammates, kind of going into the season.
Speaker 1:We're all really excited, like we all talk about it constantly, how like we're just looking forward to it. We can't wait. I personally am really excited because we have a lot of younger girls who are just very talented and I know they're working all season long. They're like going to pipeline and then we do Chalax as a team and that always gets us all excited and just everyone is really looking forward to it. We know it's going to be another good year and yeah, we just everyone can't wait to get back to it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, do you feel like is there a different energy, like more of a I don't know call it like a revenge tour, almost more a little bit of like just doing that little bit extra, because it, you know, I think, did fall short. I mean an amazing season I'm not saying I have a great season but maybe fell short of what you guys may be expected of yourselves. And I think a lot of people, myself included, were like they're the best, like they're the team to beat, and now you can kind of run it back and say like all right, mate, hey, like someone got the best of us last year, but we're going to run it back and, you know, is it like a little bit, like a little hungrier maybe, just to like prove that, like hey, that you guys you got us last year but you're not going to stop us this year.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure, I think, a little trip on the shoulder to get us going right away. I think that'll be good for us definitely.
Speaker 3:Not not great news for the girls. Mshsl league, that Lake from South now has a chip on their shoulder. You know like that, that, that they're motivated.
Speaker 2:But I want to keep bringing it back to 2021. First. So you were a ninth grader. Yes, right, that was actually my first year kind of like involved, back involved with high school. So I'm looking. Your only loss that year was to Pire Lake, and then you lost to them. What do you remember about that state championship? Because all this is my first sort of like introduction to you, so I want to hear what you think and then I'm going to tell you what I know and remember about you in that state championship game.
Speaker 1:I definitely think it wasn't necessary surprise getting to that point, but we all had, like we were like really excited to go to the state tournament. We hadn't been there for a while and so and we just like we won the first two games and we didn't not that we didn't expect it, but it just went a lot better than we thought it would. So, getting into that championship we're like, we're just happy to be here. Honestly, like that's what I remember feeling. I we had a very like close team that year as our coming back from COVID, so everyone is just extra excited to be out there.
Speaker 1:Specifically, I feel like I remember I actually thought it was interesting because you guys interviewed Peyton Bladow recently and I was just listening to that and I just remember how it was. Me and Kitty Grubbs, the little freshman, were like we are supposed to guard her and that was our thing, and I just remember like being a little afraid of her and like that was our little job, so following her around. But really I just remember that they came out much stronger than we did and it was kind of an uphill battle the whole time, but just it was a good game, from what I do remember.
Speaker 2:It was a great game and I think, like you know, again, you're right, right after all the COVID stuff, I think everybody was just so grateful to like have any sort of season that no one really had any expectations. And, like mass, at the beginning of the season, all I remember was and like being with Pirate Lake, it was definitely like a like, a like a destiny thing. I was, I you know I had to bring Peyton to bagel because she was being crabby and she's like I just need to bagel from Panera and I was like, if that's all you need here, I can make that happen. And it was. It was kind of like a team of destiny on their side. But you were the scout, like that was like because you were taking the draws, and I think that's when you kind of first started finding like your niche, taking the draw, and that was all we talked about. I mean, like I wasn't at practice, I wasn't anything, but those last kind of moments of the like, the coaching aspect, before they went and did their warm up and everything like that. It was you. It was just like and you have these bright green cleats, everyone knows where you are on the field and I think you and Coach Heather have been kind of really close in the in the off season and it was like that's all we talked about and I was like who is this girl and it's, and that was like we were.
Speaker 2:I'm pretty sure they had watched film of you, like at the hotel and just like that was, that was how they were going to beat you and of course, you're insane goalie the year. Jack White he loves the Bonsze we herbs, obviously, like there was more to it, but at the same time it was like all of a sudden then that became and I'm pretty sure that the rest is history there that that is still the Scout. I don't know for sure what they talk about when they play you, but it's like that. I'm pretty sure that's probably top of the list of like how are we going to get around your draw when? So that was my memory of it. So then we go into 2022. Which is an even more wild of a season, because you lost to Chan nine to 10. And I remember that was like the upset hurt around the world and everyone was like what in the heck? What's going on? And so walk us through maybe what you remember from that day.
