Coaching | Six With Sticks

November 25, 2024
by davekenn Leave a comment

President’s Cup, one last time

Soon, I will be hanging up the whistle for good. Last spring, I coached my last high school season; ended with a championship which was way cool. This is my last year of club. I have been wrapping my club coaching experience with Maggie’s 2026 team, and President’s Cup is one of our last big tournaments. It is in Bradenton, FL. While Maggie is hanging with her friends, I took a “jog” to the beach to catch the sunset.

Maggie played her butt off in the tournament. It was the first tournament that I played her at her natural position, defense. And she just rocked it. She caused several turnovers, had a number of clears, and scored two goals. Our team did really well. And I am especially proud of Maggie for crushing it, as she is narrowing down her college opportunities, and there are a number of coaches out here watching her, and a few options already on the table.

Such a special opportunity to coach my daughter

Bradenton is beautiful. We have had a few opportunities to come here, as a family, and for lacrosse tournaments. View from the hotel was really nice

We went out to dinner with her teammates one night and were seated right out on the beach front during sunset. The view was spectacular. Mags sat with her teammates, and me with the team parents.

Maggie and I stayed an extra day. We were initially going to go to a camp or two on the extra day, but decided to instead relax and enjoy Florida. We had a great relaxing day together, father and daughter. And went to the same restaurant, Beach House, again the following night.

Reflecting back, I have coached now as long as I can remember. For a long time, it has been my calling. My duty. And has been joyous. Coaching Liz, Eden, Noah, Maggie, Luke and Jack. It has been a special time this past year with Maggie, as she is currently the only one who is playing, and she has gotten my undivided attention. None of the others got this from me, except in spurts.

As I turn the page on my life, I will miss all of these special moments. But I am planning grand adventures and great experiences for the next stage of my life. I am extremely happy and am lucky to have the opportunity to stop focusing on other people’s kids, other people’s expectations, other people’s hopes and dreams, and other people’s criticisms (and much worse). I have the opportunity to focus all of my time, all of my energy on being a provider, on being a supporter, and working on my legacy. I am so grateful that my legacy is not in sports. Lacrosse is a game, meant to be played and enjoyed. And I have played. And I have enjoyed.

Lila is very young, and I may return to coaching in some form in the future, but for this next stage, I am happy, and my coaching days are fulfilled.

November 10, 2024
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Good morning

This photo sums up my fall pretty well.

Up before the dawn, Maggie and I drove down to the Naval Academy. Such a peaceful morning and a beautiful sunrise. I popped up the TLC tent to snap a pic for Mike.

I have always enjoyed tournaments. The preparation. The competition. The calm before. I have always like carrying the tents, getting there early, setting up a tailgate. Scouting a good location so the team can gather. Getting some quiet time with one of my kids. Getting to talk with them about their preparation, their team, their teammates, how they are feeling.

This morning, we picked up Mike from a parking lot near the Academy. It was pitch black when we arrived at his truck. We had some coffee and a good morning chat while we sat by the field and waited for others to arrive. He is a good man. I am glad I brought the Redshirts over into his organization. It has helped me end my club experience without all of the pressure of running a club. And I am grateful for that opportunity.

It was good for him to get to chat with Maggie about recruiting and about competition and about her. It is great always to support your own child and tell them how much you believe in them. But when another authority figure in their lives also expresses that they believe in them, and it is authentic, it certainly enforces their self-esteem.

June 14, 2022
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Coaching Luke and Jack

On Saturday, Jack and Luke played their last game of the season. It was a joy to coach them all spring. Our team was not great. We went 3-7. We had several guys on the team who had never played lacrosse before.

We practiced every Tuesday and Thursday night at Spring Grove on the grass field. We practiced late, 7:30-9:00. It was bitter cold at the beginning of the season and seemed to rain all spring. But we did our soft hands. And we went to practice. And we got better and did it all together.

Jack was the smallest guy on the team. And Luke was the biggest. Neither one was afraid at all. Jack won more ground balls than most guys on the team. And Luke checked everyone who came near the crease. Jack played mainly attack while Luke played mainly defense. Each of them earned a game ball at some point during the season. Jack earned one the last game.

At the last game, we started the game man down. Some boys late and a lot didn’t post. Jack had to run midfield the whole game. He never complained and he fought for every ground ball. He hustled and had a great attitude and got two assists in the game.

Jack #5 in the forefront; Luke #16 on the right

They both had fun and want to play again this summer and next year. They are talking about playing RoughRiders like their older brother.

November 6, 2019
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National Fall Lax Fest

Liz and I coach Maggie’s 2026 lacrosse team. I am the head coach. I have an associate head coach, Audrey, who is great. And Liz is one of the assistants. It is a lot of fun coaching Maggie’s team, and Liz does a great job. And Maggie is fun, and she works hard, as do a bunch of her teammates. It is a good recipe for this team to be successful.

On Saturday, it was super cold. We had to leave the house early in the morning and drive more than an hour to arrive before 7AM. First game started before the sun came up. It was interesting.

