Joe Spallina Named Speaker at US Lacrosse National Convention
Coach of MLL’s Long Island Lizards and Stony Brook University women to host two clinics Jan. 12 in Philadelphia
BALTIMORE, Dec. 6, 2012 — US Lacrosse has named Joe Spallina, head coach of Major League Lacrosse’s Long Island Lizards and of the Stony Brook University women’s team, a speaker at the US Lacrosse National Convention, presented by Champion. Spallina will join roughly 150 of the sport’s best coaches, officials and administrators as presenters at the lacrosse world’s largest professional development event Jan. 11-13, 2013, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.
Spallina will host a clinic for boys’ lacrosse coaches entitled “Creating the Complete Player” at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 12 on the Maverik/Cascade Demo Field. He’ll follow that up with a session for girls’ lacrosse coaches entitled “Transition Offense” at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 12 on the STX Live Field.
“Joe ranks among the more talented young coaches in lacrosse with the knowledge and skills to coach in the men’s game and in the women’s game, and we’re excited to have him speak at our convention,” said Beth Porreca, director of special events at US Lacrosse. “US Lacrosse is very much focused on improving the lacrosse experience for young players by providing training and certification for coaches, and Joe will be a big part of that knowledge base at the convention. We’re looking forward to hearing his ideas and tips.”
“Helping to grow the game is a big goal of mine, and speaking at the US Lacrosse National Convention is a tremendous opportunity to do so,” Spallina said. “The convention is a great way for lacrosse coaches of all levels of play to kick off the season. It’s an honor for me to join an impressive lineup of speakers. I’m looking forward to seeing some old friends and making some new ones.”
Spallina will enter his second season with the Lizards in 2013 after guiding them to the MLL playoffs last summer, a season that earned him the league’s Brine Coach of the Year award. He’ll also enter his second season at Stony Brook, where he guided the Seawolves to a program-record 14 wins as one of the nation’s best turnarounds in 2012, earning Coach of the Year honors from the America East Conference.
Before moving to Stony Brook, Spallina coached Adelphi University to three straight NCAA Division II women’s championships in his four-year tenure (his first year ended in the NCAA semifinals), which included three IWLCA National Coach of the Year awards. The Long Island, N.Y., native previously coached Rocky Point (N.Y.) High School to three consecutive Suffolk County girls’ championships following his four-year career as a midfielder at Adelphi.
Lacrosse coaches, officials and administrators can purchase convention tickets online at uslacrosse.org/2013convention before Jan. 2 for just $105 (a savings of 30 percent on the walk-up price). The convention ticket includes advance access to speaker handouts and post-event access to audio/video recordings of all convention presentations, as well as free admission to the MLL Collegiate Draft at 8:30 p.m. Jan. 11 at the adjacent Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. Dick Vermeil, who coached the Philadelphia Eagles to Super Bowl XV and who guided the St. Louis Rams to victory in Super Bowl XXXIV, will kick off the convention with a keynote address at 7 p.m. Jan. 11.
The US Lacrosse National Convention annually draws upwards of 5,000 participants, and it includes four live demonstration areas, approximately 150 educational sessions, and business meetings for numerous leadership groups within the sport. Hotel discounts are available for attendees. For information on schedules, speakers and hotels, and to purchase a convention ticket, visit uslacrosse.org/2013convention.
The US Lacrosse Fan Fest opens the convention center to the public Jan. 12 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fan Fest includes roughly 150 exhibitors inside the sport’s largest expo hall, demonstrations and autographs from the U.S. National Teams and the Philadelphia Wings, the Champion Shooting Tunnel, and other interactive displays and prizes. Fan Fest tickets will be sold on site at the convention center’s Grand Hall entrance Jan. 12. Info at uslacrosse.org/2013fanfest.