Speaker 1:I do remember it was a lot like everyone had put a lot of pressure on the game and it was kind of like I remember coach T it said that we're cranial, maybe that we had beaten ourselves. So it was kind of like a mental part. I remember at the end, grubbs and I not being able to walk off the field, because then it makes it real.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah yeah, the drama, yes yeah, but yeah, I remember being that. That was definitely helpful to us. I think it was a motivator for the rest of the season and ended up being better for us.
Speaker 2:Yup, an insane, insane record going into the rest of the season. Like you said, you went on to win, only to play Chan in the championship game and I watched the ending. I think I was there for the boys state championship, so I think I got there at like half and it was a battle. And then those last moments, I mean it was just clearly dominating and you ended up beating them. So it was like that, right there, maybe redemption, and so you've literally lost like one game in the last, like two games in the last season, unfortunately. Then walk us through, like Ted said. Then you went on to have an undefeated regular season this year, which you now you're you were a junior last year still taking the draw, mostly right, you don't go out, you play midfields like you do your draw and play midfield. Do you ever pop in on any other position, or is it that's your thing that you started to own?
Speaker 2:Yeah, usually yeah, that's what I thought. Yeah, and then obviously we won't bring up again the, the loss to banaled, and obviously their fate was them too. But what other memories stick out from? Like I said, like for people who don't know that you guys have just had like an absolute Insane record and a coaching shift to continue that insane record. What are some highlights from from you?
Speaker 1:For sure the Rosemont game of 2022 we had come back. I think seven points in ten minutes that I remember that more vividly than any game that I played in. So how could I forget that one? Yeah, yeah, I just rewatched sometimes.
Speaker 2:You do not. Oh my god, I mean.
Speaker 3:Looking at the the 2022 state champ state tournament a 10-9 win against Elk River, zimmerman 14-13, that Rose Mount game and then 10-7 Channes and so like those were some games you had to sweat out a little bit. They weren't like easy, like oh, we got this, like it can relax, like those were tough wins and that, yeah, I do remember Hearing and kind of seeing that Rose Mount game and they were really good that year too and so like that was kind of an another epic battle. I feel like you guys have had a couple of those in the last few years. You know you're gonna get everybody's best when they play you. I mean you've just earned that.
Speaker 3:Right now that that's a game that's circled on the calendar like we're gonna sell out to try to beat Lakeville South and yeah, it's funny that you go back and watch that game. I don't know a lot of high school or you know high school age players that even like really go back and watch film of anything and and obviously you know you're a division one, you know future division one athletes, so you probably have you know some some good habits around that, but no, that's. I Remember that game and kind of hearing I was getting text messages from Kate here, from somebody being like you won't believe what's going on right now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, cuz you guys scored what like Five goals in like the last, like five minutes or something like absolutely ridiculous, like that. I was sitting with Heather at the prior like boys game and again all the girls were Like texting us live updates. Like just we were like what and we pulled up the stream and our stream was a little delayed from like the game. Obviously you know the text messages and so we literally were just like sitting there hovered over this phone and like it was incredible.
Speaker 3:Um, I want to shift a little bit away from high school, like MSHSL season, and Talk a little bit about your recruiting process. Obviously, you know, going on to play division one, you know Kind of walk us through like the things that you found that were valuable in your recruiting process, but also, like you know, maybe for Kind of like maybe other options you may be considered or things you were weighing. I think there's a lot of players and parents that listen to this that Don't really understand the recruiting process or a little overwhelmed by it. So you know, if there's anything you're willing to share about that whole process to lead to your decision, we would love to hear it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure. Um, I know we talked about how coach other than I were pretty close. I was very thankful to her in my earlier recruiting process because, like seventh, eighth grade, she was already getting my team like ready. Here's what you need to do to get ready, because I know it seems far away but it's really not. There's so many things that you need to get done. So it was a lot of time and she would like meet with us and we had little checklists and especially because I feel like I'm kind of a Worry or in a planner, so it was nice to like have things to get done and check off my little list. Um, it was mainly. I feel like people don't really value highlight reels as much as they should. I we film our high school game, so that was very helpful to me. Thank you Thank both to the most parents for always doing that so I could put them together. That way I would send so many emails.
