An inside look at men’s lacrosse with Ed Adams

Kean men’s lacrosse via Maple Hill Photography

By Chiemela Igbokwe | Published March 31

His name as been all over the Kean University Athletics website, as he is also heavily involved within the Kean community. Senior Face-off man Ed Adams has had nothing less than a stellar season for the Men’s Lacrosse team this year, and his continued play at a high level will be a staple pivotal if Kean plans to go all the way.

The previous season the Cougars went 9-8, very subpar by their standards as they have had 10 plus win season under head coach Shelly Sheiner dating back to 2006. In an interview Adams was asked what the kind of things the team did in the offseason to help prepare for this year, and a better record?

“I think that one of the major factors was our team matured,” said Adams. “Last year we had three seniors and it was hard for them to lead by example with just such a short amount of guys, this year we have sixteen guys, and everyone understands that this is it, and when you have such a large number who are giving it everything they have, it’s easy for other people to follow, on and off the field, especially if you make up a quarter of the team.”

“I think because we have a large senior class, it’s the largest senior class I’ve had in my 13 years as head coach” Shenier added. “ I think a lot of it had to do with the offseason preparation as far as the seniors being motivated, not just the captains but the whole group with getting in the weight room, taking workouts a little bit more seriously, playing
more in the summer, to help build cohesiveness and get game ready for the season.”

Adams, a senior has most definitely contributed and done his part by leading by
example as he was honored and awarded with the Skyline Conference player of the opening week for the 2016 season.

“Honestly I didn’t expect it to happen to be honest, I’ve never known as face-off guy to get that award, so that was nice to get recognized, but it just showed me that all the hard work you put in to anything, with me that’s school, relationships with my family, lacrosse, etc, and it all kind of just helps me recognize that when you work hard in life, no matter what it is, the outcome is going to be recognition, success, and that just made me
drive to keep working hard and be better” said Adams.

The Skyline Conference, home to the Cougars, consists of sixteen teams, and being a face-off man and having being honored where there are players who put up multiple goals as well as goalies making multiple stops truly shows how hard Adams has worked since arriving here as a freshman.

This year the Cougars took a trip to Texas where they would play three games in a short amount of time. The Cougars participated in an overtime game, beating Misericordia University 11-10, as well as a double overtime game where they fell to Southwestern University 10-9. Adams was asked what the overall “Spring-Break Trip” was like,
lacrosse wise as well as team bonding wise.

“It was definitely a struggle out there”, said Adams. “like half our team got sick, I was one of them, I caught the flu, so in the aspect of playing games we really had to grind it out, and it really challenged our team mentally to be able to compete at a high level and not go 0-3.”

The Cougars beat Trine University 22-3, as well as Misericordia University 11-10 in overtime, however fell to Southwestern University 10-9 in
double OT.

“As for the experience off the field it was amazing, I love Texas” Adams exclaimed. “Half of the guys are probably going to move down there, you know our coach always does a great job of finding the best places to eat, and making sure we have great team bonding activities, so it was a nice experience.”

This year the team welcomed fifteen new freshmen, and Ed was asked what and who amongst the freshmen has surprised you the most.

“One freshman in particular Joe Norton, in the fall I knew he had talent and he was going to be a good kid,” Adams stated. “but what I really liked is in Fall Ball, I think he struggled a little bit athletically, but in the winter I think he worked really hard on his body, in terms of getting stronger, getting faster, and now he’s stepping on the field, he’s a starter, and he’s putting up points for us.”

Shenier also attributed Norton’s physicality as a reason to why he was able to earn the starting spot amongst the first line midfielders.

“He doesn’t project as a freshman, he’s about 6’3, 225 lbs., so because of his size he was a little bit more college ready than the other freshmen. He comes from a good lacrosse family, he’s got a pretty good lacrosse IQ, so I think inserting him in the first-midfield line with two seniors (Eric Talbot, Anthony Perotta) I think it’s helped his transition to the college game, and he’s been scoring some big goals for us.”

Adams later made it known that he really likes this freshmen class, that they are talented, are hard workers, push the upperclassmen to be better in practice as well as games, and also want to win as bad as they do.

When asked the question How far do you see your team going come playoff time, Coach Shenier stated that “We’re going to go as far as our senior class.”

“I think because of the size of our senior group, guys that are 60 minute, six minute, as well as role players, I think that if they start to come together as one whole group, and bring the rest of the team with them I think we can get back to the Conference Championship Game.”

Even though the season has just recently gotten underway it doesn’t mean Seniors like Ed Adams aren’t thinking about how they’ll be going out come playoff time as well as when it’s allsaid and done.

“Championship,” Adams said surely, “and I don’t think it stops there, for me I don’t care who we play, we win a Championship and we go to NCAA’s I want to win the whole thing, that’s my goal.”

The Kean University Men’s Lacrosse with good feelings about this season hope to get to
the Skyline Tournament with goals of bringing it home for the first time since 2008 as well as advancing in the NCAA tournament.

“If the task is in front of you, you’ve got to make it a goal, you’ve got to try and strive, you’ve got to go and take that opportunity” said Adams.

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