Our team went 4-0. Maggie and her teammates played great through pool play. Maggie played defense and midfield. Our team had fun throughout the four games and in between, and competed hard. They earned the #1 seed and a spot in the championship game.

After the last game though, the coach of the other team was complaining about the scorekeeper not counting one of their goals. Liz keeps the stats for our team, and documents all goals scored, for both teams. And the scorekeeper had it correct. So, I signed the scoresheet, that we won 7-3. But then the scorekeeper came up to me and said the opposing coach requested to talk with me, and she ended up getting in Liz’s face saying that she kept the score wrong and didn’t count one of their goals. Liz handled herself very well (especially given that she wasn’t the scorekeeper, just kept stats which matched the scorekeeper). She showed the coach all of the scoring, how they were scored and who scored. The coach left the field with her team acting like they had been cheated, and she was very vocal about it. Liz was a little rattled, because adults should not behave the way that she did, especially not towards a conscientious teenager who is doing her best to help. But I talked with Liz on the way back to the tent and told her how well she handled herself.

A few minutes later, we learned that this team earned 2nd place and would play us in the championship. Great! In order to teach my teams sportsmanship and honoring the game and the opponents, I have instituted pregame rituals. I have each player on our team go to the opposite bench before the game and shake the hand of the opposing coach and wish her/him luck. And then when they get on the field, shake the hand of the player they are facing off against and wish them luck. I believe it sets the tone for friendly competition and sportsmanlike behavior.

But, after the opposing coach’s behavior in the last pool play game, I broke with our new tradition and just instructed the players to take the field. The opposing coach had not demonstrated very good adult behavior in the prior game, and I didn’t want it to effect us as we stepped onto the field.

In a short game, we got off to a quick lead and kept it. With a few minutes left, we were up 4-0, and I was able to make sure that everybody played in the championship. We came away with a 4-1 victory. And the girls got to enjoy championship t-shirts and medals.

We got to the field at 7AM, and weren’t done until 6PM. Average temperature on the day was 40 degrees. Hour and a half drive each way. I took the girls (Liz, Maggie, and Mackenzie – my all star team) out to Red Robin for dinner to celebrate before driving home. They earned it! And Maggie got desert!

It was a great day to be a coach. And a great day to be a dad.

October 31, 2019
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Last FH game …

Liz played her last competitive field hockey game. Possibly the last field hockey game of her life. She played hard. So did Eden. She was especially great at center back. But they were overmatched in playoffs. And lost to Bryn Mawr.

Eden posted this pic with her sister. Both girls were pretty emotional. As was Maggie, who started at SPSG 7 years ago with Liz. It has been a long fun road. And these girls have earned some great victories, and an IAAM Championship.

I am proud of my field hockey players. I coached them when they were small and through their time in the rec program. And have loved every minute of coaching them, cheering for them, driving them to and from events, and living through the ups and downs along with them.

March 9, 2015
by davekenn Leave a comment

Back to Earth

Is it normal to come crashing back to Earth after an enormous high of a weekend?

I am overwhelmed this morning. Time change and no rest, back to work today. Feeling a little low today. Got a lot to do and need some energy in the tank.

But focusing on the positive. I am overwhelmed also in a good way. I am so proud of, and impressed by, my wife. She organized so much for two retreats over the last two weekends. She organized chaperones, rides, food, and answered a ton of questions along the way. She provided leadership while on the retreat.

But, what I am most proud of was her shining moment during the retreat. In front of a ton of parents, a crowded room of about 50 kids, and a bunch of coaches, she delivered a heartfelt speech. One that made me and my father both tear up. It was about my grandfather, and about how proud he would be of me and my father, and how proud she is to be part of the Kennedy family.

Although I was completely outshined by my wife on this night, I think I did well closing the evening as well. This has always been something that I have not paid attention to plan well during the retreat. One particular aspect, but an important one. Well on this week, I think Marcia, Dad, and I all did well in this moment, and it wrapped up a good retreat.

I must say that I am also very impressed with our developing coaching staff. I was especially impressed with Steve Overbay, Brian Gross and Grant Pivec this weekend. And as always, Sean!

Today, I am back to Earth, with more mountains to climb. Tired, and miles to go before I sleep. Miles to go before I sleep.

Get cracking, COACH!!

October 6, 2013
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Field Hockey girls

Yesterday was a really fun day of sports. I got to take all the boys to Noah’s soccer game, a game in which he played really well and his team won 5-0. He played goalie the second half, and had one spectacular dive save, which was really cool. And then we all went to a field hockey tournament and watched the girls, Eden, Liz and Mom, play.

The girls won the Gold division of their age group. They played hard, with total effort, no subs most games and down a man for one game. 5 games total on the day. I was very proud of how hard they played in the 5th game, when they were visibly exhausted, but they kept running up and down the field and making plays. Eden scored 4 goals across the games. Liz played really tough. And Marcia coached the team really well, the best the field hockey team has looked in a long time. One of the highlights for the day was when Eden notched the winning goal in the semi-finals in the last 2 minutes of the 1-0 game against Brandywine.

