New England Lacrosse Journal‘s Chasing The Goal

Join hosts Kyle Devitte and Owen Hart as they welcome New Hampshire high school lacrosse champion and Pinkerton Astros head coach Marty Auger. The group discusses the current state of New Hampshire lacrosse, the evolving landscape of high school athletics, and the strategies behind Pinkerton's successful championship run.

Kyle Devitte and Owen Hart welcome Fork Union Military Academy head coach and athletic director Chris Panos to discuss the school’s structure and his lacrosse background. Panos explains Fork Union is a boys boarding school (grades 7-12) with postgraduate programs, including a PG lacrosse program he started, emphasizing discipline, no cell phones, a one-subject academic plan, and heavy strength and conditioning. He details the team’s eight-month schedule, high-level competition, tournament play, and college placement success. Panos recounts his box lacrosse journey from early inspiration to being drafted into the NLL and playing in Canada, then describes how box and sixes skills translate to the field through physicality, picks, rolls,and creativity. The conversation covers coaching transitions from NCAA to prep, building a program from scratch, recruiting nationally, managing roster realities, and advising families on realistic college lacrosse paths and financial aid.
Topics00:22 Yearbook Mix Up01:26 Meet Chris Panos02:33 Fork Union Explained04:21 Military School Culture05:51 Program Structure Success06:50 Box Career Origins10:14 Box Skills to Field11:58 Sixes Creativity Debate13:58 Practice Drills Philosophy16:54 Play Everywhere Advice19:23 Coaching Career Transition22:44 Head Coach Reality Check23:53 No Admin Coaching25:08 Adversity Makes Coaches25:52 Building Program From Scratch27:25 Small Roster, Big Results29:28 Recruiting Nationwide Pipeline32:09 Club Lacrosse Reality Check34:22 Setting Realistic College Goals36:54 Scholarships Exposure Strategy39:51 Bus Breakdown Horror Story42:43 Lacrosse Opens Doors46:18 Wrap-Up and Thanks

The guest is Andover boys head coach and owner of HGR Lacrosse, Bryan Brazill. He describes building HGR’s lacrosse-focused indoor turf facility near Lawrence Airport and discusses his relationship with Andover legend Wayne “Pug” Pugliese, now the athletic director. The group reflects on a frustrating, defense-heavy and unusually parity-driven Massachusetts season, speculating about COVID-era developmental impacts. Brazill explains Andover’s choice to play fewer games to prioritize player development, IQ, and chemistry, and contrasts college versus high school buy-in and constraints. They discuss prep-school player movement, Brazil’s coaching approach across ages, Andover’s win over Acton-Boxborough, and upcoming playoff concerns including St. John’s Prep.
 
Topics
00:54 Podcast Kickoff
01:06 JV Season Grind
02:04 Meet Bryan Brazill
02:17 Inside HGR Facility
03:51 Taking Over Andover
07:04 Season Frustrations
09:08 Why This Year Feels Weird
11:42 Fewer Games Philosophy
15:21 Practice vs Play Debate
20:44 Merrimack Destiny Story
23:21 Intensity and Buy In
24:50 College Buy In Culture
26:57 High School Reality Check
28:58 Getting JP Back
31:09 Prep School Talent Grab
36:58 Coaching And Winning Mindset
39:47 Authenticity And Standards
45:00 Favorite Win And Playoffs
50:58 Coaches Care Closing

Kyle Devitte and Owen Hart discuss a difficult season personally and then preview the upcoming MIAA boys lacrosse playoffs, emphasizing how unusually unpredictable the year has been. They suggest parity might be influenced by more players leaving for prep/private schools and by broader talent saturation driven by youth coaching and participation (noting 208 Massachusetts varsity programs). They highlight surprise teams Winchester (16–1) and Bishop Feehan, and stress roster depth as increasingly decisive, especially across lower divisions. They review notable tight results involving St. John’s Prep and identify key D2 contenders (Reading, Billerica, Mansfield, Longmeadow). Sleepers include Newton North, Needham, St. John’s Shrewsbury, Weston, Foxborough and Bourne/Mashpee; favorites include Cohasset (D4), Norwell/Medfield (D3), Billerica (D2), and Lincoln-Sudbury (D1). They also pick NCAA winners: Princeton (D1), Adelphi (D2) and Tufts (D3).
MIAA boys lacrosse, MIAA, MIAA lacrosse, high school lacrosse, Winchester, Bishop Feehan, St. John’s Prep, Reading, Billerica, Mansfield, Longmeadow, Chasing the Goal podcast, lacrosse
Topics
00:52 Podcast Kickoff Banter
01:10 Season Grind Stories
02:06 Playoff Preview Setup
02:49 Why This Season Is Wild
04:57 Prep School Talent Drain
06:09 Talent Boom Theory
10:14 Coaching and Expectations
15:47 Surprise Teams Rising
17:51 Depth Wins Playoffs
22:16 St. Johns Prep Close Calls
24:09 Division 2 Contenders
24:52 Division 3 Chaos
27:44 Division Cutoffs Explained
28:33 Weston Moves Up
29:06 Giving D4 Some Love
29:31 D4 Towns and Cohasset
30:34 Wild Injury Tangent
32:32 Seeding and Dream Matchups
34:55 D1 Sleepers to Watch
37:00 Sleepers D2 to D4
40:58 Picking Division Favorites
44:05 LS Title Case in D1
46:07 Games to Watch Soon
47:34 NCAA Final Four Picks
51:07 Wrap Up and Thanks

