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.
