By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 7/7/15
Epoch Lacrosse has enjoyed tremendous growth over the past several years. Subsequently, Epoch is proud to announce that Chris Fleck will be joining its staff as the company’s first Financial Controller and former Adelphi University standout Joe Vitale will be working with authorized retailers as an Outside Sales Representative on the East Coast.
“Chris and Joe are great additions to our team,” said James Miceli, Principal at Epoch Lacrosse. “They bring a passion for the game that we look for in all of our employees and both will play a major role in growing our brand and the sport of lacrosse nationwide.”
Fleck comes to Epoch with an extensive background in the accounting world working both in the public and private sectors. In his new role he will be responsible for Epoch’s accounting functions and will play an integral role in managing the companies aggressive growth plans. Fleck, like the rest of Epoch’s team is actively involved in the lacrosse community and is currently the head coach of Minnesota’s #1 rank Prior Lake High School boy’s lacrosse team and also coaches with Minnesota’s premiere club lacrosse program Team MN Lacrosse.
Joe Vitale fires the Gen.5
A graduate of Lynbrook High School in Long Island, Vitale’s love of lacrosse runs deep. In his role as an Outside Sales Representative Vitale will be working with authorized Epoch retailers assisting them with their local and regional marketing events. Vitale is a 2013 graduate of Adelphi University and graduated with a degree in sports management. He was drafted and played for Major League Lacrosse’s Charlotte Hounds in 2012 and played two games for the New York Lizards in 2013 as a midfielder.
Vitale said he first fell for the Epoch shaft when his girlfriend used it while playing at Adelphi.
“I liked the grip of the women’s shaft when I first picked it up and then I used the Gen.5 and I fell in love with it,” said Vitale.
The Dragonfly Gen.5 shaft is one of many Epoch products on the cutting edge of design. Designed with a minimalistic cosmetic providing view directly to the carbon fiber, it is light, durable and flashy. Another hot product is the Otter Mesh™, said to be the world’s lightest weatherproof lacrosse mesh.
Vitale said it’s easy to sell these and other Epoch products. What does he tell young players about Epoch’s gear?
“There’s three things I tell them and first is the durability,” he said. “I am not worrying if my shaft dents or snaps on a ride. If you see a defender snap their shaft they have to leave the field for 15 or event 10 seconds and that leaves a team a man down.
“Durability is a huge factor as everything gets lighter and the metal sticks get more brittle while carbon fiber gets stronger.
“No 2 is the technology aspect. Other sports like hockey and cycling are using carbon fiber. The strength ratio for Epoch sticks is unreal. Kids say it’s light but it’s probably one of the strongest shafts.
“Being from Long Island, a lot of guys from the East Coast have been playing since they were in diapers. When you first say carbon fiber they say big deal but when I get the stick into their hands at a tournament their eyes open a little bit.
“No 3 is the flex. That’s also tied to technology. Any time you talk about adding miles to their shots, kids are excited. As you get older, it makes less of a difference but for the high school player you are really trying to generate that torque and the extra flex does wonders. It could add anywhere from a couple miles to who knows?
Vitale said the flex only occurs during the coil. The stick’s reload is made to come right back to its straight form. This occurs because the way Epoch layers its carbon fiver from different angles between 0 to 90.
Fleck has seen the impact of Epoch sticks, mesh and heads first hand with his high school and club players.
“With Epoch, how can you not be excited?” he said. “We are finding new ways to innovate and the change the game we all love by making it better than the way we found it.
“With our carbon fiber shaft, the Otter Mesh and our heads, I can tell you that as a club coach and a high school coach our guys all use their stuff – and we love it. The fun part is that we are not stopping here.”
Fleck said Epoch has very high goals for its products.
“We trying to find new ways to make products by investing in research and development,” he said. “We don’t want to be just another lacrosse company. We might be smaller and that gives us an advantage of being nimble and being able to invest in the right areas research and development. We are not trying to do what others are doing.”
What makes Epoch so progressive? Fleck said it’s because everyone n the company is directly involved in coaching or playing lacrosse – or both.
“It was interesting at the company meeting the other day,” said Fleck. “I looked across the room and every single person either coaches or plays or has played the game at some point – we are a lacrosse company run by lacrosse people whose only focus is on the game we love.”
About Epoch Lacrosse
Epoch Lacrosse – the official sponsor of the Epoch Lacrosse North America Boys’ Lacrosse Rankings on TopLaxRecruits.com – delivers the finest manufactured lacrosse equipment designed to increase playability and maximize performance by utilizing world-class materials and manufacturing techniques. Epoch tests and re-tests each of its designs to ensure optimal durability, playability and performance. Epoch’s goal is simple, to give players every opportunity to reach their true potential. Live. Play. Be.
Visit www.EpochLacrosse.com/otter-mesh to learn more about Epoch Lacrosse and its products.
To stay up-to-date on Epoch’s line-up of products “like” them on http://www.Facebook.com/Epochlax.
You can also follow Epoch on Twitter @epochlax and check out their blog at http://www.LivePlayBe.com