Billerica Coach Ryan Nickerson

FEB 26, 202654 MIN
New England Lacrosse Journal‘s Chasing The Goal

Billerica Coach Ryan Nickerson

FEB 26, 202654 MIN

Description

Kyle and Owen welcome Billerica boys lacrosse coach Ryan Nickerson, the reigning MIAA Division 2 champion. Nickerson describes a preseason shaped by winter-sport athletes, weight training, and the long-running “Spring Meltdown” tune-up, then reflects on beating BC High by focusing on being the better team rather than public-vs-Catholic narratives. He emphasizes managing high school players’ emotions, including using silent timeouts, and recounts a draining title game versus Reading where neither team would quit. The group discusses neutral-site showcase games at Bentley, scheduling strategy amid power rankings, integrating eighth graders, club lacrosse dynamics, replacing graduating seniors, team captains, and Billerica’s distinct town culture and accent.   Topics 01:05 Preseason Chaos 01:36 Welcoming Coach Nickerson 03:12 Preseason Plan 04:23 Public vs Catholic Pressure 06:25 Coaching Emotions 09:35 Duxbury Breakthrough 11:16 Championship Rollercoaster 15:02 Neutral Site Showcase 17:29 Scheduling Tough Opponents 19:04 Practice Tweaks and Sub Game 21:02 Eighth Graders on Varsity 24:22 Cam’s Rise and Recruiting 27:02 Undersized Star Advantage 28:25 Club Lacrosse Connections 30:01 Club Beyond Recruiting 31:41 High School Team Mindset 35:09 Reaching Tough Players 37:04 Scheduling and Rankings 41:05 Replacing Graduated Leaders 46:18 New Captains and Grit 49:30 Billerica Accent and Roots 52:22 Program Legends and Wrap Up