Stickmen Working This Winter In Preparation for the Spring

"We tell our players very honestly that their level of success during the season will depend to a large extent on the effort they put in the rest of the year," Harvard lacrosse coach Bob Scalise said yesterday.

If this is true, the Crimson stickmen will get the most out of their talent this spring, because they have certainly been willing to put in the off-season work.

Scalise held five optional fall workouts earlier this year, while co-captains Sandy White and Greg Jackmauh also organized five pick-up games. More than 65 players took part at one time or another, and at least 45 were present at every session. That's not bad considering that fewer than 30 stickmen will win varsity letters in the spring.

This winter, Scalise hopes that players will concentrate on the weight lifting, running and stickwork programs he has suggested. "Each guy knows what things he needs work on, and if he wants to be a good lacrosse player, he'll already be doing those things anyway," Scalise said.

"Players on the team have always worked out on their own when they weren't playing," White, a midfielder and a face-off specialist, said yesterday. "Even when we can't have organized practices, lacrosse is one sport where individual work in things like stickhandling can be of value without consideration of things like teamwork."

Nevertheless, the major task Scalise faces each year is to blend a lot of individual talents together into a team. To get an idea of what he will have to work with in the spring, the coach arranged a scrimmage with Army this fall.

The Crimson lost, 12-5, but Scalise said he was pleased with the overall level of play, and especially with the talented freshmen who have joined the 21 returning lettermen from last year's fine 10-5 squad.

"If we had won the scrimmage after the little bit of practice we'd had, I would have known we could win on super talent alone," Scalise said. "But we can't do that. A team concept must be developed. If we keep working, and learn to play together, we are going to be an excellent lacrosse team."