McCann Tech Gets Ready for First Lacrosse Season

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- It was impossible for Paul Lange to know what kind of hand he was dealt when he stepped in as the first boys lacrosse coach at McCann Tech.

But he had no doubt it was the right move.

“I knew it was a good school with a lot of good kids,” he said. “The athletic program is a strong program. That was exciting.”

And turnout was strong for the nascent lax program when spring practice got under way on Monday. Lange said he had about 20 kids coming out for the team, which opens its inaugural season on April 5 at home against Pope Francis.

McCann will play a 17-game independent schedule against mostly more established programs like Pittsfield and Chicopee Comp. It will play six games against Berkshire County competition, starting with an April 11 game at Hoosac Valley.

The Hornets began their preparations this week inside the school’s gymnasium, which limits the team to some basic drills and keeps Lange from figuring out who will play where once the season begins.

“We’ve got a few D-poles with some experience and a couple of goalies with experience,” he said. “On that side of the ball, it’s important to have some experience.

“On the offensive side of the ball, as far as who will be attack, who will be midfield, we’re nowhere near figuring that out.”

While the Hornets may have envied their lacrosse-playing brethren who had a chance to practice outside this week, Lange said they’re making the most of the situation.

“The baseball and softball teams were inside yesterday, too,” he said as Tuesday’s practice got under way. “They only have so many fields, so they just want to make sure they’re taking care of the fields.”

About three-quarters of McCann’s players have some experience with lacrosse -- either through youth programs or through the school’s former cooperative team with St. Joseph. When St. Joe decided earlier this year to stop hosting a coop, McCann Tech decided there was enough interest in the sport to go it alone.

Lange stepped up to coach the squad after a couple of years away from coaching. He previously served as an assistant at St. Joseph and more recently for about seven or eight years at Wahconah and with Dalton’s youth program.

“I just got the itch to get back into it,” he said.

And he is enjoying the challenge of starting a new tradition at McCann.

“We want to do our best to win as many games as we can this year, but we also want to build and develop a program,” Lange said. “I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people. We’ve got some good athletes.”