Speaker 1:It Just getting ready for different tournaments and things like that. It also started with just I'm a little seventh-grader out in Baltimore for a tournament, just going what colleges are around, let's see what do we like? Like do I want to go to a big school, because at that point you don't really know what you even want. So just like seeing the different types was always helpful to me. Very thankful, my parents for getting me across the country, just those opportunities to see all those different types of things.
Speaker 1:Later, getting to like getting closer to my junior year with Temple I the summer before, I had like I've always heard of them because you kind of think East Coast, you think like I don't know. I didn't really know exactly where they were, but I definitely heard of them and I had seen they were at all three of the tournaments that we were at that's and I had seen one of them kind of At like all of our games that a certain day. And I just remember like telling me that I'm like I think they're coming and watching us, like they might be maybe my profile and that sort of thing, and I remember feeling really Embarrassed because I had told him that and the other coach was like walking behind us. So she like heard me say it and I was like, oh my goodness, whoops.
Speaker 2:Yep, hopefully it was a good foot and mouth moment and add a bad owner was a good one, thank you for sure.
Speaker 1:Actually, they had told me. So I'm very strong in my faith and I know that, like God has a plan for me and this is all his doing. Bonnie and Liz, my coaches, had actually told me they just sat down at a field. Originally I had emailed them, but they didn't. That wasn't what got them there. They sat down and they watched me and were like hey, let's see, we like her, like let's like see, not a couple more games.
Speaker 1:And they followed and eventually reached out to Kristen Crandall and I'm very thankful for both of them because they got on so many calls for me and this did all the Communicating behind the scenes that I probably a lot that I don't even know about, and I'm very thankful to them for that. And and eventually and I think it was late September, october I got out on campus and I really liked it and got to talk to the coaches and all of their players were actually Involved in the camp. So I got to meet them and just see what kind of people they were and it all. Yeah, I really all lined up and it was good. So that's where I'm at now.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, congratulations and and thank you. No, I think you touched on something. You said that you put your highlights together. You sent a lot of emails Like you had to put yourself out there. Like it can be embarrassing, it can be uncomfortable to say like look at me, watch me play, like advocate for yourself and that's something we tell a lot of our players too when they're going through the recruiting processes Like it's not going to feel comfortable, like it's not just not a natural thing, like to market yourself. It does take practice and you're going to send a lot of emails or make calls and like you're not going to either get a reply or maybe not get the answer that you want.
Speaker 3:But what I like is that you kept going, you kept doing it and you know temple wasn't even on the radar for you because you weren't really aware of it and you just went on and played your best lacrosse that you could. And they happen to sit down and like that that stuff happens. There was a player that played for us a while ago that he wasn't really getting recruited, wanted to play Division one, went out to a tournament and the kid that he was guarding in that game was committed to a school. So the coaches came to watch that kid and he shut him down and they're like, well, if this is the attack that we're taking and this guy can stop them, then we probably should give him a look too. And then he ended up committing. So that stuff definitely happens.
Speaker 3:But you can tell that you did the work to prepare yourself to be ready to be seen. You know you'd be ready for that exposure when the moment came where a coach decided to sit down at the field. You know, obviously you'd done a ton of work to prepare, like with your skills and athleticism. But we're also doing the work in the recruiting process to be ready to be recruited. So I admire that and I appreciate that. I think it. I'm glad that you said it because I think sometimes people just think like letters are going to show up in the mailbox of like come play for us, we're a top 10 division. One program Like you know, we saw you score a goal at your Minnesota. You know high school game it's like that doesn't really work. Like that you have to put a lot of output in order to get the look. You know, get the input. So I appreciate you sharing that.
