The first ever lacrosse program at the University of Tampa will get underway in the Spring of 2012, and two newly added assistant coaches are ready to make sure the team’s inaugural season at UT is an instant success.
Mike Ryder and Michael von Kamecke have been added to the UT lacrosse coaching staff to serve as the defensive and offensive coordinators, respectively, under Head Coach Rory Whipple.
Ready to make a contribution, Ryder and von Kamecke bring to the table valuable playing and coaching experience that will serve beneficial to UT lacrosse.
Ryder and von Kamecke both attended Salisbury University in Maryland and played lacrosse under the winningest lacrosse coach in NCAA history, Jim Berkman. Ryder, who is in his mid-20s, graduated SU in 2008 and played lacrosse there from 2005-2007.
With both Ryder and von Kamecke already fitting into the program, coach Whipple believes that the selection process for both of them were successful.
“We went with Mike Ryder because he came from a successful lacrosse program with an outstanding coach so I felt comfortable with Mike with his background to be defensive coordinator,” Coach Whipple said.
“Also, he had the opportunity to be a head coach at Colorado and that gave him a lot of experience dealing with people and everything it takes to be a head coach”
As for von Kamecke, the decision to hire him came from his roots and success during his college career.
“I had a lot of good candidates for the offensive job but I went with [VK] because coming from Salisbury as well I thought that would add a lot of continuity to our coaching staff having two guys playing at the same lacrosse program,” Coach Whipple said.
“I liked him being a local person out of Orlando and he is certainly one of the best lacrosse players to come out of Florida. He also excelled at the Division-III level and won multiple national championships.”
Ryder’s biggest coaching experience was in Boulder, Co., as he packed his bags and headed west to be the assistant coach the University of Colorado’s lacrosse program.
Although CU plays at the club level, the club level lacrosse programs in the west, according to Ryder, is known to be the best in the country.
After six games in his first season, CU fired its head coach and promoted Ryder to the head coach position.
In his head coaching debut, CU defeated number one ranked Michigan, ending the Wolverines’ 49-game winning streak.
With college coaching experience in his possession, Ryder believes his time at CU helped shape him to be a valuable coach here in Tampa.
“I came here knowing how I would like to run things while taking bits and pieces of what I learned there to help UT lacrosse succeed,” Ryder said. “The club-level teams are very good out in the west so I was able to get a lot of great head coaching experience and also surround myself around great guys to get valuable experience off of.”
Ryder will serve as the defensive coordinator as he has been working with the long-stick defenders helping the Spartans out with the individual skills while also helping the midfielders and the defense work together as a team.
With a couple weeks at UT under his belt, Ryder couldn’t be happier to be in Tampa.
“I’m really excited,” Ryder said. “For me, this is my second collegiate job and the fact that I am at the NCAA level now working for a coach like Coach Whipple is very exciting.
“I’m glad to be in Tampa out of all the places to coach and ready to help the first-year program succeed.”
On the other side of the ball, UT lacrosse welcomes Michael von Kamecke to serve as the Spartan lacrosse offensive coordinator.
Also attending Salisbury, von Kamecke shined with their lacrosse team as he won two national championships and earned honorable Division-III All-American honors twice.
Graduation SU in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a minor in athletic coaching, von Kamecke leaves his impressive college lacrosse playing experience to start his coaching career.
Before his college success, he grew up in Orlando where during high school von Kamecke was a three-time lacrosse All-American as he recorded a total of 288 points in his four years at Bishop Moore High School.
Although von Kamecke does not have any college coaching experience, he believes that playing for Coach Berkman at SU served as valuable experience to learn the trade of coaching.
“It was a great learning experience having him as a coach and he still remains a close contact to me today,” says von Kamecke.
With von Kamecke being back in his home state, it’s an honor for him to be part of a brand new college program and happy to be back in Florida.
“Being back in Florida to see the growth of lacrosse and the start of a new program is exciting and a big honor for me to be a part of,” said von Kamecke.
Von Kamecke has worked with the offense in his time at UT developing the Spartans’ shooting skills. He also coaches the midfielders and the attack men.
With Ryder and von Kamecke settling in nicely, Whipple couldn’t be happier to start the season with the two assistant coaches.
“It’s been great, we are real fortunate to have them both,” said Coach Whipple. “They are doing an outstanding job and our team’s play will reflect their effort and coaching.”
Michael Paonessa can be reached at mpaonessa@spartans.ut.edu
Way to go Michael-Your proud grandma Toni forwarded to me. Best of Luck in all your future endeavors.