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Youth lax integrates with high school

Westwood​ ​Youth​ ​Lacrosse​ ​has​ ​a​ ​number​ ​of​ ​exciting​ ​enhancements​ ​to​ ​this​ ​year’s​ ​program designed​ ​to​ ​improve​ ​player​ ​experience. In​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​introducing​ ​full-time​ ​professional​ ​lacrosse coaching​ ​across​ ​all​ ​age​ ​groups,​ ​the​ ​league​ ​is​ ​working​ ​closely​ ​with​ ​Head Coach Todd​ ​Zahurak ​of​ ​the​ ​Westwood​ ​High​ ​School​ ​lacrosse​ ​program​ ​to​ ​align​ ​the​ ​philosophies​ ​and​ ​strategies​ ​in​ ​the youth​ ​program​ ​to​ ​those​ ​of​ ​the​ ​high​ ​school​ ​program.

The​ ​league​ ​has​ ​partnered​ ​with​ ​local​ ​professional​ ​lacrosse​ ​player​ ​and​ ​coach,​ ​Martin​ ​Bowes​ ​of MJ​ ​Bowes​ ​Lacrosse. This​ ​spring,​ ​each​ ​practice​ ​will​ ​be​ ​designed​ ​and​ ​led​ ​by​ ​Bowes​ ​and​ ​his staff​ ​in​ ​partnership​ ​with​ ​parent-volunteer​ ​coaches. For​ ​each​ ​practice,​ ​Bowes​ ​will​ ​custom​-tailor practice​ ​plans​ ​and​ ​drills​ ​to​ ​address​ ​the​ ​developmental​ ​needs​ ​of​ ​the​ ​players​ ​in​ ​each​ ​age​ ​group. Bowes​ ​and​ ​his​ ​staff​ ​will​ ​teach​ ​new​ ​techniques​ ​while​​ ​working​ ​with​ ​players​ ​to​ ​reinforce​ ​and refine​ ​their​ ​fundamental​ ​skills. He​ ​will​ ​also​ ​provide​ ​guidance​ ​and​ ​support​ ​to​ ​the​ ​league’s parent-volunteer​ ​coaches. With​ ​player​ ​confidence​ ​as​ ​one​ ​of​ ​Bowes’​ ​top​ ​priorities,​ ​he​ ​will​ ​create an​ ​encouraging​ ​and​ ​motivating​ ​environment​ ​for​ ​optimal​ ​player​ ​development.

As​ ​the​ ​league​ ​forges​ ​this​ ​new​ ​partnership​ ​with​ ​Bowes,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​also​ ​collaborating​ ​closely​ ​with​ ​Coach Zahurak​ ​at​ ​the​ ​high​ ​school.

“At​ ​Westwood​ ​we​ ​try​ ​to​ ​blend​ ​the​ ​needs​ ​of​ ​our​ ​team​ ​with​ ​the​ ​needs​ ​of​ ​the​ ​individuals​ ​that​ ​make​ ​up our​ ​program,” Zahurak explains. “​Each​ ​year​ ​we​ ​assess​ ​the​ ​relative​ ​strengths​ ​and​ ​weaknesses​ ​of​ ​our​ ​players​ ​and adjust​ ​our​ ​style​ ​of​ ​play​ ​to​ ​best​ ​fit​ ​those​ ​attributes. Recently​ ​we​ ​have​ ​been​ ​able​ ​to​ ​find​ ​a​ ​good blend​ ​and​ ​have​ ​been​ ​rewarded​ ​with​ ​a​ ​top​ ​20​ ​ranking​ ​in​ ​the​ ​year​-end​ ​poll.

“A​ ​strong​ ​link​ ​between​ ​the​ ​high​ ​school​ ​program​ ​and​ ​the​ ​in-town​ ​youth​ ​program​ ​is​ ​imperative because​ ​the​ ​youth​ ​program​ ​provides​ ​the​ ​foundation​ ​from​ ​which​ ​the​ ​high​ ​school​ ​can​ ​build. The individual​ ​skills,​ ​teamwork​ ​concepts​ ​and​ ​most​ ​importantly,​ ​the​ ​love​ ​of​ ​the​ ​game​ ​is​ ​all​ ​instilled​ ​at the​ ​youth​ ​level. Without​ ​that​ ​base​ ​provided​ ​at​ ​the​ ​younger​ ​levels,​ ​the​ ​continued​ ​success​ ​of​ ​the high​ ​school​ ​teams​ ​becomes​ ​tenuous. Also​ ​the​ ​youth​ ​program​ ​provides​ ​an​ ​entry​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Westwood lacrosse​ ​family​ ​that​ ​can​ ​continue​ ​throughout​ ​an​ ​athlete’s​ ​career. From​ ​youth,​ ​to​ ​high​ ​school,​ ​into college​ ​and​ ​then​ ​back​ ​to​ ​Westwood​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Aged​ ​Wood​ ​teams,​ ​the​ ​youth​ ​lacrosse​ ​can​ ​be​ ​the beginning​ ​of​ ​a​ ​lifelong​ ​love​ ​of​ ​the​ ​game!”