Although the championship game atmosphere has become a little old hat for me and Sean and all of the Redshirts girls, many of these girls and their parents had never been in this type of position before. So, I was very glad that the girls were rewarded for their tremendous efforts with a few exciting wins and a 1st place ribbon.

And I am very proud of my wife. She motivated them. They were in the right positions to be effective. And they moved the ball better than they normally do. She put them in the best position to be successful and they delivered.

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Team Pyramid

Eden scores against Perry Hall

Liz in traffic

Eden scores 2nd against Perry Hall

Coach Marcia

Liz getting down

Eden

Girls win 1st place

September 2, 2013
by davekenn Leave a comment

Chip on my shoulder

I have developed a chip on my shoulder about my kids, and I don’t like it. I coach sports and I coach my daughters and my son on a lot of teams.

I think they all have potential to be very successful in sports. They have the talent. At this point in their maturity, Elizabeth has already displayed the desire, work ethic, and love of the game that are necessary. Eden is getting there, and I think she will get there if she continues on the right path.

There is a lot of negativity in our community though directed at our daughters. Not going into specifics, there are many parents that go to many lengths to exclude my daughters from activities and to prop up other kids as more talented than my daughters.

These sorts of things should just naturally work themselves out on fields. Parents and coaches should be supportive of all of the kids in the community, and the cream should naturally rise to the top. It is sad when your own kids are continually denied access to the fields to even try to prove themselves. I often have to fight even to have my kids allowed to participate, and by that point, the negativity towards my kids has even grown greater by those that wish to keep them down.

It is very sad, and not how I had hoped we would raise our children.

August 29, 2013
by davekenn Leave a comment

Frustrated

Late last night, I returned home from a lacrosse practice with the Redshirts 2019 team. I was very frustrated … with myself.

I walked in the door, and went straight upstairs. Noah was already asleep. Luke was asleep. Eden already in bed, about asleep. Liz and Maggie were finishing their showers and headed to bed.

This is the first week of school. First days of Kindergarten for Maggie. First days of middle school for Elizabeth. So much I want to celebrate with them, or at least ask them about.

Over the weekend, Maggie and Noah and I got workbooks, intending that we would work on these workbooks throughout the school year.

But, I have been terribly busy these past three days, with lacrosse, with field hockey, with work. And the thing that is most important to me, the thing that is my number 1 priority, my family, has suffered. And, I’ve suffered because I am missing it, and I don’t want to. They have been asleep and in bed the last 3 nights and I have spent zero time with any of them.

Marcia was very upset with me last night. She asked me one thing, “Is it worth it?”

For all of the extra stuff I do, especially with sports, I have never made a dime. I do it for the love of it, and because I think I can make a difference. But it doesn’t benefit our family. In fact, all of this work has only caused my family stress.

And so I am frustrated … with myself.

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Kindergarten, here I come

Maggie

Maggie, Eden, Noah – 1st day of school

Maggie – Kindergarten

Liz – so pretty in her uniform

Maggie – 1st day of Kindergarten

Liz – 1st day of middle school

Liz – 1st day at St. Paul’s

July 15, 2013
by davekenn Leave a comment

Club Nationals

This weekend, the girls competed in the Club National Championship. It is a 3-day tournament with teams from all over the country. Eden’s team was playing way over their ahead against older competition. They went 0-4 but they held their own in most games. Elizabeth’s team dominated. They earned the #1 seed in the playoffs. They rolled through the 1st round, 16-2. Then played some stiff competition in Fort Hunt 2019 in the quarterfinals and won in dramatic fashion in overtime. Next, they beat Motion 2019 Purple in the semis to set up a matchup vs TLC 2020 Red.

We dominated most of the game, outshooting the other team 10-2 and had a 2-goal lead heading into the last 3:30 of the game. At that point, the wheels came off, or rather the referees whistles got busy. TLC ended up in the final minutes with 3 free position shots and a bunch of turnovers by the referees, and was able to take the lead with 30 seconds remaining. It was a dramatic comeback victory for TLC, but leaves me and the team feeling empty. I personally feel like the team was cheated, even 2 days later.

What is worse, my daughter feels like she failed. She was a finalist in the Club National Championship and should be very proud of that. But, she is having a hard time getting over the fact that they should have won the game and did not. Their tournament record for the summer was darn impressive, going 18-2 in 3 major tournaments, winning one of them and runner-up in the other two. They outscored their opponents 210-54 in those 3 tournaments. But the sting of the last loss will hang with me and them for a while.

Small solace, but after the game, John Harbaugh, who was watching, came over and talked with the team. He told them that they had big huge hearts. And he said some other stuff to comfort them. And then he told me that he likes what I’ve done with this team. It was good to hear the praise.

Elizabeth told me though, on the ride home, and again yesterday, that she is determined to come back and win this tournament next year. I am glad to know the drive that inside that little body. Love you Liz!

Six With Sticks

by Six Kennedy kids and their parents

Category Archives: Coaching