BALTIMORE — The lineup of speakers for the 2006 US Lacrosse National Convention, presented by Harrow Sports, is nearly complete and includes the most comprehensive educational experience for coaches and officials ever offered. This annual kick-off to the lacrosse season, which attracts thousands of coaches, officials and lacrosse administrators, is set for Jan. 12-15, 2006 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center and Philadelphia Downtown Marriott.

The convention will feature an enhanced "On-Field Experience," presented by Warrior, where players will demonstrate drills and plays and coaches will demonstrate on-field coaching techniques and strategies. There are 15 sessions scheduled for the "On-Field Experience." The synthetic field used for the area is being provided by Sprinturf.

Highlighting the men's coaching clinics will be presentations by the complete staff of the 2006 U.S. team. Head coach John Desko (Syracuse) and assistant coaches Mike Caravana (Woodberry Forest), Matt Kerwick (Hobart) and Scott Marr (Albany) will each give talks at the convention, in addition to a demonstration by the 23-member team. U.S. team players John Gagliardi and Kyle Sweeney will present in the youth coaches track.

Desko, Kerwick and Marr are three of nearly 20 college coaches that will be presenting at the convention. Among them are recently retired Army coach Jack Emmer, the winningest coach in NCAA history; 2003 USILA Coach of the Year Jim Stagnitta (Rutgers); 2005 NCAA Division II national champion coach Jack Kaley (New York Tech); 200-win coaches John Danowski (Hofstra), Hank Janczyk (Gettysburg), Ray Rostan (Hampden-Sydney) and Tony Seaman (Towson); and Division I head coaches Scott Anderson (Harvard) and Peter Lawrence (Hartford).

The list of speakers for the women's coaching includes four coaches that led their programs to the NCAA Division I tournament last year — Courtney Martinez Connor (UMBC – led Mt. St. Mary’s to tourney), Ricky Fried (Georgetown), Sue Murphy (Richmond) and Janine Tucker (Johns Hopkins), and three NCAA Division III regional coaches of the year from 2005 — Celine Cunningham (Stevens Tech), Liz Grote (Bowdoin) and Susan Stuart (Colorado College). 2005 U.S. World Cup team members Danielle Gallagher and Crista Samaras will also give individual presentations and the team will give a live-field demonstration as well.

In addition to coaching clinics, there are numerous sessions geared towards officials. Women's umpires will be offered a full menu of sessions geared towards their respective rating levels, as well as the annual new rules seminar. In addition to the traditional NCAA rules interpretation clinic for men's collegiate officials, the convention will feature approximately four to six additional sessions for men's officials.

Other highlights of this year's convention include:

• An opening session sponsored by CSTV, with a special video presentation of highlights from the 2005 college lacrosse season and a procession of National Lacrosse Hall of Fame members in attendance
• The Men's Division Coaches Council Awards Luncheon, sponsored by Lax World, honoring recently retired coaching greats Jack Emmer (Army) and Sid Jamieson (Bucknell)
• The US Lacrosse Youth Council Awards Breakfast, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, honoring youth lacrosse leaders from around the country
• The inaugural presentation of the James Leo Muhlfelder Award for Service to Lacrosse. The award will be presented by US Lacrosse and the Lacrosse Industry Council
• The largest vendor area in event history with more than 100 organizations in attendance
• A recruiting fair for men's and women's college and high school coaches
• The annual Fellowship of Christian Athletes Breakfast
• A Women's Division Roundtable Breakfast
• A Vendor Extravaganza on Friday night
• Nightly entertainment in the "Lax Lounge" in Franklin Hall
• CD's and DVD's of all presentations available from Digitell Inc.

Online registration is available on the US Lacrosse Web site! Attendees must be members of US Lacrosse and the convention fee is just $40 for those who register prior to Nov. 15, 2005. After Nov. 15, the fee is $60. If space remains, walk-up registration will be available on site for $85. Discounted hotel rates are also available at the Philadelphia Marriott, Loews Philadelphia Hotel and Courtyard Marriott. Information can be found on the convention link on the US Lacrosse Web site.

Numerous business meetings for the sport, including meetings of the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association, the US Lacrosse Board of Directors, the US Lacrosse Foundation and various US Lacrosse councils and committees, will also be held during the weekend.

