COPPERHEAD LACROSSE - DICK'S SPORTING GOODS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS RISING STARS TEAM PREVIEW
(October 06, 2008)
Location: Atlanta, GA
Head Coach: Tom DeBole
Established: 2003
Colors: Orange, white and black
Qualified: Champion, Southeast Championship - rising stars division
by Danielle Findley
In the eyes of Copperhead Lacrosse, past experience and team unity led to a dominant victory in the high school rising stars division of the Southeast Championship in May. On its way to securing a bid to the Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions, the Copperheads scored five goals for every one it allowed (11 goals/game, 2.2 goals against/game).
Copperhead defenseman Peter DeWispelaere (Alpharetta H.S.) attributes much of his team’s overall success to playing against older, more experienced teams for the past few years.
“We’ve faced a lot of big kids. I’m used to playing against bigger guys.”
“We were always smaller at these tournaments,” says Copperhead head coach Tom DeBole, “because we were playing up an age level.”
And the team’s recipe for success?
“We were winning because of our speed and stick skills,” explains DeBole.
Yet, several members of the team feel that their championship successes are due, in large part, to the family atmosphere the players and their parents have created.
Attackman Scotty Smith (Greater Atlanta Christian Senior H.S.) believes the players share a bond on and off the field that makes them “feel at home… It makes [us] feel like that’s the place [we’re] supposed to be.”
Copperhead midfielder Josh Lowery (Hebron Christian Academy) says that he felt the team “really bonded together” when the entire roster stayed at a teammate’s house for a week during summer training camp.
Now, the Atlanta-based club hopes its family atmosphere and past performances at tournaments like the Southeast Championship will translate into success at the national championship in January. The Copperheads will spend the fall preparing for Florida by practicing and competing in fall events.
“We have a couple of tournaments we’re going to in the next few months,” says attackman Jay DeBole (East Coweta H.S.), son of the head coach. “We’re hoping that gets us ready.”
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