6/30/08 - Back from Nike Ross Valley Lacrosse Camp

I know it is my (Corey) fault that we didn't have more camp attendees this year, I discovered the US Lacrosse Scholarship program the day before the application process closed. I did get Logan in to the Ross Valley Camp put on by Nike, STX, and Talon Lacrosse. In addition to Logan attending, I was allowed to coach at the camp. Logan learned a lot and honed his stick skills, but as a coach I learned tons. I worked with coaches that have been working with kids for several years and coach some of the top teams in the bay area.

I sincerely hope we can get more to attend next year, and if anyone is interested, there is a camp being run by some of the same coaches at the end of July in Monterey, it is a overnite camp so the kids will eat breath sleep and play lacrosse all the time. Having worked with Blake Kim (he puts on both camps) I know it will be more than a learning experience, it will be a living blast!!!!! To learn more about the camp CLICK HERE.

5/12/08 - Season Wrap up...

This is just a quick post to let anyone interested know we will be meeting for our awards banquet on Saturday May 17 2008 at Valley Oak Racquet club on Kaer Ave. This was made possible by Karen and Mike Shaffer (Thunder's Mom and Dad). Players- please bring your jerseys, helmets, and any other team gear (loaned sticks, shin guards, etc.). Also bring your own lacrosse sticks, so we can play catch for old times sake. This will be potluck, so we will be calling to check in and find out what you would like to bring.

Parents please bare in mind that we need to organize the club, this means developing a board, committees, and soon meet regarding getting our non-profit status. We will need to meet soon to get this and other projects off of the ground (yes the season is over but we are working on next year already). Keep in mind that we will have a pups team, Juniors team, and providing the Junior Varsity team wants to work with us we will have a junior varsity team as well. Exciting stuff coming up.

Final thought, Thursdays in Redding at the soccer park there are pickup practices for adults (not meant for the kids). I highly recommend that you try this out, you only need a stick to attend... but if you have gloves and other protective gear bring it. I can lend you a helmet providing you fit either a Med, Small or XSmall and have one extra set of gloves. This is great fun, I have been a few times now and am disappointed when I cannot make it. I am looking at establishing a day and location to do this for the kids this summer as well. I am also starting to plan for Lacrosse Clinics this summer, I have heard from a lot of kids that are interested in learning more about the sport and are anxious to get a stick in their hands.

5/3/08 - Final games...

Well its over, but what a ride! Our kids played like champs in their last two games and they should be proud.

The first game of the day was a blast. We played the Gold Country Stampede (Grass Valley) and I have to say it was a real pleasure to meet and play this team. The coaches and players were an absolute pleasure. Their kids and ours exhibited excellent stick skills, and I have to say that the games we played this Saturday were some of the most fun to watch I have had the pleasure to coach. Final score of this game... 6 to 4 in favor of the Rhinos. Our scorers in the game were Bubba with 2, Joey had 2, and Curtis and Thunder each had 1. Dallas had another great game with 11 saves.

Our second game was a rematch with the Stockton Spartans. Talk about a close game, with a final score of 4 to 3 in favor of the Spartans. This game ended in sudden death overtime, with the tie winning goal being kicked/swept in. The Spartans played a great game as did the Rhinos. Our goals were scored by Logan, Curtis and Joey. I have to say as the coach it was nice to see some of our more reserved players taking and making shots. I am so proud.

It was hard for me, as coach to finish this season. As I wrote before, I will miss working with these kids more than I ever expected to. Every one of these kids has worked hard and shown improvement. If you read my posts here you will notice it gets a little repetitious, but it is as sincere as it gets. I am impressed, inspired, and again proud of these kids. Each of these kids took up the mantle of learning one of the most challenging sports known, and preceded to impress parents, players and coaches from other teams, and the general public with how well they can take what they learned and applied it in a physically challenging and relatively violent sport. I can only hope they are as proud of themselves and each other as I am.

The coolest statistic of the day was, 3 teams met in competition... and all 3 had wins on the final day of the season. Try beating that with a big stick.

As challenging as this year was getting this sport off of the ground (in an area of the country where you can count on one hand the number of people that knew anything about the sport) I look forward to our next season already. Thank you to the parents that let their kids come out and play with us. I have had fun - Corey

4/2/08 - The coach panics....

I am aware that this is becoming less team news and more a coaches journal, but I feel it is important to chronicle the teams events... all of them.