Speaker 2:Especially the film of, like you don't and like you said, someone like if they looked at like you're, I assume, like your sports recruit profile or something like you never know who's looking, and it's like especially the film to be like you know, I'm sure those initial emails were or like reach out for, like let me look at film and like these coaches are sitting in their office, you know, scrolling like all of us are, and it's like they're scrolling through film and it's like you got to have that catchy thing and, like Ted said, like you are obviously prepared on the field. But those first couple emails, I know the one question I get asked all the time is like how are they as like as like a person and like an aft, like an athlete off of the field, and so you're lucky to have those people and, of course, the personality to back it up to like say, like you were advocated for and so that's really important to have those relationships to yeah, cool Congrats, that's super cool yeah what?
Speaker 3:what's one thing, or multiple things, but one thing that you're looking forward to, obviously. So have a high school season. One more laugh, so you don't want to overlook that. But what are you looking forward to? To playing in college or going to college?
Speaker 1:or going to college and all that stuff. Yeah, like I mentioned before, I think that the people there they all just seem like so nice and I remember I had my official visit in the end of September and I was the freshman I was paired with Wouldn't stop talking about how much she's like we just have so much fun. We get about 5am and you think it'd be awful, but we just go out and we just everyone's in a great mood and you're having so much fun. It's just great. Like that sounds like my kind of people. I'm just like excited to be playing the sport that I love and especially I'm looking forward to just like the next level, like where can I go with this? Like I want to play lacrosse for as long as I can and just being able to continue to do that is not really exciting for me.
Speaker 3:Love it? Yeah for sure. Do you like Philly cheesesteaks?
Speaker 2:I do, I've never had one.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they're pretty good. Yeah when we?
Speaker 2:I don't know where I mean I should go to Philly, because I and you don't call it a sandwich, right? You're not supposed to call it a Philly cheesesteak sandwich. Did you know that?
Speaker 3:I didn't.
Speaker 2:I did not like. It's not a sandwich, it's just a Philly cheesesteak.
Speaker 3:I think out there they, they just call them steaks, there's like, what's like, but that's like your way of saying it, but if, like we went out there and said it, they'd like don't try to talk like us. Yeah, well, right, I was.
Speaker 2:I was watching some show, probably about the Philly cheesesteak, but like yeah, it's like, you're not supposed to call it a Philly, like I'm not going for, like a chicken sandwich, I'm not, you're not going out for a Philly cheesesteak sandwich and I assume the best one. You guys were just out there like a couple years ago, weren't you? Yeah when you went to Delaware, you flew in there.
Speaker 3:Are they?
Speaker 2:like the. I envision a food truck that you could only get a Philly cheesesteak on. A food truck you don't go to a restaurant. I mean there's a Philly cheesesteak.
Speaker 3:There's multiple places, but I think a lot of them are like walk up. Yeah walk up, like to the counter, like you go and you order and you get it, and they just hand it to you and you're just like yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:What an experience.
Speaker 3:Maybe I should go.
Speaker 2:I'm star like dining yeah no, no, like, kind of like a taco truck like you, kind of the, the dingy or the better. Yeah, I should think I got. I wish I remember what show that was, because I would post it Now, because don't say sandwich. I think I'm pretty sure that's. Yeah, don't call it a Philly cheesesteak sandwich.
Speaker 3:You have to, you have to tell us when you get out there. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Tag down the alley when your friends and your local friends, like your local teammates like, take you to the hot spot. Yeah or tell us that they don't eat them ever. Something like that. Like you know, it's like our impression of them out there and they're like we don't ever eat those I don't know about. Our equivalent would be tater tat hot dish, I guess here. But we do eat that.