Kyle Devitte and Owen Hart discuss the season’s progression and April break week in Massachusetts lacrosse before interviewing Kings Lacrosse youth director Chris McGuirk. McGuirk contrasts lacrosse development in the 1990s — when many athletes picked up the sport later and could still find roles and rise — with today’s earlier, more specialized pathway. He recounts coaching in Portsmouth, N.H., building youth programs, and later coaching and assisting at Norwell, Hingham and Thayer, emphasizing the appeal of assistant roles vs. head-coach administrative burdens. McGuirk describes how parenting lacrosse players changed his perspective on coaches and parents, shares an anecdote about his younger son’s early high school success, and reflects on referee culture and shortages. He argues town lacrosse remains essential while club programs should provide flexible, value-focused development that complements multisport and town schedules.
Topics
01:16 Season Check-In
01:54 Poll Talk Rivalries
02:20 Meet Chris McGuirk
03:47 Then Vs. Now
06:25 Portsmouth Coaching Years
08:29 Divisions Pay Gaps
11:19 Norwell and Hingham Path
15:50 Head Coach Realities
20:24 Parent Perspective Shift
22:17 Origins In Youth Lacrosse
25:32 Coaching Arc as a Dad
26:18 Building Youth to Varsity Pipeline
26:53 What Makes a Great Coach
28:22 Administration and Year-Round Culture
30:03 Intensity and the Popsicle Debate
34:20 Adjusting for Age and Level
36:26 Proud Dad Player Story
38:54 Mass. Refs and Respect
43:28 Ref Shortage and New Officials
44:47 Town Vs. Club Youth Lacrosse
50:52 Wrap-Up and Charter Cup Talk

Kyle Devitte and Owen Hart interview Reading (Mass.) High School boys lacrosse head coach Rob Parkin about Reading’s 5–0 start and an emotional regular-season rematch with Billerica after last year’s 17–16 championship loss, emphasizing resilience, preparation and the team motto “attitude is everything.” Parkin discusses sportsmanship and Massachusetts lacrosse community ties, Division 2’s depth and tiers, the importance of playing elite competition, and building culture through stakeholder buy-in and strong youth programs. He describes learning under legendary coach Charlie Hardy, offers recruiting advice focused on fit and greater high school coach involvement, addresses public vs. Catholic-school tension and a possible Catholic Cup, downplays rankings, and highlights this year’s balance, experience and state-title expectations.
Topics01:48 JV Coaching Chaos03:28 Reading's Hot Start03:44 Billerica Rematch06:15 Classy Coach Moment08:47 Division 2 Tiers10:33 Building A Program14:01 Learning Under Hardy18:24 Recruiting the Right Fit23:22 Recruiting Through Coaches24:19 Club vs. High School27:02 Reading Kids and Parents28:41 Empowering Player Decisions31:19 Public vs. Catholic Debate34:20 Do Rankings Matter?40:32 Team Balance and Goals42:55 Wrap-Up and Thanks

Kyle and Mike Zhe preview New England prep lacrosse beyond the ISL, covering the Founders League, Lakes Region, NESLL, and girls prep rankings. In the Founders League they highlight Loomis Chaffee as the top returning team, with Choate and Taft as main challengers and Avon Old Farms a dark horse, plus notes on Hotchkiss, Trinity-Pawling, Westminster and others. In the Lakes Region they pick Holderness as the team to beat, discuss injury-hit New Hampton, St. Paul’s graduation losses, and dark horses including Proctor, Kimball Union, Brewster, Tilton and Vermont Academy. In the seven-team NESLL they rank Pingree over Dexter Southfield after last year’s 3–1 final, with Cushing as a potential riser and notes on Phillips Exeter and Portsmouth Abbey. The show ends with a girls prep top 10 led by Sacred Heart Greenwich, followed by Nobles, Dexter, Governors, Andover, Hotchkiss, Deerfield, Greenwich Academy, Holderness and Milton.
 