Today was a rough afternoon for me. Today was the last practice of the season. Not a terribly productive practice, but that was because of the coaches anxieties. The pressure was not because we have another double header, but because it was the last practice of the season. When I started this season, I never fathomed how this would feel. I have looked forward to the end of the season because of all of the time it took to get the team up and running, and there was getting sponsors, and scheduling , and recruiting, and practice, and... and... the list goes on. My anxiety was directly related to the fact that I feel so close to this team of kids that have worked so hard. Not to say that kids don't work hard to be successful in other sports, but I have never felt so close to a group of kids in my life. The thought that I will not get to hang with 14 of the best kids that I have ever met 3 days a week anymore made it tough for me today. I never expected it would be so hard to tell these kids how proud I am of them, all they have accomplished, and how much they have improved. I started telling them 3 times today, but got choked up. If you are a parent of one of my RHINOS I can only hope that you are as proud of these kids as I am, but I am sure you are as it would be hard not to be. This has been a great experience for me, and can only hope that the kids enjoyed it as much as I have.

I want to thank the kids and the parents; the kids for all of their hard work, enthusiasm, and for working as a team. And the parents for putting up with me, the crummy schedules, moving practices around, the long weekends, and everything.

There are a lot of other sports, but the reality is that Lacrosse is one of the few sports where team work is a critical part of every aspect of the game. The kids learned this this year. I made the comment this evening to the kids that they have grown closer. They are very encouraging of each other, and they fight like siblings. This is very impressive to me.

I will conclude now by saying I hope the kids had fun. I hope the parents realize how much work their kids have put in to our program. I hope the kids learned a true love for my favorite sport, as well as to honor the sport itself. I hope the kids learned a little (if not more) leadership skills. I hope someday they can tell others how much being a charter member of the greatest sport on earth was important to them. I hope the kids can share their love for the sport with others.

Thanks for listening.

-Corey-

4/26/08 - Davis meets the Rhinos in Redding....

Another battle and the kids are still showing improvement. Unfortunately so did Davis. This was a well played game but we lost it on the ground. Passes were almost all complete, cradling isn't as big as a area for improvement, it was (in my opinion) the ground ball game were we fell apart. This wasn't one player, it was pretty much all of them. It was one of those games where our kids played hard, but they just lost a majority of the ground balls on the field. But enough of the negatives.

I want to let everyone know, one of the hardest positions on the field of play is the goalie position. It takes a lot of guts to stand in the line of fire knowing that the ball, when it hits you, is going to hurt. But I cannot say enough about our goalie Dallas. in the end the final score was 5 to 1, that means that only 5 goals got by. Dallas did stop 16 shots on goal. There were more attempts than that, but the official count was 16 saves. That says a lot for Dallas.

Also in worth mentioning was Thunder Shaffer, that young man has some wicked moves on his feet. Tanner Durfee and the rest of the defensive squad did an exceptional job committing to their aggressors without over committing. Logan LeVier scored the only goal of the game via an excellent assist by Curtis Twitchell. The kids played their hearts out. I am both impressed and proud.

4/23/08 - Sacramento Bee Article

Click Here to read a recent SacBee article about lacrosse in the area

4/12/08 - Not the game on the schedule, but it will do....

This Saturday saw a Rhino's Lacrosse milestone. We hosted our very first lacrosse day in Red Bluff. With visiting teams from Chico, Redding and Pleasant Hills it was a very full day to say the least. Originally, our pups and the Redding pups were scheduled to play the El Dorado Hills team but unfortunately they (Eldorado Hills) couldn't make it up to Red Bluff. As disappointing as this was, it allowed us to faceoff against the Redding pups team... this was the third time our teams met and it was the charm we needed. As you may recall, our first game was against the Redding Raptors and we lost in Redding. The second game was also played in Redding but was much closer ending in a Redding victory in sudden-death overtime. This time we pulled it off, and it was a stellar game.

With a final score of 8 to 6, both teams played a great game. Our scorers were Logan(3), Curtis(3), and Bubba(2). Again all of the kids played exceptionally, and the Redding coaches couldn't say enough about our improvement. This was far and away the best game the kids have played, and was a very clean game. It is always a pleasure playing the Raptors, it is a healthy rivalry and the kids enjoy sharing the field with them.

In addition to hosting the games, the Rhinos put on one of the best snack bars around. Our kids would visit the spectators and soccer teams on the field, phone in orders and then run deliveries. The proceeds from their efforts will help pay for trophies, team equipment, and t-shirts. A special thanks to all of the kids and parents that worked on the snack bar.

4/6/08 - Not our game, it was the Stealth....