Speaker 1:They did they asked you about it. Did they call it a casserole? Yeah, they're like well, what's your thing? And I was like I mean, we have honey, crisp apples and like Wow, I would have never thought of those things.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so you're from the Midwest, yeah everyone, and then I got from my accent.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what was their thing? Did you say do you like Philly cheesesteak?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and they said Philly pretzels to. I had one and don't tell anyone, but it was like it was okay, like I wasn't that pretzel Well, so we had watched, just like they had a fall ball game and then we ate them. So they were like cold so maybe that was the problem, but I was like this is cheese like a pub cheese.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so that was not make a good impression on you. Yeah, it was, that's okay. And then they asked us what else did you say? We do have dairy, you're right, and honey crisp apples.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then I was like and you've probably heard casseroles and they're like yeah, that that's not really like they call them hot dish.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so like hate to break it to you, you're wrong, oh my gosh. Yeah, I think Philly. I think Philly is going to go on my list maybe you have to go to. Philly, for sure. I hear it's cold it gets cold.
Speaker 1:They, I asked them. I'm like, oh, does it like snow a lot, nearly so much like three inches.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you'll bring like your light spring. Jack, you'll like their deep, darkest winters, like what we play games in in the spring. For real. Tell us a little bit how you got into the like the draw.
Speaker 1:Yeah, um, originally it was just because I was tall, they're like oh you're too old, go, take it. And even so, our current captains are me, katie Grubs and Savannah O'Brien, and the three of us have actually been together since fourth grade, so we were a midline.
Speaker 1:Then fourth grade and I started taking the draw and I realized I can like get it to one of them. So that started becoming because, like we would kind of trade off and take it. But I started getting good at that aspect and then it just kept going and it really took off when Heather Pearson started taking we she did like a bunch of draw clinics and it was like, yeah, how to take the draw, but how to increase your forearm strength and do one handed, and it was like that's when it started getting a lot better.
Speaker 2:I'll ask her if she regrets that you still have to play. I'm just kidding, she for sure doesn't. But I'll be like you did this to us. You think she would know how to stop you, but she can't, we can't, we can't stop you.
Speaker 3:Kind of shifting away from across as we kind of wrap up with the last couple questions. One thing we asked is sort of you know, like, is there anything you're into right now? I guess it could be lacrosse related, but like what are you into right now, like what's trending in your life that you like or that you know you're into. That will kind of give people an inside look into your personality a little bit.
Speaker 1:One thing people, like most people, don't know about me is that I do Taekwondo and I actually just got like like passed the test, so now I'm like a recommended black belt, so in six months I can test for my black belt. I do that with my brother.
Speaker 2:That Wow have you seen those TikToks that are like OK, well, I'm old so I see them on Instagram, but it's like my mom me telling my mom I want to do karate, but she signs me up for ballet instead. And then it's like robber at 3am and they're doing like ballet moves. Have you seen those reels, or TikToks or memes?
Speaker 1:I also don't have TikTok, but I have seen the Instagram reels.
Speaker 2:OK, ok, like that's what I'm thinking of. It's like have you done? Talking about yeah, and they're like me wanting to do karate. And then it's like they're like, oh, mom's eyes we have for cheerleading instead. And then it's like me when a robber comes into my house at 3am and it's like doing like cheerleading, moves and stuff, but it's they're actually really funny. Follow them, dance or something like that. I'm like they get me every time.
Speaker 3:So, so, yeah, that is cool to know. Obviously, now, not only are you a gifted athlete, but now you have the, you have the mental strength to, and, yeah, from from martial arts.
Speaker 1:So when's your test? It'll be in March, I don't know the exact, and that's like the like you.
Speaker 2:you'll be like a sensei after that, or what Like like will you be like? It just is what it is.
Speaker 3:Like it's already farther than.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:What about there's farther degrees. I think our like the master there is like yeah, so, it's like it goes, but like.
Speaker 2:I do it forever in your life you could.
Speaker 1:Yeah, cool. Let's see what else. Recently I started an internship at campus faith clubs and so some people don't know that is so they run faith clubs in all the high schools around Minnesota, so that I only started last week, but it's been really fun so far and I'm just like except for the opportunity to help grow them yeah.
