Q: Did you play lacrosse in high school?

A: Yes. [Former coach John] Hughes encouraged me to play lacrosse.  My freshman year at JC was the first time I had ever played.

Q: What do you like about lacrosse?

A: I like the speed at which the game is played. It is a very fast sport.

Q: When and where did you start coaching?

A: My first coaching job was at Virginia Tech for two years, and then I returned to my alma mater, Loyola, to coach for four years. After that, I returned to JC to coach here, and I’m currently in my 6th season.

Q: What do you like and dislike about coaching?

A: Coaching is very rewarding on so many levels. I love strategy.  It is fun to see what the other team is going to do, what your team can do to counteract that, and how the other team does things to combat what you are doing.  I also love the interaction with the players, helping the players to grow as lacrosse players and hopefully helping them grow as people.  I dislike losing.

Q: How would you describe your coaching technique?

A: I like to give responsibility to the players.  If someone has a part in the decision making, they now have ownership over the task. If they have ownership, then they want the task to be successful because they helped in its planning.

Q: What is your favorite memory from your coaching experience?

A: It’s winning the first IAAM A Conference Championship in 2007.  The game was tied and went into overtime. Ally Carey [class of ‘08] rolled the crease left handed and snuck the ball past the Severn All-American goal keeper to win the game. I just remember looking up at the score board. Ironically enough, it was on Loyola’s home turf, and we were the higher seed so it read “Home 9, Visitors 8,” just as it had read so many times throughout my playing and coaching careers at Loyola. Now, it was reading that way for John Carroll.  It was just a very special moment.

Q: How do you feel about coaching the U19 Women’s National Lacrosse Team?

A: I am very excited to coach the U19 National Team.  You can’t really put into words how honored you feel.  It is going to be another great challenge to take on in the world in lacrosse.

Q: How did you get involved in coaching the U19 Women’s National Lacrosse Team?

A: In 2007, I applied to be an assistant coach to Wendy Kridel, the head coach at conference rival Bryn Mawr. She gave me a chance as one of her assistant coaches.  The 2007 games were in Ontario, Canada, and the US won the gold.  It was such a neat experience, more so in terms of the pride that each player had in her own country and how proudly each player wore her country’s color. It was more than anything I had ever imagined.  That experience of winning the gold and seeing the interaction among the countries really inspired me to apply to be the head coach, be a part of the World Games again, and lead the US Team.

Joey Hoff can be reached for comment at [email protected].