Q&A with St. Mary's men's coach Chris Hasbrouck
Chris Hasbrouck takes over the reins at St. Mary’s College of Maryland this year after serving as an assistant coach for the past two seasons. Hasbrouck replaces Jayme Block, who coached the Seahawks from 2002 to 2008 before leaving to work in the office of alumni relations and annual giving at Salisbury University. Hasbrouck, originally from Suffern, N.Y., graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in physical education from Salisbury in 1995. He completed his master's in education at Salisbury in 1997, while also serving as an assistant coach with the Sea Gulls. Hasbrouck was the head coach at Limestone for two seasons in between.
St. Mary's opens the season Feb. 25 against Franklin & Marshall at Broadneck High School.
What were your specific goals for starting the season?
Chris Hasbrouck: We have been working extremely hard this season. The team has had a renewed effort in the weight room and our fitness and conditioning are well ahead of last year. We return most of our impact players and brought in a solid class, so we are looking forward to a successful year. Overall, we have greater depth and are more athletic than last year.
How will the personality of this 2009 team differ from the 2008 squad?
Chris Hasbrouck: We are getting back to basics. We are getting away from having so many specialists. We are looking for everyone to be lacrosse players. We expect all of our players to know and understand all aspects of the game. We would like to use our fitness and depth to our advantage.
Are there any freshmen who could have an impact?
Chris Hasbrouck: Currently Bill Scheurer, Mike Mules and Eric Heisner are all playing well and should see time.
Who’s your hardest shooter?
Chris Hasbrouck: Ryan Alexander or Dennis Rosson.
Fastest middie?
Chris Hasbrouck: Taylor Burgdorf.
Toughest D-man?
Chris Hasbrouck: Sean Hatley.
Unsung hero?
Chris Hasbrouck: Marc DiPasquale.
Are you dealing with any injuries heading into the season?
Chris Hasbrouck: Tim Fortner has a torn ACL and Jake Wilhelm is recovering from a hernia.
Which teams are you most looking forward to playing this season?
Chris Hasbrouck: All of the teams on our schedule present many challenges. Our conference (Capital Athletic Conference) is getting stronger each year. Games against Roanoke, Denison, Wooster, Stevenson and Salisbury stand out.
How strong is the Maryland/Baltimore area for recruiting these days?
Chris Hasbrouck: With the growth of lacrosse on the high school level you can find excellent players across the country. Maryland has remained near the top for finding solid players and athletes. We currently have players from Massachusetts, Maine, New York/Long Island, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Virginia and obviously a good amount from Maryland.
Who were your influences in coaching?
Chris Hasbrouck: My coach in high school was John Orlando, who was an extremely tough, disciplined individual. Not a lot of gray area with him. You learned that complaining did not help you in any way. Jim Berkman, who I was fortunate enough to work with for 11 seasons at Salisbury, was an excellent role model for me. His preparation for practice and games is second to none and he is an unbelievably competitive individual.
What’s the most important trait of a great player?
Chris Hasbrouck: Mental toughness.
Would you rather be the underdog or favorite in a big game?
Chris Hasbrouck: The favorite.
More lacrosse Q&As:
• McDaniel men's coach Matt Hatton
• Loyola women's coach Jen Adams
• Loyola men's coach Charley Toomey
• Stevenson men's coach Paul Cantabene