Speaker 3:Cool, nice. And then kind of the last question we ask, and we we say we say what's your alley? And this is just maybe something that's meaningful to you I know you touched on your faith a little bit but something that is kind of maybe a bigger purpose in your life that again kind of showcases your, your personality, a little bit off the field. And so, what is your alley?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I would. For that I would definitely say my faith as well. I I think it's my motive behind everything I do and what I always strive to be the best I can be.
Speaker 3:And yeah, sure, and I think that's a great start with others, cool yeah. No, we appreciate you coming on. I think everybody's going to really enjoy getting to know you a little bit more. They're going to see you play this year. They're going to hear your name, so I think it's a cool opportunity for us to I don't know give you a platform to to let people kind of hear you and see you, and we really appreciate you coming on and and good luck in 2024 and beyond, of course. Yeah, yeah, yeah, thank you, we appreciate it.
Speaker 1:Thank you guys for having me. Thank you very much.
Speaker 2:Love it. We'll see you out on the field. In what six months are we out? Six months?
Speaker 3:Yeah, about six. No, not, not six about four, but four months.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're right. You're right, Cool Thanks.
Speaker 1:Tori Awesome. Thank you guys.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Bye.
Speaker 3:So there you have it. Tori Shida. Is it Shida or Toshida?
Speaker 2:I guess we never.
Speaker 3:I guess we did not even.
Speaker 2:We might have introduced her wrong.
Speaker 3:But you know, seems like a sharp gal, a player going on A lot going on like super involved, like has an internship.
Speaker 2:Seems like she does yeah, the Taekwondo. So it's like she's. I'm sure she keeps up with her grades just fine.
Speaker 3:Yep, yep, no, sharp kid I mean obviously heck of a player and, and you know, seems like a real leader for Lakeville South and, and you know, like we touched on you know, there I think they do have a chip on their shoulder. I think last year that was kind of you know again no, not taking anything away from BSM like they were a great team too and they got the best of them that day. But I think in the Lakeville South's mind and like in the public eye it was like their kind of their tournament to lose and BSM got the better of them, ended up winning it. So I think I'll be curious to see, kind of like, what that looks like for Lakeville South this year, mainly because I don't know if we've had, have we had a team that's been that dominant for that long, like I know maybe banilled boys up until this year, for even girls would be the only one.
Speaker 2:I think they were like they won like five or six.
Speaker 3:Okay, so seven.
Speaker 2:We were looked at. I was actually just about to look that up the other day because I'm like and like their 2019. They lost to Lakeville North. So like and now the Lakeville North girls are definitely like rebuilding and it's like that wouldn't even be like a contest now and it's like. Then you look at their 2022, obviously 2021 they lose only to prior, like like that's still an incredible record. 2022 they lose one game. So in three seasons they've lost like four games Max, I think. And look that's just absolutely like unfathomable.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and like right, they had a chip on that. I think they'll have a chip on their shoulder this year, like they did in 22.
Speaker 3:Last year, I mean, every game was like. I mean they were winning games by 20 goals, yeah, yeah. And then the prior Lake game was a one goal game and most of the other games they were. They were scoring in the in the 20s or the high teens, yeah, Giving up you know six or less goals. So like a wild, like team, and they get a lot of people back.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 3:I didn't want to like pressure her and it's like talking about her teammates or like what they're like planning or whatever. But like they do get. They did the three of them.
Speaker 2:I didn't realize that. I mean, you know the name, katie Grubbs. You know the name, savannah Savannah O'Brien, I think, is our other line mate. Like, they have been on varsities since seventh graders. They were on that 2019 team, I'm pretty sure together. So it's like they went through COVID together.
Speaker 2:They have gone these last three seasons freshmen, sophomore, junior year as a state like a state contender championship game team and it's like. So now they're seniors and we always talk about how to never underestimate like being upperclassmen, heavy and like and on the flip side, when you're really young, as a team, it's hard to compete. And now they've been playing and I feel like they're like best of friends. They probably just spend a lot of time together because of the nature of them, as much as they practice or whatever, or club teams, but it's just like that is going to be a force to be reckoned with. Besides the fact that they have the experience in the past, besides the fact that they're all really good at lacrosse, the fact that they have just been like together, it's going to be absolutely like unbreakable in my opinion, just looking at the sources notes from from the post that that they did on Lake.
