Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 12/28/15
From Press Release
The NXT Lacrosse Academy gets underway this January at Main Line Sports Center and it’s the place for players who want to take their game to another level.
The boys’ NLA will be held on Sundays from Jan. 3 to Jan. 24 from 1-4 p.m.. The girls’ NLA will be held on Saturdays from Jan. 9 to Feb. 27 noon-1:30 p.m. Both feature top-notch coaching staffs that include guest coaches from all over the lacrosse world.Image may be NSFW.
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Boys guest coaches include:
Bill Leahy, legendary La Salle College High School head coach
Brett Manney, New England Black Wolves star defenseman and Team USA assistant captain
Marty Kupprion, NXT LC Director and NXT 2017 head coaches
Girls guest coaches include:
Jenn Cook, Princeton defensive coordinator
Hannah Rudloff, Drexel head coach
Kateri Linville, Delaware head coach
Candace Taglianetti Bossell, La Salle head coach
The NLA is not for everyone. It is designed for the area’s most intense players who are ready to learn and work. Players’ abilities are assessed when they enter the program, then improved upon through consistent video breakdown and the NLA’s internal Player Assessment Tools. The NLA features small-group training from exceptional coaches to emphasize player development. Boys should apply here and girls should apply here.
Boys Staff
Andy Hayes
Episcopal Academy Head Coach
Andy Hayes, the co-founder of NXTsports and the company’s President & CEO, is entering his 11th season as the Episcopal Academy head coach. Coach Hayes also serves as the U.S. Lacrosse Area Representative for Eastern Pennsylvania and has designed well-regarded lacrosse training curriculums for all age levels, and frequently lectures at coaching clinics nationwide.
A standout athlete who won All-NESCAC honors in both sports, Andy captained the varsity lacrosse and soccer teams at Trinity while earning a B.S. in biology. Andy went on to teach honors biology at EA for nine years.
Coach Hayes is excited to lead the NXT Lacrosse Academy this winter. With his local coaching connections and trusted reputation for creating innovative programs to help players of all ages to develop, there is little doubt that the area’s top players will develop their game under his leadership this winter.
John Bodnar
Philly Face-Off League Owner, NXT LC Director of Faceoffs and Episcopal Academy Faceoff Coach
John Bodnar is recognized as this hotbed’s best coach for faceoff specialists. John has been a high school teacher in the William Penn School District for seven years. He’s been working with the faceoff specialists at Episcopal Academy since 2009, where he has produced two All-Americans, and with NXT LC since its inception in 2010.
John was a standout lacrosse player and enjoyed success at Cabrini. John stayed at Cabrini to earn a master’s degree in education. Coach Bodnar also directs Cradle Lacrosse programs for NXTsports.
Coach Bodnar has produced two All-American faceoffs specialists and he has helped every faceoff specialist from the NXT 2014, NXT 2015. NXT 2016 and NXT 2017 teams, as well as one NXT 2018 faceoff specialist, commit to a Division I school. His Philly Face-Off League attracts the best faceoff men from all over Pennsylvania and South Jersey. The Philly Face-Off League has quickly established itself as the best place for faceoff specialists to get specialized work in against the top competition in the area. Anyone who’s anyone in the Philly faceoff scene has worked at the Philly Face-Off League.
Chris Williams
NXT 2017 Assistant Coach
Chris Williams is a former high school head coach who is the National Sales Manager for Elevation Lacrosse. He has been an assistant coach for NXT 2017 since their freshman year, helping his players develop their offensive game. NXT 2017 features attackmen and midfielders who have made verbal commitments to Bucknell, Maryland, Army, Lafayette, Towson, Ohio State and more. Coach Williams also works with the NXT LC Youth teams as an offensive coach. He was named NXT’s Coach of the Year in 2014 for his commitment to developing lacrosse players.
A native of South Bend (Ind.), Chris was a star attackman who played Division I lacrosse at Bellarmine. He went on the become the head coach at his alma matter, St. Joseph HS, where he was named Indiana State Coach of the Year in 2008. Since moving to Philadelphia in 2010, Chris helped lead the UPenn NCLL team and also served as a guest coach with Edge Elite before joining NXT LC in 2012.
Coach Williams has a strong passion for teaching offensive players as well as individually developing goalies and he will help with both this winter at the NLA. He believes in creating a competitive, efficient and positive and fun environment that demands each player bring their best effort every time they step on the field.
