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MLL New York Lizards

Coach's Corner: Joe Spallina

March 23, 2016 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
New York Lizards News Release


Garden City, NY - Lizards' Head Coach Joe Spallina has had the reigns of the club since June 2011. He turned a struggling team into a playoff contender and eventually a dominating champion in just a few short years. With a talented roster and pressure to repeat, Spallina dictates the tone for this season.

Recently, the Lizards made a move to reacquire rising star Ryan Walsh from the Atlanta Blaze. Walsh was originally taken with the 11th overall pick in the 2015 MLL Collegiate Draft by the Lizards and Spallina. After winning a championship with the Lizards, Walsh made available in the 2016 expansion draft and picked up as a young building block for the Blaze.

The young attackman, Walsh, has shown a lot of potential in limited time having scored 10 goals in only seven games during the second half of last season. His immediate production was one of the main motives to bring him back to New York. Coach Spallina also touches on the tougher side of the trade - dealing a player who was a large part of the team and a well liked teammate.

As one could imagine, defending champs have a target on their backs every single time they step on the field. Coach Spallina discusses some of the goals for both spring training which is quickly approaching and for the season.

Read on below to see our conversation with Coach Spallina:

Q: It was big news when the Lizards went out and brought Ryan Walsh back to New York, what was the major motivation to bring him back?

JS: I drafted Ryan and love his game. I think his style translates really well to the MLL and his best days are ahead of him.

Q: After scoring an impressive ten goals in his seven games in the MLL last season, how much does a player like Walsh add to a team that is on a quest to defend their championship?

JS: The thing that Ryan possesses that can't be taught is his size and for a player so big in stature, his skill set complements it really well.

Q: How do you think this reunion will influence the locker room environment?

JS: Ryan was a player on our championship team and with us being virtually unscathed through expansion, it will be really big for the success of our franchise.

Q: Unfortunately, a great player, Conrad Oberbeck, had to be given up in the deal, what are you going to miss most from Oberbeck?

JS: Conrad was a great teammate who never missed a practice and is someone who can really play in this league. Part of this trade as well was providing CO (Conrad Oberbeck) an opportunity to play in the MLL.

Q: Champions have an "X" on their back at all times, what mindset do you and the team have heading into this season knowing every team wants to play their best against you?

JS: The NY Lizards will have the same mindset we always have and that is to be the best team we can be and to win a championship in 2016.

Q: With spring training quickly approaching, what is one thing you hope to really work together as a team to improve on?

JS: Training Camp is coming fast and I look forward to getting back together with the team. There are a number of guys who have lifted the monkey off their back and I truly believe this will help further elevate their respective games.

Q: There are lots of aspects to the season that the fans may not get the opportunity to see or hear about, is there anything pertaining to the team dynamic or experiences that you would like to shed some light on?

JS: This is an outstanding group of guys both on and off the field which is why we worked really hard to bring back this team. In addition, I believe we have also strengthened ourselves and because of that, I am excited for our great fan base as we defend our MLL Championship!!

Joe and Ryan will get a chance to defend the Steinfeld Cup on opening day as the Lizards take on the Rochester Rattlers in a championship rematch on April 23rd at 5 p.m. Single game, group and season tickets are available by calling 1-855-NYLizards or visiting our website. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat for team news, trades and 2016 game information.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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