Speaker 2:I'm down the alley plus.
Speaker 3:No, just on down the alley, just the, just the Minnesota lacks blog. It's all free. So you got Tory, katie Grubbs, savannah O'Brien. They all three of them last year were all American first team, all state first team, all section and SSC all conference. Tory going to Temple, obviously. Katie going to Northern Michigan, division two. Savannah going to Dominican Division two.
Speaker 2:So I don't know how I would even begin to crack that code. I don't know, like I'm, like I maybe I'm just having like a huge I was doing some like click, clack and computer work today. Maybe I'm just a little fried, but I'm like I don't know from a coaching perspective, what would you even do to crack that code. Like, do you break down one of them? Do you try to stop I mean Tori's unstoppable on the draw, like that. Like I said, I was not lying about that, that that is like the game plan especially, and like the boys game we saw in the championship game for the boys, like what's his toes doing the folk? It is hard to stop a team who wins the majority of the draw or the face off. So it's like okay, then do you lock out her midi. Mates, you can't just lock out one or the other and they're gonna make up for it.
Speaker 3:So fun fact, and so actually you have to educate me a little bit on draw controls. So if, like, let's say, tori's in the middle right, she plays like the actual draw.
Speaker 1:Yep, yep.
Speaker 3:If she flicks it and it goes to one of her teammates, do they get the credit for the draw control?
Speaker 2:This is a great question. Here's why I ask.
Speaker 3:Here's why I ask because Tori had 57 draw controls, Katie Grubbs at 84, Savannah O'Brien had 111.
Speaker 2:So I think the person who catches the ball gets the point.
Speaker 3:You see, in boys, if I was the face off guy and I won the ball and my teammate picked it up, I'd get credit for that face off win we got possession. And most of the face off win for the face off, the person who took the face off. But obviously the way these stats are, I mean we could be wrong but, like a lot of people on this team have draw controls and you'd think Tori would.
Speaker 2:I think then they get the point. I'm sure we're going to get some text messages about this when our people listen, our stats friends, which I think I've proclaimed on this podcast that I'm not a stats person, but I believe then that makes sense that the person who actually receives the ball gets the draw control point. But still like yeah.
Speaker 3:Regardless of, like who gets the stats, you got 111, 84 and 57, and then Emily most had 48. So like that's a lot of draws, like that's just a lot of draws taken. Yeah, loan controlled for your team, and so it's no surprise that they score 25 goals game, because they score and then they get the ball, and they score, and they get the ball, and it just make it, take it yeah.
Speaker 3:So no it's, they will be a force to be reckoned with. I know we'll dive a lot deeper into these teams as we get closer to sort of the section previews, but they definitely are again one of the teams to beat this year, probably the team to beat again. It doesn't necessarily mean that they're the locked in state champ, as we saw that that great teams can lose, but they will be the team to beat. And I agree with you, the scout, kind of going into a game with a team like that, you're just in my opinion. You say we can't try to stop everybody because it's impossible. It's just we have to be like, we have to play really good team defense and when we do have our opportunities we have to capitalize and we can't make mistakes.
Speaker 3:If you give extra chances, like they're gonna no, that's how.
Speaker 2:I want you to game like that and I think the source referred to them as NCAA Division two at one point, cause it's definitely the balls on the ground a lot less than some other teams.
Speaker 3:And I saw them warm up before a game last year because like the boys.
Speaker 2:You texted that.
Speaker 3:And you're also right after at Lakeville South, and I mean like they were sharp, like it was the line drills were quick, the passes were crisp, they were all. There was not a lot of drops, there was a lot of screwing around Like they were loose, they were having fun, but it was like it was dialed in. They knew they were gonna go and dominate. So it is an experience kind of watching them play. So yeah, yeah, no, we appreciate having Tori on and I like that we're starting to interview some players.
