Fork Union Head Coach Chris Panos

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.

Topics
00:22 Yearbook Mix Up
01:26 Meet Chris Panos
02:33 Fork Union Explained
04:21 Military School Culture
05:51 Program Structure Success
06:50 Box Career Origins
10:14 Box Skills to Field
11:58 Sixes Creativity Debate
13:58 Practice Drills Philosophy
16:54 Play Everywhere Advice
19:23 Coaching Career Transition
22:44 Head Coach Reality Check
23:53 No Admin Coaching
25:08 Adversity Makes Coaches
25:52 Building Program From Scratch
27:25 Small Roster, Big Results
29:28 Recruiting Nationwide Pipeline
32:09 Club Lacrosse Reality Check
34:22 Setting Realistic College Goals
36:54 Scholarships Exposure Strategy
39:51 Bus Breakdown Horror Story
42:43 Lacrosse Opens Doors
46:18 Wrap-Up and Thanks