Topics
01:58 Founders League Preview
02:32 Loomis Chaffee Favorites
06:14 Choate Challenger Breakdown
08:42 Taft Rebound Season
10:30 Avon Dark Horse
12:35 Other Founders Teams
13:33 Lakes Region Shift
13:58 Holderness Top Pick
15:55 New Hampton Injury Comeback
18:41 St Paul’s Reloading
20:46 Dark Horses Proctor and KUA
22:41 Tilton and Brewster Picks
24:42 NESLL ‘Rock Fight’ Recap
25:36 Pingree Season Breakdown
27:43 Dexter Southfield Defense
29:21 Cushing Dark Horse Case
31:24 Exeter and Portsmouth Abbey
33:09 Girls Prep Format Overview
34:28 Girls Rankings 10 to 8
39:31 Girls Rankings 7 to 5
41:36 Girls Top Four Contenders
44:05 Sacred Heart Greenwich No 1
45:24 Closing Stories and Wrap

Kyle Devitte and guest Mike Zhe preview the upcoming ISL boys lacrosse season using tiered rankings and coaches survey feedback, noting many new head coaches and emphasizing faceoffs, defense, depth and replacing graduated scoring. In the “looking to improve” tier, they discuss Brooks, BB&N, Groton, Lawrence Academy, St. George’s and St. Mark’s. In the next tier, they rank Roxbury Latin (10), Rivers (9), Thayer (8), Governor’s (7), and Middlesex (6). Their top five are Nobles (5), Milton Academy (4), St. Sebastian’s (3), Tabor (2) and defending champion Belmont Hill (1), highlighting key players and predicting Tabor as champion.
Topics
01:57 ISL Preview Format
03:03 Tier 1 Brooks
04:38 BB&N's New Coach
07:02 Groton Underrated Pick
08:21 Lawrence Academy Firepower
09:54 St. Georges Campus and Rebuild
12:26 New Era at St Mark's 
14:18 "Don't Sleep" Tier
15:37 Roxbury Latin Defense First
17:00 Rivers Ranking Debate
18:20 Thayer Bounce-Back Case
20:41 Governor's Tough Midfield
22:09 Middlesex Question Marks
24:39 Top 5 Tier
25:41 Nobles' Offensive Firepower
27:17 Milton Academy X Factors
30:27 St. Sebastian’s Talent and New Coach
33:42 System Overhaul Debate
36:48 Tabor Rising Contender
40:25 Belmont Hill Dynasty Talk
46:29 Season Predictions and Wrap

Kyle and Owen welcome Billerica boys lacrosse coach Ryan Nickerson, the reigning MIAA Division 2 champion. Nickerson describes a preseason shaped by winter-sport athletes, weight training, and the long-running “Spring Meltdown” tune-up, then reflects on beating BC High by focusing on being the better team rather than public-vs-Catholic narratives. He emphasizes managing high school players’ emotions, including using silent timeouts, and recounts a draining title game versus Reading where neither team would quit. The group discusses neutral-site showcase games at Bentley, scheduling strategy amid power rankings, integrating eighth graders, club lacrosse dynamics, replacing graduating seniors, team captains, and Billerica’s distinct town culture and accent.
 
Topics
01:05 Preseason Chaos
01:36 Welcoming Coach Nickerson
03:12 Preseason Plan
04:23 Public vs Catholic Pressure
06:25 Coaching Emotions
09:35 Duxbury Breakthrough
11:16 Championship Rollercoaster
15:02 Neutral Site Showcase
17:29 Scheduling Tough Opponents
19:04 Practice Tweaks and Sub Game
21:02 Eighth Graders on Varsity
24:22 Cam’s Rise and Recruiting
27:02 Undersized Star Advantage
28:25 Club Lacrosse Connections
30:01 Club Beyond Recruiting
31:41 High School Team Mindset
35:09 Reaching Tough Players
37:04 Scheduling and Rankings
41:05 Replacing Graduated Leaders
46:18 New Captains and Grit
49:30 Billerica Accent and Roots
52:22 Program Legends and Wrap Up

Kyle Devitte and Owen Hart discuss various aspects of lacrosse with Medfield High School head coach John Isaf. They delve into the dynamics of high school lacrosse in Massachusetts, including the impact of COVID-19, changes in MIAA divisions, participation trends, and the role of club lacrosse. Isaf provides insights into Medfield’s successful program, his coaching philosophy, dealing with the pressures of maintaining a championship-winning culture, and memorable matches. The discussion also touches on the New England lacrosse scene, challenges of scheduling competitive games, and the evolution of the sport in the region.
Topics
01:30 Interview with Coach John Isaf
02:03 Discussing MIAA Team Movements
02:53 Funny Anecdotes and Text Messages
09:34 Impact of COVID on Lacrosse
20:56 Changes in Playoff Formats and Power Rankings
24:54 Strength of Schedule and Tournament Teams
26:32 Challenges of Small School Lacrosse Programs
29:23 Economic and Facility Disparities in School Sports
30:38 Medfield's Athletic Success and Culture
36:41 The Role of Club Teams in Lacrosse Development
48:59 Reflections on Memorable Games and Losses
50:24 Podcast Conclusion and Acknowledgements