When a new kid moves into town, many questions flash through his or her head. He or she may struggle with the challenge of establishing an identity in a new community and wonder how the natives will react.
On a Marquette campus that offers 14 other Division I sports programs, men’s and women’s lacrosse are those new kids on the block, and coach Joe Amplo’s in charge of making their first impression.
As the first men’s lacrosse coach in school history, Amplo and his class of recruits, currently numbering 27, are poised to shape the face of the sport’s future at Marquette.
“The biggest thing for us is developing our culture,” Amplo said. “It comes from how we act, walk and work on and off the field.”
Success is nothing new to Amplo, who helped Hofstra, his alma mater, to five NCAA Championship appearances as a defensive coordinator. Yet despite his accomplishments, Amplo said he will not be overly controlling.
“We are going to be a player’s team,” Amplo said. “Our players are going to lead us and set the standard for future teams.”
Recruit Michael Burke, currently enrolled at Marquette and will have two years of eligibility when lacrosse becomes a varsity sport next year, said Amplo’s attitude towards building the program is to have effectively a full season of practice as a club sport during the 2011-12 school year, with team meetings starting yesterday.
“We have to establish ourselves for the next three years and make sure other players want to come to Marquette,” Burke said. “We have a full season and 27 guys all here for the same reason for the same purpose.”
Amplo believes that lacrosse will be an easy sport for basketball-crazed Marquette fans to catch on to and enjoy.
“A lot of the elements of lacrosse, like the fast break, cross over with basketball.” Amplo said. “There’s lots of running, lots of scoring and the game usually maintains an up and down pace. It’s also a tough, macho type of sport that I think a lot of fans will enjoy.”
Burke is confident that Marquette fans will quickly embrace lacrosse and said that he’s already impressed with the amount of sports culture that exists at Marquette.
“It’s been dubbed the fastest game on two feet,” Burke said. “It’s four quarters of nonstop action and our team in particular looks like it’s going to push the ball a lot. We were at the women’s soccer game and I was so amazed at the culture and support the fans poured in. I can’t wait to see the kind of support we will receive.”
Overall, Amplo wants his team to not only win, but do so with class and in a way that the Marquette fan base will feel well-represented.
“I want us to be an exciting team that people will want to cheer for,” Amplo said. “I also want us to set an example by doing things the right way.”
