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February 24th, 2011 by Tom Ryan

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Attitude and effort from players like Mitch Belisle and others spoke volumes during the US selection process. (Larry Palumbo)
Attitude and effort from players like Mitch Belisle and others spoke volumes during the US selection process. (Larry Palumbo)

With Team USA finalizing their roster two weeks ago I have been thinking about the selection process and criteria.

I remember back to when I tried out for the Empire State Games and hearing about how politics factored into decisions. You often hear it inserted by players cut as a reason for their release. The word is used to reflect some sort of bias in the selection process other than actual performance at a tryout.

US Indoor Lacrosse held tryouts both in 2006 and this past fall in an attempt to remove some of the politics from the process. We mandated that a prospective player must attend at least one session to be considered. There is no question that it would have been easier to just name a team. We thought that holding tryouts added credibility to the process. That being said, the fact that people were involved different weekends and at various levels, forced us to consider other aspects than just performance at the tryout. Their history in the NLL and elsewhere was also factored in.

So what are the intangibles that went into this year’s process?

First and foremost we wanted players that have a deep sense of pride in representing the USA at the international level. For some it was easy to make the tryouts. Some impossible. But there were a handful of players that traveled great distances and rearranged their schedules to be there. That says something about character and a desire to be apart of something special.

In building a team I look for attitude and effort. A player that dominates loose balls says something about both. I believe that when you step onto the floor you should give everything you have to help your team win. The way an individual plays the game says something about who they are as people. There are many things you cannot control. What you can always control is your attitude and effort. The player who sprints to the bench or dives for a loose ball. He is a winner no matter what the score.

There is no question that there are players not currently on our 23-man roster that deserve to be. We wanted players that would be at the top of their game come May. With one less team in the NLL this year, merely making a team was that much more difficult. One player faced with this dilemma was Joe Smith. Joe is no stranger to having to battle for playing time. He started out as a practice player for the Knighthawks in 2007. He was in and out of the lineup in Buffalo for three years before landing a regular gig in Philly this winter. The fact that he ended up there is no coincidence. He was determined to play.

Joe is not the type of player that is going to stand out in the box score or lead the league in forced turnovers or loose balls. He is a classic stay at home defender. He is athletic and maintains a physical presence on D. He is a hustler that has learned the game over the past few years and does little things to help his team. The casual observer might not even notice him on the floor which as they say is usually a good sign for a defenseman. ”The Wings have been very fortunate to get Joe,” commented Wings assistant coach Blane Harrison. “He brings a tough defensive style full of grit to our line-up. Additionally, he is athletic enough to run the floor when needed. He has impressed coaches and management alike, with his attitude and desire to constantly improve.”

One of Joe’s greatest attributes is probably his attitude. He is willing to do whatever he has to do to play the game. That means getting from Buffalo to Philly on Thursday for practice on a weekly basis. During the USA tryout process he played well at the first two weekends and was not scheduled to be at the final weekend in Baltimore. On Wednesday leading up to that weekend we realized we were short players for our Red and White exhibition game at Du Burns Arena. ”If you need me I will be there” and with that he changed his plans and drove 7 hours to take part. Joe is an example of someone who played themselves onto the team and showed us how important it is to him to wear the red, white and blue.

For more information on Team USA or to make a donation visit http://www.usindoorlacrosse.org/.

A nine-year NLL veteran and former GM and head coach of the Boston Blazers, Ryan also coached Team USA at the '07 WILC and will do so again in 2011 in Prague. To purchase Ryan's Stir It Up DVD click here.