By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/6/11
Former Emmaus assistant Nick Pison has been named head boys’ lacrosse coach at Lansdale Catholic.
Pison, who was introduced to the team and parents last week, looks to help LC improve on a 4-6 season in the league and 5-11 mark overall.
Nick Pison Coaching Log:
High School: St. Augustine Prep (NJ), US Lacrosse All-American as a senior member of Cape Atlantic champions in 2007
College: Played three years of club lacrosse at Lehigh University; serving as team captain for three seasons. Is finishing Master’s in secondary education at Lehigh this year
Coaching background: Was assistant last three years at Emmaus, which won Lehigh Valley Conference all three season and advanced to quarterfinals of PIAA tourney in 2009, 2010. Also is assistant coach in SouthShore Lacrosse club program under head coach at St. Augustine coach JC Valore since 2008.
Why did you seek this position: “It seemed like a good opportunity for me as a first-time head coach. It’s the right atmosphere and the right situation for me. During the interview process, I had good vibes with the AD, John Slabek, and the principal Tim Quinn.
“We are looking to rebuild and start fresh. I felt coming in I would be able to bring my own flair and my own style to start from.”
What is your coaching philosophy: “I think there’s a lot of focus on fundamentals. But I am drawing a lot from (former Emmaus coach) Jef (Hewlings). He likes to play fast. I also like to be extremely organized. I draw that from JC (Valore).
“Jef Hewlings ran a pretty intense practice and he liked getting a lot done in a short amount of time. I like how he brought intensity and speed to practices and never let his foot go off the pedal. The Catholic League is a tough conference, especially with St. Joseph’s Prep (last year’s state runner-up) and La Salle (won state titles in 2008, 2009, runner-up in 2010). Getting them prepared to play that type of competition is the goal.”
What are your goals for the 2012 season?: “I don’t think I have a win-loss goal. It’s really about rebuilding and being competitive in the Catholic League. Obviously, St. Joe’s and La Salle are the top teams and you want to at least be challenging.
“Being an offensive player, I am more of an offensive guy. I do like transition play and one of the things I love about the sport is how fast it can be. I plan on bringing that to the team. I also feel that defense is extremely crucial, especially when you are playing against teams with a lot of firepower. We will focus on a balanced attack with a good tempo, and we’ll hope to take advantage on the transition game.”
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