MGoBlue.com Summer Sessions: Head Coach John Paul
7/20/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
July 20, 2011
Each weekday in the month of July, MGoBlue.com will feature an interview with a U-M head coach. On Wednesday (July 20), head coach John Paul of the newly elevated men's lacrosse team spoke about traveling the country to recruit, stepping up to Division I, and his first job putting together trophies.
What makes the summer in men's lacrosse so unique?
I don't know that it's unique. June and July are pretty intensive recruiting months for us. Our staff is on the road pretty much those entire two months. There are too many recruiting events for us to cover. We're coast to coast, out seeing potential Michigan athletes, and any spare moment we're not at the road, we're hosting visitors. When August rolls around, that is our time to kick back and take a breath.
Why are the summer months so important to the development of the team?
It's really the only time we can evaluate potential talent for the future. It's hard for us to get out during the season to see high school lacrosse. A lot of the guys we are recruiting are not in Michigan, so we depend on these events. For our athletes, what they do over the summer goes a long way toward their potential development as they get back in September.
What do you see as the team's biggest strength heading into next season?
Our culture. We're used to working very hard and competing at a high level, and we're used to winning. That culture is going to carry forward, which is what we're counting on. We expect some challenges going forward, certainly, but leaning on tradition and culture gives us an advantage over other new Division I programs who are starting from scratch.
What was your first summer job? And where?
I had a paper route when I was 12 or 13 years old. My first real job was working at Stadium Trophy for Bob Richards, mostly putting together trophies for the U-M Athletic Department.
Do you or did you have any special travel plans this summer?
A few days after our summer camp ends in August, my wife and I will spend a week and a half in Paris and Northern France.
Since your season ended, tell us one unique thing you have done?
I've had no time to do anything but lacrosse. With our transition to Division I, we've been extremely busy. I was in Vancouver last week for an event, and a number of coaches spent one evening hiking up Grouse Mountain. They call it the Grouse Grind, and it was. We were all paying the price the next day.
