Tyler Rauch's Blog

Its going to be a great season....

     I'd be lying if I said that lacrosse was going any less than perfect. I am in my third year as a lacrosse player at Queens, and not only have I joined a brotherhood, but I've had the privilege of playing with and against some of the best lacrosse players in the country. As a program we have upset and ended Limestone College's 64 game 8 season win streak in the conference my freshman year and played for a conference championship the same year. We've also had a top ten ranking in the nation each year that I've had the chance to play along with a top 1 or 2 ranking in the conference since before I was even a student at Queens. Lacrosse at Queens is so new and these facts are only the foundation of what is to come.

     The reason I just told you about our lacrosse program and how well we've done this far is simply because going into this season that is what I had to be excited about. UNTIL NOW! We are 3rd in the Conference Carolinas, unranked in the nation, plagued with injury and sickness with extremely low expectations from EVERYONE to top it all off! I couldn't be happier!!! Sound crazy? It might to anyone who reads the lacrosse blogs or who has not seen a game and  doesn't get a chance to experience what goes on at practice every day. See, for the first time, I am completely satisfied with being looked at as an underdog. Because of our poor finish last season and how little we did with our reputation, we are getting no respect this season. With that in mind something clicked with our team this year.

     First, our head coach and the athletic dept. took the necessary steps to expand our coaching staff that is more suitable for a team of our size and in return has not only brought out more potential, but a new work ethic that is at a level most teams won't experience. Between the knowledge that our hired assistants and volunteer assistants can bring to the table, our offense and defense have taken the game to a new level. It also helps to have a couple extra sets of eyes on the field to really get a good look at who is playing well and who isn't. As a goalie I couldn't be happier simply because I have a full time goalie coach for the first time in my life who has also pushed me harder than any coach I've ever had. I can speak for all the goalies on the team when I say that we are not only mentally but physically stronger as a result of our new assistant coach.

     As a team, with our numbers dwindling due to injury and sickness, we are finding the practices getting more and more challenging. We run harder, are responsible for more, and have to really pay attention to detail because at the pace we are going, it's the little mistakes that will kill you. Thus far we've had about 10 practices (most of which were in the COLD) and have performed better as a team than I've EVER seen! Despite the low expectations and the accountability that we have for each other this team has become more of a family than anything. Every day at practice we are playing like its a national championship and like its the last practice of ones career. Its such a good feeling to see and play with a squad that has the same goal in mind and has the same drive to win that ring.

     Whatever it is that clicked, whether it be the coaches or the low expectations, we are preparing to have the season of a lifetime. I just hope the rest of the nation is as ready for this season as we are...

     I know this entire blog was about lacrosse, but lately that has been all I can think about. It's been such a great couple of days at practice and I just had to get all of that out! I hope everyone is having a great year and can't wait to write again. We play the newly joined DI Presbyterian College on Saturday so look forward to hearing about that next Sunday :) Until then, stay warm!

p.s. The computer is still very broken and currently getting fixed. As soon as that is all taken care of, I will have some nice new photos up for everyone to enjoy!

What a week!

     To start off, I would like to say that I hope this post finds everyone enjoying a nice WARM spot and NOT the cold!!!! Coming from Florida I can't say that I've got thick blood or am very good at dressing for cold weather. Getting "bundled up" isn't really something on my list of talents! This past week, however, has put my cold tolerance to the test. Its been pretty cold here (for a Florida boy) even though most of the northerners would beg to differ. We've had snow fall twice in the last 3 days and I'm soooo excited to see it fall, and then I walk outside and turn into an ice cube! Either way its been great having the snow fall and getting a chance to have some R and R inside. The best part is that all of Queens seems to get closer when it snows because everybody gets to go outside and play in it and then sleeps all afternoon!!!!!!

     Lacrosse has been going really well and practice has been canceled twice due to weather which almost NEVER happens so we were all surprised to say the least. On another note, the days we did practice were pretty chilly and I was wearing sweats, long sleeve shirts, hoodies, and my pads. If you name it, I was probably wearing it to stay warm at practice. We have our first game on Feb. 16th against top ranked CW Post. It should be a great game and a great chance for us to really put our name on the map. Until then we will continue practicing and scrimmaging in the coming weeks. Unfortunately I will miss the biggest pre-season scrimmage we have due to my brothers wedding. I am the best man and will have to leave on a Friday night then fly back on a Sunday. The scrimmage is on Saturday and I'm confident the boys will take care of business while I'm gone.