Speaker 3:I think it's a good a good look into, kind of how they feel about the season and, yeah, especially the recruiting process too. I think that's an area of La Crosse in Minnesota that a lot of people don't know a lot about. They have a lot of assumptions about it and it's good to everybody I talked to about. Recruiting has a lot of similarities but also has a very like, very much their own unique journey in their recruiting process and how it happened and how they go through, but a lot of things are consistent and I like hearing it from the kids.
Speaker 2:Like she said, like it's the film, or like I had my coaches had conversations. Like it wasn't her saying, like my parents just drove me out there, like what they did, but like my parents talked to the coach on the phone. It's like nope, actually it's all the kid and so it was really cool to hear her advocate for herself, but like she was walking the walk too.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm not sure who we have coming up. I know we have a couple more interviews lined up. I'm gonna try to get more players but by the time this episode airs I think it's gonna be we're gonna start getting a little closer to the like Winter League. We'll be starting up and like we're starting getting closer that season. So you know, like obviously La Crosse is kind of around the corner, we're getting into that quote unquote preseason.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I said six months and it's like you said. I'm like that was wrong, that's, it's for sure.
Speaker 3:Four 20 days away, so it's definitely heating up.
Speaker 2:Want to. What's your, what's your thing this week?
Speaker 3:Oh, that's a good question. The thing I guess, the thing Already rants.
Speaker 2:You guys had a tournament.
Speaker 3:Yeah, tournament was good. That was, you know, obviously fun to play La Crosse and, you know, 65 degree weather. I think my thing right now is just getting through the end of the semester with my kids. There's a lot of things going on, a lot of like it's the holiday season, so there's a million obligations as far as stuff at school, stuff with family, holiday parties, all that kind of stuff. So just kind of getting through that. But honestly, I've been really really, really impressed with SDP this year for our SDP program 36 kind of our off season training.
Speaker 2:I feel like we really hit the ground running in the years past. It was like oh, a couple of weeks to kind of everybody get their feet wet. But I feel like from that very first, day it was like we literally have been kind of like nose to the grindstone. Yeah, they're showing up and like putting in work.
Speaker 3:Yeah, the numbers have been great. Like you said, they've been working hard. There they're. It definitely is different this year and years past it's kind of felt like November and December was sort of like we're here but lacrosse season's kind of far away. But it doesn't seem that this year it seems like we're prepping.
Speaker 2:And they were like chomping at the bit for November, like it's like we could have started SDP in September and October, but like that November start date was like people were ready for it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so that's been great. The youth kids on the, at least on the boy side. I don't. I don't coach on the girls side, but I you've had a bunch of youth girls but yeah side specifically, I've been really impressed with their improvement.
Speaker 2:I like the school.
Speaker 3:The collective skill level of the youth SDP has taken like a huge step forward.
Speaker 2:Right and, like the bar, the low end of the bar is higher.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and like the drills that we do are they're not like the craziest drills or anything like that and like it's similar to what we've done in the past, but there's less drops, there's a little bit faster pace, there's better shots on the net, there's quicker footwork, easier ground balls Like just like a level just up like one notch and, like you know, I usually with youth I'm kind of like all right, like we just kind of have to like let them fail, and like let them get through it, and it kind of feels like like you want it to move faster than it does this year. I was like whoa, like this looks like real lacrosse right now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:Again, that was just like initial feeling. It doesn't change really the way that I coach or that how we do things. It's just like a pleasant surprise to see.
Speaker 2:Very much so yeah.
Speaker 3:If the collective lacrosse at the younger is getting better than it was last year or two years ago or whatever.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can even say that for sure for the girls, like fall stuff, it was like they were able to like, like work on stuff, like, and like the commitment was there and like they show up and they're eager to learn and like you're right, it was like, wow, this is like we're doing lacks as like a group of 12, 13 year olds, 14 year olds. Yeah no I agree.
Speaker 3:Well, that's all for today.
Speaker 1:I love it.
Speaker 3:Marie for coming on and coming down the alley with us, and we will catch you next week.