Todd​ ​Zahurak​ ​has​ ​been​ ​the​ ​head​ ​coach​ ​at​ ​Westwood​ ​High​ ​School​ ​for​ ​the​ ​past​ ​eight​ ​seasons. During​ ​his​ ​tenure,​ ​the​ ​Westwood​ ​boys​ ​team​ ​has​ ​hit​ ​the​ ​100​ ​win​ ​plateau,​ ​qualified​ ​for​ ​the​ ​state tournament​ ​every​ ​season,​ ​and​ ​recorded​ ​first-ever​ ​wins​ ​over​ ​several​ ​Tri-Valley​ ​League​ ​rivals. In the​ ​process,​ ​Zahurak​ ​was​ ​recognized​ ​as​ ​the​ ​2015​ ​TVL​ ​Coach​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Year.

Prior​ ​to​ ​joining​ ​Westwood,​ ​Zahurak​ ​was​ ​the​ ​head​ ​coach​ ​at​ ​South​ ​Shore​ ​Vo-Tech​ ​for​ ​six​ ​seasons and assistant​ ​coach​ ​at​ ​Andover​ ​for​ ​three ​seasons. Before​ ​making​ ​the​ ​transition​ ​to​ ​the​ ​high​ ​school ranks,​ ​he​ ​was​ ​the​ ​the​ ​head​ ​coach​ ​at​ ​Mt.​ ​Ida​ ​College​ ​and​ ​an​ ​assistant​ ​coach​ ​at​ ​his​ ​alma​ ​mater, Oswego​ ​State. He​ ​played​ ​four​ ​years​ ​of​ ​varsity​ ​lacrosse​ ​there​ ​and​ ​was​ ​captain​ ​for​ ​his​ ​junior​ ​and senior​ ​seasons. Currently​ ​he​ ​continues​ ​to​ ​play​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Westwood​ ​Aged​ ​Wood​ ​Lacrosse​ ​League and​ ​indoors​ ​with​ ​Bulls-eye​ ​Lacrosse​ ​Club.

Martin​ ​Bowes​ ​is​ ​a​ ​professional​ ​lacrosse​ ​player​ ​and​ ​coach. MJBowes​ ​Lacrosse​ ​was​ ​founded​ ​in 2016​ ​with​ ​a​ ​sole​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​helping​ ​lacrosse​ ​athletes​ ​develop​ ​their​ ​game​ ​through​ ​individual​ ​and small-group​ ​sessions. Deep​ ​practice​​ ​is​ ​the​ ​foundation​ ​of​ ​the​ ​program.

“My​ ​number​ ​one​ ​goal​ ​is​ ​to​ ​develop​ ​my​ ​athlete’s​ ​confidence,” explains Bowes. “I​ ​do​ ​this​ ​by​ ​challenging​ ​the​ ​athletes to​ ​perform​ ​skill​ ​sets​ ​and​ ​techniques​ ​that​ ​are​ ​slightly​ ​out​ ​of​ ​their​ ​current​ ​abilities. This​ ​promotes the​ ​athlete​ ​to​ ​make​ ​mistakes,​ ​slow​ ​things​ ​down​ ​to​ ​make​ ​adjustments,​ ​then​ ​speed​ ​back​ ​up​ ​once the​ ​technique​ ​is​ ​improved​ ​upon,​ ​this​ ​is​ ‘deep​ ​practice.’ ​Deep​ ​practice​ ​is​ ​where​ ​I​ ​try​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​my athletes​ ​during​ ​sessions​ ​and​ ​where​ ​I​ ​see​ ​the​ ​most​ ​drastic​ ​improvements​ ​to​ ​their​ ​games.”

Bowes​ ​played​ ​lacrosse​ ​for​ ​the​ ​University​ ​of​ ​Hartford​ ​graduation​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Class​ ​of​ ​2012. During his​ ​tenure,​ ​the​ ​team​ ​won​ ​the​ ​America​ ​East​ ​Championship​ ​in​ ​2011​ ​and​ ​was​ ​named​ ​All​ ​New England​ ​Team​ ​in​ ​2012. Additionally, Bowes​ ​played​ ​in​ ​the​ ​2012​ ​East/​​West​ ​New​ ​England​ ​All Star​ ​Game​ ​and​ ​was​ ​named​ ​MVP.

Bowes​ ​went​ ​on​ ​to​ ​a​ ​professional​ ​lacrosse​ ​career,​ ​playing​ ​in​ ​the​ ​MLL​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Boston​ ​Cannons from 2012-2016​ ​and​ ​Florida​ ​Launch​ ​from 2016-present;​ ​in​ ​the​ ​NLL​ ​for​ ​the​ ​New​ ​England​ ​Black​ ​Wolves in 2017;​ ​and​ ​in​ ​the​ ​NALL​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Boston​ ​Rockhoppers in​ ​2013. For​ ​more​ ​information,​ ​visit MJBowes.com​.

Registration​ ​for​ ​Westwood​ ​Youth​ ​Lacrosse’s​ ​Spring​ ​season​ ​is​ ​open​ ​now​ ​through December​ ​1​ ​at​ ​WestwoodYouthLacrosse.com. As timely​ ​player​ ​registration​ ​helps​ ​the volunteer-run​ ​league​ ​to​ ​do​ ​the​ ​planning​ ​and​ ​coach​ ​recruiting​ ​necessary​ ​to​ ​deliver​ ​a​ ​superior player​ ​experience,​ ​prompt registration is encouraged.

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