Ok, this took some doing and thanks to Jimmy Dilks of the San Jose Stealth, Al Skaggs and his drivers, almost all of our kids had the chance to visit a professional indoor lacrosse game. This was the first chance most of the kids had ever had to see a lacrosse game up close and personal. The Stealth lost the game but it was close all the way to the end. But the game was not the best part... I say this as an adult not only living vicariously through the 14 kids I get to play with at least 3 days a week, but as the 40 year old kid that got to hang with 12 of the best kids in the world at one of the best past times I can think of.... a live game of LAX! Get this, it wasn't just a game but a full day...

We met at Berrendos at 9am, and drove to San Jose (if you have never been one of 2 adults against 12 kids in a bus for over 4 hours then you just haven't lived!) where we got to enjoy the Festival of Speed day the HP Pavilion put on. There were pictures of the kids with Cheerleaders and one of the injured Stealth players (Wiles). Lots of cool cars and expensive food. Then off to face painting and sign making before the game. We met up with my main man Jimmy (Stealth Ticket sales) once inside the arena. After a short elevator ride, we were on floor level watching the warm up of the Stealth and the LumberJax. Minutes later we were escorted to the playing field where we were joined by the SpyGirls and a few other kids (we had the lions share) to stand on the field of play during the player introduction and National Anthem. We were only inches from the players (and Cheerleaders) what an experience. After all of this, we were returned to the seats where we watched the game, taunted the goalie, and exposed the stomachs of the boys that when lined up correctly read go stealth! After a great game, a threat of being thrown out of the pavilion, and lots of junk food the game ended and it was a close one. Sound like fun eh? but it didn't end there, I forgot to mention that it was fan appreciation day at the Pavilion. The kids got to meet and talk with the players and lets not forget the autographs. I had the privilege of introducing Dallas (my goalie) to Cosmo (Stealth Goalie), Logan to Doyle, and Shania to Zywicki. Ok, that was the fun part... there was of course the 4.5 hour ride home, but it was more than worth it. Thanks again to Al and his drivers, without them it would not have been possible.

4/5/08 - Game 7

Again with the Gladiators. We have officially seen why this is one of the top teams in the league. Not to dwell on how good a team this is, I feel it is important to recognize talent when we face off against it.

'nough said on that, now on to our kids...

Last week, we saw Morgan take her first shot on goal... this week we saw her rocket one in to tie the high scorer on our team of the game. The other goal being scored by Joey, I have to say as coach that it makes me smile to see our kids coming so far so fast. These kids are coming along so well, our passing percentage is increasing, our ball handling is improving and lets not forget the performance of our Goalie and Defense. Our Mid-field is making solid passes and our attack are communicating with each other like I never expected. I have said it in the past but seriously... we play at home(Red Bluff) next week and if you want to see athletes in the making you really need to check it out.

3/29/08 - Game 5 & 6

Change. We tried some new things this week, and for the most part they went well.

These are some of the brightest kids I know. They learn a new skill, strategy, you name it and they work their tails off to pull it off!

Our first game was not as close as we would have liked, ending with a final score of 9 to 2 in favor of Elk Grove. This team was tough, but we learned a lot playing them. Our kids applied the new skills they learned and again, I am so proud of them. As a coach I spend time trying to find ways to take advantage of the skills our kids exhibit and then try to take them to the next level. I have to say that the kids are improving daily as is their love for the sport. We have players that just weeks ago considered themselves as supporting players, this week we had Morgan taking shots on goal and playing mid-field. We had Dallas using his body as a shield in the goal, we have our defense aggressing and showing excellent stick skills. Our passing game improved 100 times from the previous weeks, as did our ground ball game. Unfortunately the score doesn't show the true game that was played by our kids. Our competition (the Gladiators) played like the true veterans of the sport they are, with a tough passing game and shooters that were on fire. Thanks again Elk Grove.

Following our game against the Elk Grove Gladiators, we faced off against the Stockton Spartans. Another new team to the league, they played strong. As this was another back to back game, the Rhinos started off a little slower and we spread out our energy across the whole game. In the end, we celebrated our first victory and what a feeling you get when you see the efforts of your team pay off! Again, pride just doesn't seem a strong enough word to describe how I feel about our kids. Next week, we play in Redding against the Elk Grove Gladiators again.... and we will be trying some new tactics.

3/15/08 - Game 3 SOOOO CLOSE!!!

This week we switched things up a little. We knew we had 2 games back to back, so moved some players around and worked on stretching our energy. Our first game was against Redding, it is always a pleasure to play them... they are great sports and have a real love for the game. At the end of the fourth quarter the score was tied 6 - 6. About 2 minutes into the 4 minute sudden death overtime, we lost sight of the ball for just a moment, giving the Raptors the chance to squeak one past us.