US Lacrosse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the national governing body for men's and women's lacrosse.

The current list of confirmed speakers follows:

Men’s Coaching Clinics
College Coaches
Scott Anderson, Harvard University
Rich Barnes, SUNY Cortland
Terry Corcoran, Elizabethtown University
John Danowski, Hofstra University
John Desko, Syracuse University, 2006 U.S. Men's Team Head Coach
Jack Emmer, United States Military Academy (retired)
Brian Fisher, Rutgers University
Brad Gigliotti, University of Michigan
Hank Janczyk, Gettysburg College
Jack Kaley, New York Institute of Technology
Matt Kerwick, Hobart College, 2006 U.S. Men's Team Assistant Coach
Peter Lawrence, University of Hartford
Scott Marr, University at Albany, 2006 U.S. Men's Team Assistant Coach
Jim Rogalski, Rutgers University
Ray Rostan, Hampden-Sydney College
Tony Seaman, Towson University
Brian Silcott, University of Hartford
Jim Stagnitta, Rutgers University
Jon Weston, American University

High School Coaches
Charlie Burch, Kennebunk (Maine) H.S.
Bob Bush (retired)
Roger Bunton, L'Anse Cruise H.S.
Skip Flanagan, Western Reserve (Ohio) Academy
Ted Garber, Avon Old Farms (Conn.) School
Matt Palumb, Bement (Mass.) School
John Yeager, Culver (Ind.) Academy

Other Speakers
Jason Bellieu, University of Delaware
Jon Crosby, Velocity Sports Performance
Troy Gerlt, Syracuse University
Mark Kovaks, University of Alabama
Peter Worstell, Lax Scout

Women’s Coaching Clinics
College Coaches
Celine Cunningham, Stevens Institute of Technology
Ricky Fried, Georgetown University
Liz Grote, Bowdoin College
Sarah Hughes, Stanford University
Moira Leavitt, United States Naval Academy
Courtney Martinez Connor, UMBC
Sue Murphy, University of Richmond
Michael Scerbo, Duquesne University
Susan Stuart, Colorado College
Lellie Swords, Johns Hopkins University
Janine Tucker, Johns Hopkins University
Kerri Whitaker, Columbia University

High School Coaches
Wendy Kridel, Bryn Mawr School, U.S. Under-19 Team Head Coach
Lee Krug, Unionville (Pa.) High School

Other Speakers
Danielle Gallagher, 2005 U.S. Women's World Cup Team
Jake Moore, Iowa City High School
Crista Samaras, 2005 U.S. Women's World Cup Team

Boys' Youth Coaching Clinics
Bill Allen, Palm Beach Lacrosse
Mike Caravana, Woodberry Forest, 2006 U.S. Men's Team Assistant Coach
Andy Copelan, Marist College
Lou Corsetti, Atlanta Youth Lacrosse
Doug DeSmit, Friends School
John Gagliardi, 2006 U.S. Men's Team Player
Matt Hogan, St. Mary's (Md.)
Aps Kinnan, Cate (Calif.) School
Mark Petrone, Haverford (Pa.) School
John Pirie, Brookwood (Mass.) School
Mike Plantholt, Gettysburg College
Chuck Ruebling, Delbarton School
Kevin Sheehan, Oceanside (N.Y.) High School
Russ Sheppard, Kugluktuk Grizzlies
Andy Sinclair, Lynchburg College
John Stevenson, Hampstead (N.H.) Youth Lacrosse
Kyle Sweeney, 2006 U.S. Men’s Team Player
Ted Wolford, Upper Arlington H.S.

Girls' Youth Coaching Clinics
Scott Biron, US Lacrosse Coaches Education Committee
Abby Burbank, Competitive Edge Sports
Jan Carney
Bill Corbett. Inside Out Fitness
Leslie Khachadorian, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Allen Lovejoy, Greenwich (Conn.) Youth Lacrosse
Kevin Sheehan, Oceanside (N.Y.) High School
Mike Spinner, College of Mt. St. Vincent

Unified Youth Coaching Clinics
Neil Duffy, Norfolk (Va.) Academy
Chase Howse

# # #