     I am counting down the days till my next event for Campus Union Board. On the 28th we will host a rock climbing night at Inner Peaks rock climbing center. It should be a blast seeing as we did it last semester and it was great fun as well as a great success! I've got just one more phone call to make and things will be all set :) I'm looking forward to next weekend when we have another event for the Student Ambassadors which will take place on a Saturday and I get to meet more prospective students. So far this years recruitment for the Ambassadors has been going really well and I think this semesters group will prove to be a good bunch!

     Working this semester is consisting of being the "shot clock guy" at basketball games and the accounting tutor. So far both are going well and our basketball team is doing an awesome job which their record shows. I've got a few days off from the basketball games which will be nice, but accounting will start back up Monday.

     Last but not least academically this semester will be extremely tough but I'm really looking forward to the challenge. I also get to learn a lot more about my major and hopefully this summer I'll get to apply all that I'm learning in the real world! The only downside to this semester is that my laptop has been broken since Christmas break and didn't realize it till I got back so its in the process of getting fixed. I think it'll be alright in a few days, but for now I'm bumming computers from roommates and the library. It kinda stinks because I have so many great pictures from Charlotte in the snow and I can't upload them :( this is why I have no photos up in the last few blogs. No worries they'll be here soon!

     I've gotta run for now, but hope everyone has a great week and I look forward to blogging soon! STAY WARM!

Round 2!

     So here I am again after a nice long (and much needed) vacation! I hope this post finds everybody happy and healthy ready to start another great year. I think being home was exactly what I needed after such a busy first semester. I finished up with 3 A's 2 B's and a "pass" credit. All in all I can't complain. I did, however, realize how much I needed to get off my feet and rest a little bit. I did just that by spending LOTS of time outdoors coaching camps and helping my dad around the house. It was on average in the 80s back home so needless to say I was LOVING the warm weather. After a few trips to the beach and a couple rounds of golf, I was ready to get back to Queens and start the new year off right!

      I'm going to be very honest when I say that this first week was pretty rough. I've had a lot on my plate in the past and never really had a problem handling it, but this first week was a reality check that vacation is over. Getting back into "school mode" took a few days but I think I've got it under control. I've got 5 classes. 3 on Mon/Wed. and 2 on Tues/Thurs. On both days I'm basically in class from 12-4 each day then at practice from 4-6 or so. Prior to classes at 12 I've set up my schedule to do tours for the Student Ambassadors and allowed myself to do organize my events for Campus Union Board. I have also made it possible to tutor 9-11 on Mon-Thurs. After completing the first week I have realized that there won't be any easy A's this semester. Not to say that Queens offers many "easy A" kind of classes, but now that I'm taking classes specific to my major, it's getting to be more and more intense and tougher as the years go on. I can't say enough about the quality of education you get here at Queens.

     On the athletic front, lacrosse has been going very very well. For anybody who plans on playing sports in college you'll find plenty of people who ask you this question. "When is your season?" The funny part about that is you're always in season once you play at the college level. Lacrosse is a spring sport but we've done more conditioning and practicing in the last 4 months of our pre-season than a high school team would do in a season. Now that were back were completing our lift tests, running tests, and conditioning so we can start in pads on Monday. I CAN'T WAIT! I worked extremely hard this pre-season and have found that the hard work is paying off. My lifts are heavier, my runs are faster, and I feel well conditioned to take on whatever the coaches throw at us. We open the season against 3 of the top 5 teams in the nation and have our chance to take this conference over and go to New England for the national championship!!!! Lets just say Monday is the first practice and I'm about as excited as you can get :)

     Anyhow, its about 11am on Saturday and I think I'm going to bum it today. We had our final conditioning this morning at 7:30 and now that I've got a shower taken, I'm ready to relax! I do have to run some errands, but it shouldn't be too bad because this past week I took care of A LOT of "housekeeping" items. Just some stuff that needed to get done like grocery shopping, emails, cleaning, laundry, and getting books bought etc... Tomorrow we have an Experience Queens event and we're going to take our prospective students uptown for dinner and to see the city. There are 19 attending and I'm pretty sure there is only one more Experience Queens which is in Feb. If you haven't visited Queens, I urge you to do a Discover Queens event or Experience Queens (you stay overnight with a student and go to class). Both are GREAT ways to see what Queens is about!

     Well, thats all for now. I've got 2 sick roommates and the rest of the day to take care of them and be lazy so I'm going to do just that. Till next time, have a great day!!!!!