My youngest daughter, Whitney, is getting married at the end of December, which means I will be giving a father-of-the-bride speech that I have been preparing for since I held her for the first time in a Pennsylvania hospital in the summer of 1993. Dancing around the delivery room with my newborn … [Read more...]
Jaffe: How NIL will change the face of lacrosse recruiting
Within five years, the talk of the lacrosse recruiting world will be less, “Where is that player going?” and more, “What did he/she get for signing there?” That’s already happening in college football and basketball, and the trickle-down is starting. It’s completely unclear how Name, Image and … [Read more...]
Hall of shame: Coaches behaving badly the new normal
Before the 2022 lacrosse season started, officials in eastern Massachusetts were told about sportsmanship initiatives regional youth leagues had put in place. If it were up to me as a veteran referee to decide the fate of youth lacrosse coaches, about one-third of the coaching pool would be thrown … [Read more...]
Jaffe: Solutions to lack of refs are inevitable — and unpleasant
For years, high school athletic directors, town lacrosse program administrators and the heads of club programs refused to believe how bad the referee shortage would be because, come game time, there would always be referees to do the games. That hasn’t been automatic this season, when the effects of … [Read more...]
Jaffe: This season, the ‘new normal’ must be a better normal
After two seasons affected, altered, shortened, canceled and/or lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, lacrosse players, coaches, parents and fans are hoping for a “return to normal” this spring. They’re not aiming high enough. Properly appreciating the return of the game means recognizing all of the little … [Read more...]
Jaffe: The not-so-hidden cost of this pandemic is depth
Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have adjusted to shortages. It started with toilet paper, but today it can be nearly any item that’s out of stock, back-ordered or available in limited quantities. This season — and potentially for the next few years — the problem comes to the lacrosse field, … [Read more...]
