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Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world: 

1. The outlook for the return of professional indoor lacrosse has become a little clearer.

The NLL announced yesterday that the league is targeting to start its 35th season the weekend of April 9-11, 2021.

“We have been continuously working with our teams, Players’ Association, arenas, and health and government officials to prepare to play our 35th season. An April start date will give us sufficient time to have our protocols in place for players, coaches, staff as well as fans,” NLL commissioner Nick Sakiewicz said in a statement.

The statement also noted that its plans “will remain fluid with options for best case scenarios for teams, officials, players, fans and coaches as April approaches.”

In an interview with Lax Sports Network, Sakiewicz added that, “We’re not contemplating any return right now without fans.”

Earlier this year, the NLL canceled the remainder of the 2020 season on April 8 after suspending play on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. Mark Ellis: On The Line

Mark Ellis has three brothers. Two were incarcerated. One’s sentence is over 100 years.

“I’m telling you, and people may not like this, but a lot has to do with where you grow up,” Ellis explains at the start of a powerful video Major League Lacrosse released yesterday.

In the feature, Ellis, a short-stick defensive midfielder for the New York Lizards, discusses growing up in Hempstead, N.Y., and how lacrosse helped him chart a different path and become a role model.

“I come from a place where two towns meet,” Ellis said in the video. “Rich meets poor. White meets Black. Republicans meet Democrat … You are a product of your environment, but you can make constant choices to be a part of that environment in a positive way or a negative way.”

Brian Simpkins of Blaxers Blog detailed Ellis’ upbringing in a story back in September.

3. Kerstin Kimel reflected on being five years cancer-free in the latest IWLCA “Behind the Whistle” post. 

Kimel, the longtime Duke women’s lacrosse coach, detailed the commitments and changes she has made in her post-cancer life.

WHAT WE’RE READING

  • Saskatchewan Rush Forward Jeff Shattler pens a first-person piece for Lacrosse All Stars about why “I’m glad I found my lacrosse and hope all kids do, too.”

  • Inside Lacrosse continues its fall all-access series with a look at how Notre Dame’s tight-knit culture is helping Christine Halfpenny and her team navigate these unprecedented times.

  • Lacrosse Bucket examines whether Brian Brecht and Rutgers will have what it takes to make their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2004.

  • On First Responders Day, MLL shared stories of how growing up in first responder families shaped CJ Costabile and Tommy Palasek.

  • The Louisville Courier Journal reports that the University of Louisville’s board of trustees approved plans on Wednesday for a $23.5 million residence hall that will serve as a recruiting showpiece for Cardinals men’s and women’s basketball and women’s lacrosse.

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

Long before Seattle Seahawks receiver D.K. Metcalf wowed everyone with his closing speed, Tommy Wallin did so for the Navy Midshipmen during the 2004 NCAA men’s lacrosse championship.

In partnership with Stomp Out Bullying, all-time great faceoff specialist Greg Gurenlian shares a message about why bullying prevention month is so important to him.

Navigate this maze of bouncebacks with Casey Powell trailing you. No pressure.

WHAT’S ON TAP

Our cover story featuring Redwoods attackman and Black Lacrosse Alliance co-founder Jules Heningburg drops at 11 a.m. ET.

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