Nico Capron
Saint Joseph’s University Assistant Coach and NXT 2020 Head Coach
Nico Capron coaches at Saint Joseph’s University, where he works with the defense, goalies and faceoff specialists in addition to supporting the Hawks’ recruiting efforts. Before moving to Philadelphia, Nico was a popular coach in the Team Carolina cllub program, working with their high school teams. He remains passionately involved in the Stick With Us Foundation.
Nico earned four letters at Weddington High, where he was a three-time All Conference selection at defense. He went on to play Division I ball at Canisius, where he was a three-year starter at close defense. While earning a master’s degree in England, Nico played for the Durham University team and helped teach the game to local youth. Nico played with the Charlotte Hounds in the MLL in 2014.
Coach Capron will work with longsticks at the NLA this winter to help them be more college-ready through high-level teaching and skill work. We are pumped to have him on our staff and to bring his intensity to the fields of the Main Line Sports Center.
Reid Mayberry
Widener University Assistant Coach and NXT 2018 Assistant Coach
Reid Mayberry was an All-American at W.T. Woodson (Va.) and a third-team All-ODAC selection at Roanoke. He has been an assistant coach at Division III Widener since 2013 and has also been a vital part of the NXT 2018 coaching staff since its beginning. Coach Mayberry has also directed several Cradle Lacrosse and Trashcan Lacrosse sessions.
Girls Coaches
Kate Henwood
NXT LC Girls Director and NXT 2021 Head Coach
Kate Henwood is the Director of NXT Girls Lacrosse, a first-year club program as well as year-round educational programming. She also serves as the head coach of the NXT 2021 team. Prior to joining NXT, Henwood served as the head coach at Division I UC-Davis from 2013-15. From 2010-2012, Henwood propelled the Garnet Valley program into national prominence. During her tenure at her alma mater, the Jaguars won the school’s first two PIAA championships, produced three first-team All Americans and was ranked as high as fifth in national polls.
Her specialty areas include shooting mechanics, the draw, offensive systems, mental toughness and developing leadership. She will lead the 7-9 grade group at all sessions of the NLA.
Amanda Kammes
Abington Head Coach and NXT 2020 Head Coach
Amanda Kammes is the NXT 2020 head coach, Regional Director of Cradle Lacrosse and the head coach at Abington. She served as UC-Davis’ top assistant and defensive coordinator from 2012-2015. She guided the defense to a drop of four goals per game against in her three-year stint with the team. Kammes previously served as Henwood’s defensive coordinator at Garnet Valley during the Jaguars’ 2011 and 2012 PIAA State Championship seasons. She also ran the team’s strength and conditioning program, both in and out of season. She was a four-year letterwinner and a starting point guard for Penn’s basketball team, helping the Quakers captured the 2004 Ivy League championship.
Kammes has a point guard’s brain. She has a brilliant mind for offensive and defensive strategies and situations and implements innovative systems and training models into lacrosse. She has developed an impeccable reputation for individual player development through her private lesson endeavors. Coach Kammes will lead the 10-12 grade group at every session of the NLA this winter.
Casey Kellogg
Abington Assistant Coach and NXT 2022 Head Coach
Casey Kellogg serves as the NXT LC 2022 Head Coach, NXT Director of Lacrosse Operations and Abington assistant coach. Kellogg was a standout at Downingtown West and Hofstra. She served as the Pride’s team captain in 2013 and was a second-team All-Colonial Athletic Association pick in 2012. Coach Kellogg recently served as an assistant coach at UC-Davis during the 2014-2015 campaigns as the midfield and goalie coach Kellogg is a phenomenal young coach who has mastered the ability to relate to players and communicate effectively to all ages. She has a defensive mind and is an expert at motivating individual players to take charge of their roles within defensive and midfield systems. She will be in attendance at every session of the NLA.
Molly Fernandez
Guest Coach
Molly Fernandez currently serves as a guest coach for NXT LC and as the head coach for Skywalkers 2019 Blue. Fernandez recently completed her master’s degree at Temple, where she spent time as a graduate assistant for the Owls. Prior to her two years as an Owl, Fernandez was a four-year letter winner at Penn State. A Baltimore native, Fernandez was a four-year letterwinner and All-American at national powerhouse McDonogh.
Coach Fernandez is an expert communicator and motivator. She understands the sport at its highest level is will certainly help young players prepare for the next level. She will be in attendance at every session of the NLA.
Theresa Giunta
Bishop Shanahan Assistant Coach and NXT 2023 Head Coach
Theresa Giunta is the NXT LC 2023 head coach and an assistant coach at Bishop Shanahan. She attended West Chester, where she was a four-year starting midfielder for the Golden Rams. During her career, WCU was an NCAA finalist in 2010 and 2012 and a semifinalist in 2011. The Golden Rams were also PSAC Champions in 2013. Due to her valuable contributions, she was recognized twice as an IWLCA All-American, All-Conference, All-Region and All-ECAC player.