3/15/08 - Game 4 - A hard battle fought

Game 4 was a bit more challenging, the kids played hard in the first game of the day, and hit the field for the second game only 10 minutes later. Fair Oaks was a very competitive team, with a goalie like I have never seen. With a final score of 3-6 in favor of the Ponies, the Rhinos walked away feeling proud of how they played against a team with no less than 20 players all with fresh legs(our second game of the day was their first). The competition is learning fast that Red Bluff is a very physical team that is a force to be reckoned with!

***A side note from Coach Corey - again I feel nothing but pride for all of our players, but I think it is important to recognize a few kids at this point for their flexibility.
Zach D. - missed the first game because of a baseball scheduling conflict, but hustled to make the second game in time. Zach also played out of position and did an excellent job at Mid-Field.
Josh C. - Josh has been a great addition to our team as he has been playing Mid-Field. On Saturday Josh met the long stick challenge and played defense. Josh is a very fast learner and played exceptionally.
Thunder S. - Thunder just started on our team less than 2 weeks ago. Thunder had never played before but has picked up on the basic skills and even more advanced skills in record time

Thanks to all of our kids for giving 120% on Saturday!

3/9/2008 - Game 2 down

After another week of relentless training we learned from our mistakes, fine tuned skills, and added some strategy to our playbook improving leaps and bounds over the previous game. Our kids played their hearts out, but in the end the score was the same as the first game. As coach, I know where fly landed in the ointment. Two mistakes were made... but they were coaching errors not player errors.

First, I underestimated the abilities of our opponents, and second I burned through our players energy too fast. I urged them to move faster and play harder (and they did unblinkingly) while the other team let us do just that. At the end of the first half the score was 1 to 4 in our favor, the Rhinos were smoking hot! But as in the fable, slow and steady won the race. While the Rhinos wound down, the Knights kept up their same pace. But as usual there was no disappointment to be found with our kids, they knew they gave it their all and were almost as proud of themselves as I was. It is amazing to see how much they improved from one week to the next. They played close attention to our areas of opportunity and closed the gap. We know our next challenge will be met with new tools, and we look forward to Saturday (3/15/2008) where we will meet on the field of battle with two teams, Redding Raptors followed by the Fair Oaks Ponies.

To close, I ask for help in finding a new word. Pride fails to describe what I feel for our team. It just doesn't seem to cover it anymore. These young men and women play their hearts out not for the coach, not for themselves, but for the team and the love of the sport. I only wish others could experience the feeling I feel inside when I think about our team, talk about the kids progress, or watch as the light goes on when the master a new skill. Don't believe me, check it out for yourself. Click Here to see our upcoming schedule, catch them in action, and see what a group of kids looks like when they truly work as a team. - Corey

3/01/2008 - After weeks of hard work we have completed our first game. That is, the kids played their first game ever. None of the team had ever played in a real game, sure they scrimmaged, and trained and drilled... but there is no substitution for the real thing. The "Rhinos" lost their first game, but they played like real champions. I (coach Corey) have never been so proud to be a part of any group in my life. The kids really showed a lot of heart, and despite the loss their only complaint was they wanted to keep playing. All members of the team demonstrated the skills they learned in the preceding weeks and earned the respect of the Redding team, the officials, and all onlookers. This game was neck to neck from start to finish with a final score of 6-4 in the favor of the veteran Redding team, but in all sincerity there were no loser on the field today. Both teams played with heart and all in attendance recognized the efforts of both teams. Thanks again for all that helped, and a special thanks to the Redding team for their support as well as the competition. (Corey)

12/2007 - We officially have a team!

I held a meeting with the parents and guardians of the kids interested in our program. My personal goal was to get commitment from 8 players, and we passed the goal. We currently have commitment from at least 10 kids/families. This has prompted me to move forward with our program, we have filed the papers for our fictitious business name with the county and opened our bank account. We will continue to rely on the Redding Youth Lacrosse Association for use of their non-profit status, but we will be filing for our own number soon.

This is a huge milestone for our program, but we still need more players. The game requires 10 players on the field to start, and as the kids that have been showing up after school will attest it is easy to get worn out fast. We really need no less than 15 kids but hope for about 20. We will be playing as a co-ed team this year so girls are welcome to join as well with the understanding we are playing the boys version of the sport.

If you or someone you know is interested in joining or just learning more about this great opportunity, please contact Corey LeVier by Email (Click Here) or by phone at 530-736-2992.