NLL Rochester Knighthawks

Hasen Finds Success in New Role

Published on March 30, 2012 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen has built a career and lifestyle almost entirely centered on the game of lacrosse. Much of his career has been spent with Rochester's hometown lacrosse team.

Hasen grew up in Brampton, Ontario, a town rich in lacrosse heritage, and followed the same path as many other young boys from the area. He attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Brampton, where he was a midfielder, and also played two years of college lacrosse at Brock University in St. Catharines. Hasen also was a member of the Brampton Excelsiors on both the Junior and Senior levels in his early playing career.

He was then acquired by the Buffalo Bandits in the 1996 NLL Entry Draft, and went on to win a championship in his rookie season. After playing three years in Buffalo, Hasen joined the Knighthawks in 1999, and would call Blue Cross Arena home for the final eight years of his career.

In Rochester, Hasen became a top-caliber player who battled through several concussions to become one of the best defensemen in the league. In 2007, the concussions finally got the best of him and he called it a career, but not before leading the Knighthawks to their second NLL Championship.

"I won my first year in Buffalo, and my last year in Rochester. I felt that those were two good bookends to a career," said Hasen.

After his last season in the NLL, Hasen approached longtime friend Troy Cordingley about helping him coach the Brampton team. Cordingley was quick to oblige and brought him onboard as an assistant. From there it wasn't long before he started ascending the coaching ranks. Less than a year later, he was approached by the Knighthawks about rejoining the team as an assistant coach and Hasen agreed to take the position. Fast forward two more years, and Hasen was selected to replace Paul Gait as the head coach of the Knighthawks after Gait was promoted to Vice President following the 2010 season.

Ironically, coaching was never something Hasen really envisioned himself doing; rather he says it is something that "just kind of happened." Whether he planned it this way or not, it is safe to say that he is finding great success in his young coaching career. Hasen was also named head coach of the Brampton Excelsiors in 2011, and in his second season with the team, he led them to their 11th Mann Cup. The Mann Cup is the trophy awarded to the Champions of the MSL, Canada's senior division of men's lacrosse.

Hasen described the experience as, "a great ending to a year with a lot of ups and downs." It was the perfect ending that in many ways was never expected. Hasen has used the experience he gained last summer with Brampton to help with coaching this year's young Knighthawks squad.

"I have learned to take the ups and downs with a game plan, and not to panic. Young teams have a learning curve, but if you keep working at the process the guys will come around," he said.

His philosophy has certainly been working in recent weeks, as the Knighthawks have rebounded from a slow start to the season. Rochester has strung together wins in three of its last four games, and has vaulted themselves within one game of division leading Philadelphia in the NLL East Division Standings.

When he isn't busy with coaching, Hasen spends the majority of his free time managing The Box Lacrosse Store, which he and Cordingley co-own. The two men also run a skills development program in Brampton for young lacrosse players known as Hardcore Lacrosse. When asked how he balances the demands of coaching and managing his own business, Hasen responded: "It's a schedule, you are constantly trying to find the extra moment."

Typically he spends his days handling the various needs of the business, while his nights are spent watching video, scouting, and communicating with players. He credits strong support from his parents and his wife, Melissa, with helping him get through a schedule that may seem overwhelming to many others.

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National Lacrosse League Stories from March 30, 2012


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