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NLL Rochester Knighthawks

Knighthawks Giving On-The-Job Training

February 6, 2014 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


A select group of students from Nazareth College will receive on-the-job training from two of the area's top professionals on Friday afternoon. The lacrosse team from Naz will train for two hours with Rochester Knighthawks' standouts Joe Walters and Cody Jamieson. The Knighthawks were invited to practice by longtime Nazareth College Head Coach Rob Randall.

"I think it's awesome and is something our kids can aspire to. Those guys can explain things to them about on-field situations better than I can because they are living it right now. They are able to bring a different voice to our coaching. Hopefully, our kids can learn a thing or two from what Joe and Cody have to say."

The Golden Flyers will practice on campus from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Friday, weather permitting. The backup plan has the team moving indoors to Total Sports Experience in East Rochester. The Hall of Fame coach got the idea from Syracuse women's lacrosse coaches and former National Lacrosse League standouts Gary Gait and Regy Thorpe.

"They recommended I get in touch with Joe and Cody to work with our guys a little bit," said Randall. "The two-man game has become a pretty important piece in what we are trying to do offensively and what a lot of teams are trying to do. Those guys do it as well as anybody."

Walters was a college player not so long ago, and a good one at that. He was a four-time All-American at the University of Maryland and a member of Team USA. He also has excelled in the pro field game, winning two Major League Lacrosse (MLL) championships.

Raised on the traditional field game, Walters also studied box lacrosse as a fan of the Knighthawks. He elevated his game the past three seasons after committing to indoor lacrosse. In the summer of 2011, he was one of a handful of Americans playing in Major Series Lacrosse. Walters won a Mann Cup that season, which is awarded to the Canadian Senior Champions, and then posted back-to-back titles with the hometown Knighthawks.

Walters, who has worked numerous camps with Randall, jumped at the opportunity to introduce the indoor game to the college players. The Rochester native not only grew up a Knighthawks fan, but also rooted for the Golden Flyers during their heyday in the "˜90s.

"We're really excited to work with the group from Nazareth. I grew up watching the program flourish on the national stage. It should be fun to work with the team for an afternoon," said Walters. "I have seen the benefits of playing indoor lacrosse and how it can help your outdoor game. One of the big things you develop is the two-man game and that is something we are really going to emphasize."

Jamieson, who starred at Syracuse University, elaborated on the lessons that the Knighthawks will bring to the practice.

"I think body positioning is key when it comes to the two-man game. It goes a long way on which way you turn your body in turning a two-on-two into a two-on-one. I think they will pick up on it pretty fast once they see it," said Jamieson.

A product of Six Nations, Jamieson was raised on the box game, and has won a Minto Cup at the junior level and a Mann Cup at the senior level. He currently leads the Knighthawks in points and is coming off back-to-back Championship Game MVP honors. This past summer, he won the Mike Kelly Trophy as the Mann Cup MVP as he led all scorers with 29 points (12+17) in six games. He also captured the Johnny "Shooter" Davis Award as the Major Series Lacrosse Playoff MVP.

Jamieson has integrated his indoor style into his field game and has seen great results at the college and pro levels. He has an NCAA Division I Championship on his resume, and last year he helped the Hamilton Nationals (MLL) come within one goal of reaching the Finals.

"It's kind of cliché, but box players are better in tighter spaces, knowing when to get to the inside, where to position your stick to protect it and how to feed a pass into tight quarters," said Jamieson.

Randall has a history of placing his players in the National Lacrosse League and is one of a growing number of coaches at the collegiate level who has endorsed the indoor game. The Golden Flyers were once a feeder for the Rochester Knighthawks with standouts like Jeremy Hollenbeck, Bill Meagher, Cam Bomberry, Brent Rothfuss, Jake Coon, Kevin Cox and Brian Silcott to name a few.

Nazareth, who is in its second week of practice, will officially kick off their season on February 22nd. Randall hopes that his players will appreciate the opportunity to learn from two of the top players in professional lacrosse.

"I think it's neat that I can get two of those guys to come out and work with our players," he said. "They can teach them a thing or two about the pick and slip game and the two-man game, and how to play it from an offensive standpoint. I think they also can give tips to our defense on how to defend the two-man game, as well."

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