Giunta is passionate about her graduate work in Sports Psychology at Temple. Due to her advanced understanding of the cerebral side of athletics, she is a phenomenal coach with all age groups. She will be in attendance at every session of the NLA.
Alex Menghetti
NXT LC Goalie Coach and NXT 2020 Assistant Coach
Alex Menghetti is NXT LC’s top Goalie Coach. She serves as the assistant coach for the NXT 2020 team, and mentors all of the goalies in the program. The Penncrest product played college ball at James Madison, where she graduated in 2012 with a B.S. in Kinesiology. During her career as a Duke, she ranked 14th in NCAA goals against average (8.96) and was the team leader in GBs. She has designed an expert goalie curriculum, which receives rave reviews by goalies in the NXT LC program. She will be in attendance at every session of the NLA.
Jenn Cook
Princeton Defensive Coordinator
Jenn Cook has been the top assistant coach and defensive coordinator at Princeton since 2012. Coach Cook has one of the best defensive minds in the game and has a proven track record for individual player development. The Tigers’ 2015 defense produced their lowest goals-against average in six years en route to Princeton’s second consecutive Ivy League championship. Cook served as an assistant coach at UNC from 2009-2012, where her defense ranked third nationally in goals against.
A 2007 graduate of UNC, Cook was a two-time Tewaaraton nominee and three time first-team All-American. Cook was also named the 2007 Inside Lacrosse Defender of the Year and holds multiple school records.
She will serve as the guest coach on Jan. 9 during Session I of the NLA – The Art and Science of the Crease: Offensive and Defensive Concepts. No one teaches the mechanics of the crease like Jenn Cook. The goal circle is hallowed ground on the lacrosse field and NLA players will be exposed to the latest school of thought and strategies for how to defend and attack the sacred crease.
Hannah Rudloff
Drexel Head Coach
Hannah Rudloff is Drexel’s third-year head coach. She has asserted herself early in her career by producing successful squads since 2013. Coach Rudloff has mentored five All-CAA performers and an All-Region honoree during her tenure as head coach. She is a thinker: always analyzing, scheming, and helping her players understand the more sophisticated aspects of lacrosse.
Maybe her Ivy League education contributed to her cerebral coaching style. A 2005 Penn graduate, Rudloff made four Final Four appearances.
The NLA Jan. 16 Session I curriculum topic plays right into Coach Rudloff’s wheelhouse: The 90%; The Art of Off-Ball Lacrosse. She has a knack for helping players understand the many layers of the game, making her a natural choice to lead a session about off-ball action.
Kateri Linville
Delaware Head Coach
Kateri Linville assumed her post in 2010 and most recently, led the Blue Hens to two consecutive CAA tournament appearances. In 2015, her squad defeated two ranked opponents for the first time in 10 seasons. There is no doubt that Delaware is en route to reclaim its position of national prominence under Linville’s tutelage.
The evidence of Linville’s team-first mentality lies in the numbers. In 2015, Delaware finished the season with Division I’s fourth-best goals against average. Her offense also posted 264 points in back-to-back seasons with a 35 percent assist rate.
If any coach understands how to instruct players how to share the ball and run an offensive or defensive system, it’s Linville. NLA players will learn The 90%; The Art of Off-Ball Lacrosse on Feb. 6 from an expert in the field.
Candace Taglianetti Bossell
La Salle Head Coach
Candace Taglianetti Bossell has guided the Explorers to a new era of prominence. The two-time A10 Coach of the Year and Philly Lacrosse Co-Head Coach of the year has guided her program to three straight years of posting program-record wins. Taglianetti Bossell has caught the attention of the lacrosse world by turning a fledgling program into a worthy adversary due to her keen eye for talent and attention to player development. In her first season with the Explorers, she quadrupled the team’s wins and has never looked back.
Not only can La Salle’s recent success can be attributed to Taglianetti Bossell’s efforts, but she also had a decorated career at both Ohio State and Haverford High.
Coach Taglianetti Bossell is excited to instruct NLA participants how to “Become a Sniper” on Feb. 13 during Session II of the NLA. When the Explorers put the ball on frame in 2015, they posted a 76 percent success rate. Opponents fear the Explorers’ dangerous long-range shooting ability, as 61 percent of their goals are unassisted. Needless to say, NLA players have a thing or two to learn about goal scoring from Philadelphia’s most popular coach.