The new style has certainly worked for Sisselberger, playing to his style and strengths.
“I was a big wrestler in high school, so it’s similar,” he said. “You’re really low to the ground. You’re in a crouched position and driving with your quads. Your arms are just driving into the ball more than you would on a knee because it’s more of a full-body movement. You’re really susceptible to counters. If you don’t win the ball outright, you can do a couple moves to get it out of the other guy’s stick.”
Ever since he started facing off in the eighth grade, Sisselberger has consistently won clamps. That hasn’t changed in 2021, but something else did.
“If you win 100 percent of the clamps, it’s still a battle to actually win the faceoff,” Gaffney said. “The fact that Mike is doing that at 80 percent, his exits have taken a huge step up and he’s developed different ways to exit so the other guy can’t just play him one way.”
Sisselberger likes to credit much of his improvement to Gaffney.
“Without going against a superstar in practice, I wouldn’t be that good,” he said. “My reaction time and strength gets challenged every day. It either has to increase, or I’m going to lose.”
Gaffney and Sisselberger are used to winning, but they win faceoffs in different ways.
“My style is, I’m a grinder … I like to get the entire ball,” Gaffney said. “I like to get my top rail all the way down, all the way on the other side of the ball, have the entire thing and then exit to where I want to go.
“Siss doesn’t necessarily always take the full ball. He has developed a really good rip. He only needs around 70 percent of the ball and can be out quicker than his opponent can react.”
No matter one’s style, Gaffney believes technique is the most important contributing factor for faceoff success.
“Not everyone who faces off is a bodybuilder or power lifter,” Gaffney said. “You can make your movements stronger, faster, quicker and more effective by being technically sound. Going against each other helps us dial in our techniques.”
The duo battles in what they call the “sandbox.”
“We’re in our little square of the field,” Gaffney said. “Everyone I’ve been on a faceoff team with is super close. We’re with each other all day at practice banging heads, but also talking about the other team’s sandbox and what we have to do to beat them. The sandbox is definitely a brotherhood.”