SAN ANTONIO — When the U.S. men’s national team arrived in San Antonio on Friday, the 36 players checked into the Marriott Plaza on Alamo Street, took in some sights, ate a light meal together and then promptly made their way to the University of the Incarnate Word.
For 90 minutes, they flew up and down the field in a high-speed practice, stopping only to interpret the guttural commands of the coaches trying to jam as much information into their ears as possible in a short period of time. For a decorated group of professionals, they sure seemed nervous.
“It’s something funny,” two-time U.S. team attackman Marcus Holman said. “When you put on this jersey, things tend to tighten up for a lot of guys.”
Saturday’s scrimmage against Japan surprisingly brought little relief, as the ill effects of a nearly three-month layoff for most of them lingered in an 8-5 U.S. victory. Frustrated by their own poor shooting and the deliberate pace at which the Japanese operated, the Americans needed a five-goal, fourth-quarter rally to avoid a potentially embarrassing loss.
They regrouped Sunday for a Blue-White exhibition, the White team putting a bow on US Lacrosse’s Spring Premiere with a 7-6 win.
Holman led the way with three goals and an assist, saying afterward that the U.S. players responded well to a reassuring message delivered by head coach John Danowski after the Japan game. He urged them to think of this weekend not as a tryout, but rather as an opportunity to get better and embrace that they are Team USA.
“They really do make every single guy feel special,” Holman said of the coaching staff. “That allows guys to be themselves and play a little bit freer.”
There was an altogether different tenor Sunday morning. Danowski and his assistants Joe Amplo, Seth Tierney and Charley Toomey were out on the field with the players as the Blue-White game transpired. It felt more like a clinic than an exhibition. There were fewer forced shots, lengthier possessions and better ball movement. The defense on both sides seemed more in sync with improved timing of slides and rotations.
Tom Schreiber, meanwhile, showed no ill effects from the shoulder injury that kept him off the U.S. indoor team roster and out of the Fall Classic at US Lacrosse in October. Schreiber slung skip feeds to Will Manny and Mike Chanenchuk for a pair of first-quarter assists, then found Ryan Brown for a goal late in the fourth quarter that pulled the Blue team within one.
Defensemen Jesse Bernhardt, Matt Dunn, Tucker Durkin and Mike Ehrhardt were particularly disruptive during the scrimmage, with Dunn and Ehrhardt also jumpstarting several transition opportunities for the White team.
A common thread among the top performers Sunday were that nearly all of them either played for the 2018 U.S. team in Israel or were a part of the larger training team.
“They are your seniors, if you want to make the analogy to college. They’re your upperclassmen,” Danowski said. “Those guys spoke up when it was appropriate in our team meetings, during timeouts and on the field. Those are the guys you hope the other guys are listening to.”
Team USA will next convene for a three-day camp in July, Danowski said. Sixty players will be invited.
“It’s always an honor,” said Holman, an assistant coach at Utah who was getting ready to fly back to Salt Lake City for the start of preseason Monday. “Right after I graduated in 2013 that summer, I began the initial tryouts for that 2014 team. To be a part of a losing team in 2014 and a silver medal, and to come back and win a gold in 2018 has been super special. But to be out here now in 2020? It becomes a little bit sweeter each event that goes by. I’m just glad they keep asking me back. I had a blast today competing with the best players in a country.”
