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Scots' Men's Lacrosse Regaining Momentum with Fall Practice

by Dan Nolan

Monmouth, IL (12/07/2020) — When we last left the Monmouth College men's lacrosse team, the Fighting Scots were six games into the season, and leading the nation in man-down defense. That was all the motivation they needed to be energized for this fall's practices.

"I think we've developed a culture and are finding our team identity," said coach Chris Klaiber as he enters his fourth season at Monmouth. "The team takes a lot of pride in what they've accomplished and they're fully invested in continuing their development, continuing the tradition of excellence and competing for a conference title. This group has the highest potential for success of any team I've had since I've been here, but we also have a lot of work to get there. It's exciting when I think about what we could accomplish in the spring."

Klaiber welcomed seven freshmen to the Fighting Scots clan this fall, bringing his total roster size to 28, the largest in the five-year history of the program. That was both a blessing and a curse for fall ball, considering the COVID restrictions included social distancing and restricted group sizes at the start. All things considered, the Scots' boss was pleased with the fall session.

"I liked everything we accomplished, but obviously with the pandemic, it wasn't as good as it could have been, but it was as good as it could be given the circumstances," said an upbeat Klaiber. "We brought a good attitude to the fall and made the best of it."

Credit Klaiber's recruiting plan as part of the reason for success in the fall season. Citing his team's passion for the sport, Klaiber praised his squad for coming to practice with a purpose, even if the spring season was still in question.

"I'm fortunate that the guys absolutely love to play lacrosse," said Klaiber. "They WANT to play. Just being able to grab our sticks and play was a fantastic thing for us."

Fall practice wasn't just about improving their skills, it was about being mentally strong - and focused - during a pandemic.

"We tried to block out the pandemic and the uncertainty of the spring," reported Klaiber. "We ultimately decided the uncertainty didn't matter. It was all about improving, being our best and being ready, whenever the season begins."

Then there were the freshmen. If being a college freshman wasn't stressful enough, learning a new system, plus navigating the COVID restrictions, only added more weight.

"The freshmen really handled everything the fall threw at them extremely well and got up to speed quickly," praised Klaiber. "They're comfortable playing lacrosse, so it was good to get them on the field, but we do need to get them live game-type contact once the COVID restrictions are gone. Then we'll know they're getting acclimated to college lacrosse. Everybody looks great until the hitting starts."

Even without the upperclassmen delivering live-action contact, Klaiber is encouraged by the bonding that took place over the weeks of practice.

"It was good for the new guys and the returners to get to know each other," he said. "With the social restrictions, it was good for them to be able to gather for practice and get to know each other that way. Fall ball was a great social outlet for our guys."

Klaiber's attention now turns to the spring, when his team will try to pick up where they left off after a 4-2 start. He points to three seniors as cause for optimism in 2021.

"Jeff Knapp looked great, and he's healthy," said Klaiber of his senior returning leading scorer who battled an injury early in his sophomore season. "On the defensive end, Nick Thomas has looked good coming off of what I felt would have been an all-conference year last spring. Shayne Sendera has come in stronger and is taking a leadership role. The whole team feels like we're on a mission to prove ourselves."

The Scots are hopeful the mission will continue in the spring, but they're fully aware nothing is guaranteed - not a season and certainly not success. Klaiber is certain his team is ready for the challenge.

"There's still a lot of work to do, but we'll be ready when spring comes," promised Klaiber. "With us being on a two-month break, I'm planning on staying in touch with the guys more than I normally would during a break. It's important we all connect with one another in order to keep each other motivated and on track. We'll have a shorter preseason when we get back, so we've got to be ready when we return to campus."

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